How to roast butternut squash rounds using domesticated animals you may have around the house.
Step 1. Buy a butternut squash with a neck almost as tall as your cat. If you don’t have a cat, borrow one from a neighbor. Don’t tell them why you need the cat. Trust me.
Step 2. Preheat your oven to 400ºF. Crush a garlic clove in a mortar or small bowl and pour a tablespoons of olive oil over it. Crush the garlic some more. Set aside.
Step 3. Whack the round part off the squash and reserve for something else (or halve it, seed it, fill it with butter and brown sugar, and roast it along with the rounds). Peel the neck down to the orange flesh. If you haven’t peeled a butternut squash before, you’ll think it’s easy, then get more and more depressed when you realize it’s a lot of work. The cat cannot help you here.
Step 4. Cut the peeled neck into 3/4-inch thick slices. This is easier if you rock the squash as you slice through it.
Step 5. Lay the butternut squash rounds on a baking sheet and brush with the garlic oil. Flip them over and brush the other side with more oil. Sprinkle with kosher or sea salt, ground black pepper, and minced sage leaves.
Step 6. Roast 15-20 minutes or until tender. Pet the cat while you wait, maybe scritch it behind the ears. Cats like that.
Step 7. Eat the squash rounds.
Step 8. Return cat, if borrowed.
Recipe adapted from a catless version in Everyday Greens by Annie Somerville, via The Best American Recipes 2004-2005, edited by Fran McCullough and Molly Stevens.
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Bon Appegeek
December 5th, 2006 at 1:48 pm
Here from a pimp from JessHelga — oh MY, this looks delicious! I just so happen to have a long-necked squash and a cat, so I’m ready to give this a try. Thanks!
The macro of the squash with the drops of moisture is an exquisite shot, by the way.
December 5th, 2006 at 5:47 pm
Cutest butternut squash recipe ever. Even if the competition were stiffer, it still would be. Scritching! Aw.
December 6th, 2006 at 10:36 am
Have squash, have cat, will cook.
Great shots, and love the cat. Did you borrow it, or is it your sous chef?
December 6th, 2006 at 8:11 pm
Kristen: Thanks! Be careful not to confuse the squash and the cat.
Shalini: I stole “scritch” from someone, hope I don’t get sued.
Kate: Sous chef! I love it. He is mine, and now I should promote him.
December 7th, 2006 at 8:32 am
Soooooo cute! I love your cat. He is such a sweetie!
December 8th, 2006 at 10:09 am
Too funny. Even made the hubby laugh, which is a job and a half. HA! Great post…
December 8th, 2006 at 1:39 pm
Emily: Thanks! He is a sweetie, unlike my other cat who is evil.
Jesska: Excellent! I love 1.5x extra effect with no extra work for me, heh.
December 11th, 2006 at 5:11 pm
I usually tend to slice the punkin into discs, and then use a sharp knife and cut the peel off in one go.
:-)
I looooooooove love love pumpkin!
December 11th, 2006 at 11:01 pm
Callisto: Great tip! Do Australians call squash pumpkin? Americans tend to call only the round orange squashes pumpkins, so I get confused.
January 9th, 2007 at 10:33 am
As you can see, I just discovered your blog and am going back through your archives a bit. I’m excited, my cat will love this recipe!
January 28th, 2007 at 10:16 am
[...] I only just discovered Annie’s blog, Bon Appegeek, but I’m already in love. I’m sure that Katya will appreciate it greatly if I follow Annie’s instructions for how to roast butternut squash rounds using domesticated animals you may have around the house. As for me, I’m filled with a strong craving for nurungji, a Korean dish of almost-but-not-quite-burnt rice scraped from the bottom of the pot. Annie makes this sound good. Actually, Annie makes this sound great. If that doesn’t say all that needs to be said about how wonderful a writer she is, I give up right now. Get over there and read through her archives like I did when I first came across her blog. Pronto. [...]
March 1st, 2007 at 11:50 pm
Does my severe cat allergy preclude me from mastering this recipe or just from hanging out at your house? =)
March 6th, 2007 at 3:18 pm
Steen: The recipe should also work with a ferret, a very large parrot, or a small terrier.