Butternut Squash Bake

"Caramelized Onion-Butternut Roast with Chestnuts"
From Veganomicon by Isa Chandra Moskoqitz and Terry Hope Romero
Yield: 6-8 servings
1 hour and 10 minutes

Ingredients

Casserole

• 1 lb chestnuts, fresh in the shell or frozen/jarred and prepeeled
• 1 lb onions, peeled and sliced thinly
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 lbs butternut squash (1 medium-size squash), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 15-ounce can white beans such as cannellini or navy, drained and rinsed (or 2 cups cooked white beans)
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1.5 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoons grated nutmeg
• 1.5 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
• fresh ground pepper
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth

Crumb topping

• 1.2 cup dry white bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon dry rubbed sage
• pinch of ground cayenne
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• fresh ground pepper

Directions

1. If you're using fresh chestnuts, preheat the oven to 425F, slice a little slit in each shell to prevent them from exploding, and baked on a rimmed baking sheet for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and place in a kitchen towel, let them cool, then bunch the edges of the towel together to tightly wrap the chestnuts and crush them to loosen the shells, then open the towel and peel them. If you're using frozen or jarred, defrost or drain them first.
2. Preheat the oven to 375F.

Prepare the Casserole

1. Place the onions and oil in a 9x13-inch baking dish, tossing to coat the onions with oil.
2. Bake for about 30 minutes, stirring 3-4 times, until the onions re browned and sizzling.
3. Remove from the oven and set aside.
4. Coarsely chop the chestnuts and add them to the onion dish.
5. Add the diced butternut squash, beans, spices, and broth, stirring so that everything is well-mixed and coated.
6. Tightly cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 35-45 minutes, until the squash and chestnuts are tender.

Prepare the Crumb Topping

1. Toss together the bread crumbs, oil, and safe in a bowl.
2. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and cayenne.

Finish

1. When the squash and chestnuts are tender, remove the pan from the oven.
2. Remove the foil from the baking pan and top with the crumb mixture.
3. Return to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes, until the top is lightly browned.

Sara 04:45, 16 September 2010 (UTC)