Give your Thanksgiving side dishes an upgrade this year with our Chef in Residence's flavorful, festive new squash recipe.
"Let’s be honest — delicata squash is the best squash. You don’t need to peel it, it’s a cute, manageable size, easy to cut (looking at you butternut), and it’s just really tasty. This recipe makes for an easy, delicious, and stunning Thanksgiving side dish. The squash is tossed in warming Aleppo pepper, salt, golden orange blossom honey, and aromatic AURORA rosemary olive oil and then roasted off in the oven. It is served over a cloud of creamy garlicky labneh (which you can prepare while it’s roasting) and then gets topped with a bunch of festive ingredients like orange zest, pomegranate arils, and rosemary leaves, which not only look pretty, but add great flavor and texture too." - Noreen Wasti
Ingredients
- 2 medium size delicata squash, washed
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp Aleppo pepper (use a 1/2 tsp for milder spice)
- 2 Tbsp Brightland California orange blossom honey
- 3 Tbsp Brightland AURORA rosemary olive oil, plus more to finish
- 2 cups labneh
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tsp finely grated orange zest, to finish
- flaky salt, to finish
- pomegranate arils, to garnish
- fresh rosemary leaves, torn to garnish
Instructions
- 1 Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- 2 Cut the ends off the squash (you can roast these too, it looks cute for presentation with the stem visible) and then cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and any stringy bits. Cut into 1-inch thick half moon slices.
- 3 Transfer the squash slices to a large bowl. Add the salt, Aleppo pepper, honey, and AURORA. Toss well until combined.
- 4 Transfer the squash to a large sheet pan and distribute evenly. Make sure not to overcrowd and use two pans if needed.
- 5 Roast the squash for 25-30 minutes, flipping at the halfway mark, until golden brown. Prepare the labneh in the meantime.
- 6 Add the labneh to a medium size bowl. Use a microplane to finely grate in the garlic and mix well to combine.
- 7 To serve, spoon the labneh onto a serving platter. Use the back of a tablespoon to create swirls and swoops.
- 8 Place the squash on top and sprinkle with the orange zest and a good pinch of flaky salt.
- 9 Finish with a drizzle of AURORA and a pretty garnish of pomegranate arils and torn rosemary leaves.
