Baby Butternut Roast
Photo: Carolina Ayala / Contributor
For the last few weeks, I’ve been spotting tiny little butternut squashes at the farmers market at various tables from Plant-it -forward to the smaller individual farmers to Animal Farm in Cat Springs, Texas. Knowing that butternuts are nutritional powerhouses of essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, not to mention how delicious they are, I brought a few home, cut them in half, and simply roasted them in the oven, cut side up with olive oil, salt, and cumin seeds. They are fresh, tiny, and tender, about the size of an apple, and the knife slides right through them. For a larger butternut, I’d discard the seeds along with the stringy tissue around it but with these little beauties, I leave them in.
Less than an hour later, I devour these shockingly delicious squashes, seeds, and all, with golden brown edges, and just a squeeze of lemon juice. But there is so much you can do with these! Top them with yogurt, cheese, tahini, peanut butter, herbs or nuts, and seeds of your choice. Here I make a masala with caramelized onions and top them with an herbed yogurt sauce. Go look for these little butternuts before they are gone for the season!