Caramelized Onion-Bacon Cranberry Honeynut Squash

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Need a scrumptious dish that is suitable for any fall occasion? We have you covered with this stunning Honey Nut Squash recipe . Honeynut Squash looks like “mini” butternut except it has silkier and deeper-colored flesh that is sweet and savory.

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This sweet and savory recipe is from Valentina’s blog Cooking on the Weekends. It is a simply stunning recipe that is perfect for any fall occasion, and it can be served as a starter or side-dish.

Ingredients:

  • 3 Medium Honeynut Squash

  • olive oil for the pan and for drizzling

  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar, divided

  • 3 strips bacon

  • 2 cups yellow onion, thinly sliced

  • 1 teaspoon garlic, minced

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground clove

  • 1 cup fresh cranberries (frozen and thawed is okay)

  • 1 1/2 cups fresh spinach leaves washed and dried, roughly chopped

  • 2 tablespoons Roquefort cheese, crumbled

  • salt and freshly ground black pepper

Fun Fact: Honeynut squash has only been around since 2007 and in the Farmers Market since about 2015. We can thank Michael Mazourek, a professor in Plant Breeding and Genetics at Cornell, for breeding a new vegetable for flavor rather than yield. The variety started by breeding two types of squash seeds together that had complementary characteristics. He then took seeds from the new generations of squash and planted them. After eight generations, the honeynut squash was finally achieved and can be found at various farmer’s markets and in this week’s CSA box. For more about the history of honeynut squash visit this think: Honeynut Squash History

 
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Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425°F and adjust a rack to the center.

  • Cover a sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.

  • Wash and dry the squash, and then cut them in half, lengthwise. Remove the seeds and any stringy membranes with a spoon, and place them, round side down on the parchment-lined sheet pan.

  • Drizzle the squash generously with olive oil and then sprinkle them lightly with salt and pepper, and 1 teaspoon of the brown sugar. Turn them over, round side up, on the sheet pan.

  • Roast in the preheated 425°F oven until the thickest portion of the squash is very tender, about 30 minutes. (A fork should slide in and out very easily.)

  • Remove the sheet pan from the oven, set aside, and turn the heat down to 375°F.

  • While the squash is roasting, place the bacon in a large sauté over medium heat. Cook until it's golden and crispy, a few minutes per side. Set it aside on a double layer of paper towels to drain.

  • Add the onions and garlic to the pan. (If there isn't a thin layer of bacon grease in the pan, add a bit of olive oil.) Sauté, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft and golden, about 15 minutes.

  • Add the nutmeg, cloves, cayenne and cranberries. Turn the heat to medium-low, and cook until the cranberries are very soft and broken into smaller pieces, about 15 more minutes. (If the cranberries are soft but not broken, you can help them along with a fork.)

  • Add the spinach and cook until it's wilted, about 2 minutes.

  • Crumble the bacon into tiny pieces and add it to the sauté pan. Stir and then season generously to taste with salt and pepper, and add the remaining 2 teaspoons of brown sugar.

  • Turn the squash halves over, so the opening is facing up, and evenly divide the mixture among them, filling each one as much as possible. Now use your fingers to break the Roquefort into tiny pieces, and evenly distribute it on top of each one.

  • Place the sheet pan in the preheated 375°F oven and heat just to melt the cheese and bring the flavors together, about 6 minutes.

    Enjoy!

recipe, Fall, WinterIan Thorp