This is another lovely seasonal side dish. I received a lot of butternut squash in my CSA share this season and kept looking for new ways to enjoy it. 🙂
This recipe was adapted from My Paris Kitchen: Recipes and Stories by David Lebovitz. I modified the proportions. It would be a great side to serve as part of a Thanksgiving feast.
Yield: Serves 4 to 6 as a side dish
For the Squash Filling:
- 1 T unsalted or salted butter
- 1 T extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 to 2 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced into 3/4-inch (2 cm) cubes
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- Kosher salt or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup peeled and thinly sliced shallots (I used 1 large shallot)
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) chicken stock or vegetable stock
- 1 T finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
For the Topping:
- 1/4 cup plus 2 T (52.5g) fresh or dried bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup (35g) stone-ground cornmeal or polenta
- 1/4 cup (22.5g/.75oz) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 T minced fresh sage leaves
- 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp sea salt or Kosher salt
- 2 T (1oz/27.5g) unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
- 1 large egg
- Preheat the oven to 375˚F (190˚C), preferably on convection.
- Generously butter a shallow 1 1/2 to 2 quart baking dish with softened butter. (I used a round ceramic baking dish.)
Make the Filling:
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the squash and thyme. Season with salt and pepper and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the squash pieces begin to brown on several sides.
- Add the shallots and cook for another few minutes, until they’re softened.
- Add the stock and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring, to reduce the stock a bit and heat everything through.
- Scrape the squash mixture into the prepared baking dish; stir in the parsley. Press the mixture into a relatively even layer.
- Cover the dish snugly with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes, until the squash is pretty soft when poked with a paring knife or fork.
Make the Topping:
- While the squash is baking, combine the bread crumbs, cornmeal, Parmesan, sage, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. (Alternatively, the topping can be made by hand in a large bowl, using a pastry blender.)
- Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is crumbly and the butter is completely incorporated.
- Add the egg and pulse a few more times until the mixture just starts clumping together in bits.
To Finish the Dish:
- Remove the squash from the oven, remove the foil, and cover with the topping.
- Decrease the oven temperature to 350˚F (180˚C) ad return the dish to the oven.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, until the top is golden brown, and serve.
Note: If doubling the recipe, use 1 egg.
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