Roasted Butternut Squash with Sweet Spices, Preserved Lemon, and Green Chilies

Adapted from Plenty, by Yotam Ottolenghi

This recipe was taught in a City Market cooking class on making and cooking with preserved lemons. It was, hands-down, everyone's favorite recipe! Making preserved lemons is easier than you think - check out the linked recipe below! Please note that it takes about 3 weeks for lemons to be preserved.

Roasted Butternut Squash with Preserved Lemons

Prep Time

60 minutes

Cook Time

30 minutes

Yield

6 Servings

Ingredients

1 lemon, preserved
  sea salt
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 squash, butternut
2 tablespoons cardamom pods
1 teaspoon allspice, ground
1⁄2 cup yogurt, Greek
2 1⁄2 tablespoons tahini
1 pepper, green chile
1 cup cilantro

Instructions

Peel butternut squash, cut in half lengthwise, and remove seeds.  Slice squash (about ⅜-inch thick) and lay out in a single layer on a lined baking sheet.  

Grind cardamom seeds and add allspice and olive oil. Mix well and brush over squash slices.

Sprinkle a little salt over the squash and bake for approximately 15 minutes or until tender.

While squash is baking, prepare the preserved lemon – remove the pulp, squeezing out and saving any juice.  Then cut into desired shapes: This recipe works well with either long julienne or small dice.

Whisk yogurt, tahini, lemon juice, a pinch of salt and about 2 Tbs. water.  It should be thick, but runny enough to pour. Add more water if necessary.

To serve, arrange warm butternut slices on a platter. Sprinkle lemon pieces liberally over the squash and then drizzle with the yogurt sauce. Scatter the chiles and the cilantro over the top and serve.