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Lapworth, Jacob

Sage and maple hasselback butternut squash

Roasted squash — butter, lemon, cream sauce — almond praline and crispy sage leaves. Veggies drenched in fat and flavour are always delicious, a sweet and savoury explosion. The hasselbacked squash provides crevices for the maple glaze to caramelise and the sauce is a classic French beurre blanc, but with some curry powder to give it a little kick. Garnished with almond praline and crispy sage leaves gives a nice crunchy contrast to the soft squash.

Ingredients

  • 1 whole butternut squash
  • 3 tbsp. butter
  • 2 sprigs of sage
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
  • Pinch of chilli powder
  • 1/2 cup chopped almonds
  • 80g butter
  • 1/2 chopped shallot
  • 1 tsp. yellow mustard powder
  • Salt & black pepper
  • 1 tsp. curry powder
  • Chopped parsley
  • Thyme sprigs
  • 2 tsp. lemon juice
  • 100 ml cream

Instructions

Squash

  1. Preheat oven to 200ºC.
  2. Peel and slit the squash lengthwise, removing the seeds and cleaning the cavity. Rub with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and bake for 15 mins.
  3. Meanwhile, melt 3 tbsp. butter in a pan, then add sprigs of sage. Once it sizzles, add 1/4 cup maple syrup and 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar and a pinch of chilli powder. Once this thickens to a glaze consistency and coats the back of a spoon, remove it from the heat. Remove the sage sprigs and keep for garnishing. Reserve some of the glaze for the praline.
  4. Take the squash out and let it cool. Place two chopsticks along the length of the squash on either side and use a very sharp knife to make the little cuts breadthwise. The chopsticks prevent the knife from cutting all the way and keep the bottom part of the squash intact for support.
  5. Brush the hasselbacked squash with the maple glaze, and pour the rest of the glaze freely. Put it back in the oven for about 30 mins at 210ºC. Every 10 minutes, take it out and bast it with the glaze in the pan.

Praline

  1. While the squash is cooking, bring the reserved glaze back to the stove and add 1/2 cup chopped almonds. Cook until the glaze thickens and coats the almonds. Spread the almonds on a baking sheet and bake at 180ºC for 10 mins. Let it cool and then break it up into pieces.

Sauce

  1. In a non stick pan place 80g butter, 1/2 chopped shallot, 1 tsp. yellow mustard powder, some black pepper, salt and 1 tsp. curry powder. Sauté until the butter foams and then clarify by separating the solids. Add the chopped parsley and thyme sprigs, then stir in 2 tsp, lemon juice and 100 ml cream.

Serve

  1. Place the squash on a flat plate and pour the sauce around it. Garnish with the praline and crispy sage leaves.
Sage and maple hasselback butternut squash — Jacob Lapworth