Roasted Acorn Squash Rings

Here’s a winter squash tip from Weston Lant at Lucky Field Organics. For a quick meal of butternut squash, halve and clean squash and place it cut-side down on glass plate in the microwave oven. Cook, testing every now and then, until squash is perfectly tender. Mash scooped-out flesh and season to taste. You might not even need any butter, or cream or maple syrup, says Weston. Microwaving seems to bring out the squash’s natural sweetness. Here’s an easy idea for acorn squash:

Roasted Acorn Squash Rings
(serves 2 or more)

1 acorn squash, cut into 4 thick slices
2 tsp. honey
2 tsp. olive oil, plus extra for baking sheet or pan
salt and freshly ground black pepper
optional: paprika or curry powder

To make acorn slices: trim top and bottom of acorn squash so slices will lie flat. Halve squash crosswise. Scoop out fibrous middle and seeds (save seeds for pepitas.) Slice the 2  halves in half again to make 4 thick rings. Mix honey and olive oil and coat cut surfaces of squash with the mixture. Spread rings on a well-oiled baking sheet or pan, season well with salt and black pepper and slide into a hot 375F oven. After 20 minutes carefully turn slices with a spatula , and season again with salt and pepper. Slide back into the oven for another 15 minutes or until the squash rings are tender and a lovely golden brown. Serve 1 to 2 rings person as a side dish, with a few pepitas accompanying them on the plate, if you like.

Pepitas: rinse seeds free of fibrous bits of squash and dry seeds well. Toss with a little olive oil (1/2 teaspoon oil to 2 tablespoons of squash seeds.) Sprinkle with salt and spread on a pie plate or cookie sheet. Slide into the 375 F oven with the squash rings, removing pepitas after 15 minutes or when they are crisp and golden. Optional: Sprinkle seeds with a little paprika or curry powder, and toss together while still hot.