Brown-butter butternut squash with thyme
By Tali Simon | December 24, 2011
Have you tried the browned butter thing yet?
You really should.
I vote that you start with this browned butter butternut squash dish.
But before I tell you how great this tastes, let’s take a minute to admire that squash. His name is Mr. Squash Head, and no, the art work is not my own. This is what happens when my husband does a Google images search for Mr. Potato Head. Did you know that a squash is much easier to draw on than a potato?
So.
Turns out that this browned butter that everyone fusses over is not hard to do at all. It doesn’t even have to involve obscene amounts of butter — this recipe used just 3 tablespoons for an entire squash.
Just make sure to stir it often as it goes through the melting stages, and don’t walk away for too long. Once it’s browned, it’s done. Don’t wait for it to get a little more browned, or you could get something more like black.
Anyway, between the browned butter and the thyme, this dish has some pretty wonderful flavors going on. If you’re making a dairy Chanukah seudah, this would make a great side dish.
If you can get past the tongue-twister title.
Ingredients Directions 1. Heat a large skillet on medium heat. Add the butter, whisking frequently. Keep an eye on it as it melts, foams up a bit, and then subsides. Honey-colored browned milk solids will begin to form. The butter should have a wonderful nutty aroma. Butter can quickly turn from browned to black, so once it’s browned, take your pan off the heat. 2. Add the thyme, whisking continuously. (If using fresh thyme, the mixture will foam up a bit.) 3. Add the cubed squash to the pan and return it to the burner, heating to medium high. Stir until nicely coated with butter and thyme, then season with salt and pepper. Spread the squash pieces in an even layer and let cook without stirring for several minutes so they brown on one side. Stir gently and spread the pieces out again so the other sides get browned. 4. Reduce heat to low, cover the pan, and let cook until the squash is tender. This will take 10 to 20 minutes depending on how you cut the pieces.
From Simply Recipes
Yield: About 4 servings
Taste, add more salt and pepper as needed, sprinkle with a bit more chopped fresh thyme, and serve. (For best results, serve right away.)
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