thanksgiving recipe #2

roasted squash with goat cheese, honey-butter walnuts & dates

as next week (the week of thanksgiving) draws closer, i love to reminisce on past thanksgivings and think about previous recipes and dishes that i loved making or felt were particularly successful. then i like to think about how i could potentially improve or at least change them up a little for this year’s table.

for me, i always need to have a roasted squash dish on the table. it’s a non-negotiable.

this time of year, the abundance gorgeous of squash grown here in california is truly unfathomable. not to mention just how tasty a simple roasted squash can be—even just on it’s own. let alone with all the thanksgiving flavors!

and indeed—this time of year, the farmers market is full of many colorful, hearty fall/winter produce. i think, second to late summer produce, fall at the farmers market is my favorite time.

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i went to the santa monica farmers market on wednesday to shoot some content with cortney a photographer friend of mine, and the market was bursting at the seams with peak fall produce.

we tried these pink walnuts for the first time, and they blew my mind. so creamy with no astringent aftertaste. you could also—quite literally, smell the guavas a mile off, and they tasted absolutely incredible.

and we can’t forget how all of the hearty, more roast-able vegetables are just so good at this time of year. there are so many different kinds of sweet potatoes and huge, chunky carrots in abundance—it’s all quite incredible. you haven't lived until you have tried farmers market carrots, roasted with thyme and rosemary, i’m telling you.

and of course, this is soup season (and indeed, this is a soup substack). well, every season is soup season in my eyes, but most people associate these colder months as true soup season. and i have been making soup in overdrive, because there the soup-adjacent produce is just too good.

pictured here is left to right and top to bottom is—

chicken & barley soup with crispy chicken skin

curried chicken soup

fridge-raid minestone

kale, leek and potato soup with a jammy egg

soegogi miyeokguk - korean seaweed soup with braised beef

all the beans soup with ham hock

so as you can see, i really do love this season so much.

maybe it is the chill in the air, maybe it is the classic end-of-year burn out but a break on the horizon kind of feeling too. maybe it is is knowing that i am cooking for 20 people on thusday, which is one of my greatest joys in life—who knows!

but one thing i do know for certain, is that i love squash, and so here is a recipe idea for your thanksgiving table. and you’ll see a few item swaps to boot—the beauty of this recipe is that you can really make it your own.

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roasted acorn squash with goat cheese, honey-butter walnuts & dates

walnuts to be added!

you can use literally any squash for this recipe, but some squash cooks quicker than others, so just make sure you allow for and are aware of different roast times.

i used acorn squash here but i also love red kuri squash for this, and will most likely use kuri for my menu this year. but delicata, honeynut or butternut all work really well here.

you could also use pecans in this recipe, it really is up to you! you could also use fried rosemary instead of sage—again, that can be your decision.

this year i think i am going to replace soft goat cheese with boursin, but i am not entirely sure yet. i like the tanginess of goat cheese but i think boursin with go so well with all of the other elements too. we shall see!

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serves 4-6

2 medium-sized acorn squashes, de-seeded and cut into half moons or large chunks

2 cups of walnuts

2 sticks of butter

1/2 cup of honey

1/2 cup sage, fried and salted

few springs of rosemary, to roast with the squash

1 cup of soft goat cheese, divided throughout the dish

flaky salt

olive oil for roasting

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set the oven to 375 degrees F or 190 degrees C.

begin by cutting the squash (no matter what squash you are using) down the centre, lengthways, through the stem, and root. remove all of the seeds, using a spoon and set the seeds aside to roast separately (if you want to) or in this case, i discard the seeds. there is already too much going on over thanksgiving.

next lay the squash out on a baking tray and coat each piece of squash well with olive oil, sprigs of rosemary, and flaky salt and then pop into the oven, uncovered for approximately 30 minutes to roast gently. keep an eye on your squash as it may take longer or, indeed, cook quicker than my estimation. your squash is done when it is charred a little around the edges and when a fork goes into the flesh with ease, but it doesn’t make the squash fall apart.

whilst the squash is cooking, set a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat on the stove and begin melting the 2 sticks of butter along with the walnuts and chopped dates. once the butter is melted and the nuts and dates have sizzled and softened for a few minutes, add in the 1/2 a cup of honey, stir to combine—and then kill the heat.

next, in a separate pan over medium heat heat up some olive oil—enough to just coat the bottom of the pan. once the oil is hot, drop in the sage and let everything sizzle until you see the sage has stiffened somewhat and might be a little browned around the edges. turn the sage out onto a paper towel-covered plate, and salt with flaky salt immediately.

once the squash has finished roasting, it is time to assemble.

position the squash onto the plate first, then drizzle over the dressing of walnuts, dates, and honey-butter. next, in pinched chunks—layer over the goat cheese and sprinkle in an even layer. next add the sage fried sage leaves and finish with a good pinch of flaky salt.

serve with the rest of your thanksgiving dinner, and enjoy!

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one more recipe to come before the big day, so stay tuned!

talk soon

xo