Balsamic Glazed Squash Food

BALSAMIC GLAZED BUTTERNUT SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a large bowl combine all ingredients and mix to coat the squash.
• Place squash on a nonstick baking sheet or a baking sheet lined with foil. Bake until the squash is tender and brown about 30 to 35 minutes making sure to flip the squash after 15 minutes.

GRILLED MAPLE-GLAZED ACORN SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat a grill for cooking over medium heat. Lightly oil the grill grates.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan and turn off the heat. Remove 1/4 cup of the melted butter and reserve. Whisk the maple syrup, cider vinegar, dry mustard, crushed red pepper, 3/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper into the saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 4 minutes to reduce slightly. Remove the glaze from the heat and let cool. Set aside 1/3 cup of the glaze for drizzling at the end.
• Carefully halve the squashes from the stem to the bottom. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon and discard. Place the squash halves flat-side down and slice crosswise into 1/2-inch scalloped half-moons. Place the slices in a very large bowl.
• Mix together the chili powder, coriander, cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle the spice mixture over the squash slices. Drizzle the reserved 1/4 cup of melted butter over the squash. Toss with your hands to make sure the slices are evenly coated.
• Place the squash slices on the grill and cover. Cook until dark grill marks appear, about 10 minutes. Flip the squash slices; cover and cook until the squash is just tender enough to be pierced easily with a paring knife, 7 to 8 minutes more.
• Brush the squash slices with the glaze and flip. Cook 1 minute, brush with glaze, flip and cook on the other side for another minute. Remove from the grill and arrange on a large platter. Drizzle with the reserved glaze. Sprinkle with the pepitas. Serve warm or at room temperature.

BALSAMIC GRILLED VEGETABLES

Steps:

• In a medium saute pan over medium heat, add vinegar, sugar, and honey. Let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until reduced by half. Keep warm for glazing on grill.
• In a 1 gallon re-sealable bag, add the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, sea salt, pepper, and garlic and mix until combined. Next, add the carrots, celery root and onions, remove excess air. Allow to marinate for 30 minutes. Then add the zucchini and squash and allow to marinate for 10 more minutes.
• Preheat grill to medium-high.
• Brush grill with oil. Add onions, carrots and celery root. Cook on both sides for 3 to 5 minutes brushing with balsamic glaze. Mark and brown evenly on both sides. Remove to holding pan and cover with aluminum foil. Add squash and zucchini to grill, brush with glaze and cook for 2 minutes per side, until marked and evenly brown. Remove to holding pan, and cover until service.
• Drizzle veggies with remaining glaze and serve on a warm platter.

BALSAMIC ACORN SQUASH

Steps:

• Halve, seed and thinly slice 1 large acorn squash; toss with 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and a few grinds of pepper. Divide between 2 baking sheets and roast at 425 degrees F until browned and tender, about 20 minutes. Drizzle with aged balsamic vinegar and top with chopped toasted almonds and grated ricotta salata.

BALSAMIC GLAZED VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Place veggies in a pan with water and vinegar. Bring to a boil and cover. Reduce heat to medium and cook 10 minutes. Remove lid and raise heat back up. Allow the water to boil away and the vinegar to reduce and glaze the veggies, about 5 to 7 minutes. When the vegetables are glazed, to a sweet, rich brown color add butter to the pan. Turn veggies to coat lightly with butter. Season with salt, pepper and serve. Garnish with parsley.
• For an optional glaze for the vegetables, substitute 1/4 melted butter and 1/4 cup honey for 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar. Follow method as listed.

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH WITH BALSAMIC VINEGAR

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a cookie sheet with foil. Cut the squash lengthwise in half. Seed and cut it into 3- to 4-inch squares, with skin intact. Score the flesh with crosshatch cuts about 1/2 inch deep. Rub all over with olive oil.
• Set the pieces, skin side down, on the cookie sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake 45 minutes, or until easily pierced with knife and lightly browned. Serve hot or at room temperature, sprinkled with balsamic vinegar.

ROASTED BUTTERCUP SQUASH GLAZED WITH BALSAMIC AGAVE NECTAR

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Grease a roasting pan or cookie sheet (with rims) with oil spray or olive oil.
• Cut top and bottom end from butternut squash. Place flat end (that you've cut) of squash on cutting board and cut in half top to bottom.
• With a spoon, scrape seeds out as well as webby silk, making sure that inside of squash is clean and void of all seeds and silk. Cut the squash in half-moon slices about 1" wide, keeping cut slices to the same thickness.
• Place squash on roasting pan on their sides (pulp side down). Spacing slices evenly.
• Mix together Agave nectar, balsamic vinegar and melted butter. Brush buttercup slices evenly. Note that only about half or less of the amount will be used. Reserve remaining balsamic/agave nectar.
• Roast squash for approximately 15 minutes. Turn slices over to opposite side. Brush with remaining balsamic agave nectar. Roast 15 - 20 minutes more or until squash pierces easily with fork and is cooked through.
• Season with ground black pepper and sea salt to taste. Serve while hot.