Butternut Squash Hasselback with Cannabis Butter
Forget about the main – this is the kind of dish dinner guests remember, a side dish presented so prettily that it serves as a visual preview of the incredible flavours contained within. Serve this gorgeous dish at Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any meal where you’re seeking to impress.
Recipe by Chef Ronnie Fishman, words by Devon Scoble.
Ingredients
1 large butternut squash or 2–3 small honeynut squash (about 3 lbs total)
1 tbsp olive oil
Kosher salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
1 Fresno chili, thinly sliced
¼ cup pure maple syrup, preferably grade B
3 tbsp cannabutter
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
6–8 dried bay leaves
Method
Place rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 425°F.
Halve squash lengthwise and scoop out seeds with a large spoon. Using a peeler, remove skin and white flesh below (you should reach the deep orange flesh).
Rub all over with oil and season with salt and pepper.
Roast in a baking dish just large enough to hold halves side by side until they begin to soften, about 15-18 minutes. (A paring knife should easily slip in to only about ¼”).
Meanwhile, bring the chili, maple syrup, butter and vinegar to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally and removing the chili as soon as the desired heat level is reached (set it aside for serving). The glaze is ready when it’s just thick enough to coat a spoon, about 6–8 minutes. Reduce heat to very low and keep the glaze warm.
Transfer squash to a cutting board and let cool slightly. Using a sharp knife, score rounded sides of squash halves crosswise, going as deep as possible but without cutting all the way through. Return squash to baking dish, scored sides up, and tuck bay leaves between a few of the slices and season with salt and pepper.
Turn the oven down to 375°F. Roast the squash, basting with glaze every 10 minutes or so and using a pastry brush to lift off any glaze that is browning too much. Roast until the squash is tender and the glaze forms a rich brown coating, around 45–60 minutes. Serve topped with the reserved chilis.
Notes: Squash can be roasted up to 5 hours ahead. Let it cool until just warm, then cover and store at room temperature. Reheat before serving.
For a more potent dish, add more cannabutter to the glaze.
