Food Matters: Chipotle-Glazed Squash (Skewers)

I think we are finally nearing the end of winter squash season, and the prospect of a greater variety of vegetables to come is SO enticing!

This was the latest squash recipe, and quite good I thought!

Chipotle-Glazed Squash (skewers)
*adapted from Mark Bittman's The Food Matters Cookbook

Makes: 4-6 servings
Time: 30-40 minutes

1 1/2 pounds butternut squash or other winter squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch cubes
2-3 Tbs olive oil
part of 1 canned chipotle chile, chopped, with 1 tsp adobo sauce
3 small cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs honey
Salt and black pepper
Lime wedges, optional
Chopped fresh cilantro, optional

1. Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a large baking sheet or roasting pan with foil or parchment paper. Spread squash cubes over pan.

2. Whisk together olive oil, chipotle chile and adobo sauce, garlic, honey and some salt and pepper in a small bowl. Even better, mince the garlic, add a little salt and smash/paste it with the side of a knife to make a garlic paste, then stir that in.

3. Pour glaze over squash, toss with your hands to coat evenly, and spread out over the baking sheet.

4. Roast for 30-40 minutes, tossing once or twice. Remove when the squash is tender and browned. Serve hot or at room temperature, garnished with lime juice and cilantro.

Notes / Tips:
- The original recipe called for making skewers, which I intended to do until I couldn't find our metal skewers. We have wood skewers, but those need to be soaked in water for 20-30 minutes prior to roasting, which of course I didn't do ahead of time. The skewers would make for a nice presentation, but the final taste is the same - your choice.
- I used about 1/3 of a single chipotle chile and 1 tsp of the adobo sauce and I thought the spice level was perfect for kids. The original recipe called for 1-2 whole chiles and 2 Tbs sauce, which I think would be super spicy and totally overwhelming, but you make the call.
- This dish comes together quickly, with ingredients we usually have on hand. My only gripe is that I buy a can of chipotle chiles in adobo sauce and generally only use 1-2 of the chiles and then toss the rest. If I planned better, I would make another recipe later in the week where I could also use them.
- I served the squash with chicken breasts using this new technique, that was great. I just stirred some Mexican spices into the flour coating on the chicken and garnished with some pico and avocado. Give it a try!