Sweet and Sour Winter Squash

Updated June 6, 2024

Sweet and Sour Winter Squash
Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Total Time
About 40 minutes
Rating
5(105)
Comments
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This dish is based on a Sicilian recipe that I learned from the food writer Clifford A. Wright. The sweet and sour flavors are typical of Sicilian cuisine, though I have changed the technique used in the authentic version, which entails sautéing the squash in a lot more oil.

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Ingredients

Yield:Serves 4
  • pounds winter squash, diced
  • 2tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt
  • freshly ground pepper to taste
  • teaspoons sugar
  • 3tablespoons red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
  • 3garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 to 4tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint, to taste
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

127 calories; 7 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 16 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 2 grams protein; 394 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a baking dish large enough to accommodate the squash in an even layer, toss the squash with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and place in the oven. Roast 20 minutes, until not quite tender. Remove from the heat.

  2. Step 2

    Dissolve the sugar in the vinegar in a small bowl. Heat the remaining olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet, and add the garlic and the squash. Cook, stirring gently, for a few minutes, until fragrant and the squash is tender but not too soft — about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the sugar and vinegar, and continue to cook, stirring gently, until the liquid is just about gone. Add the mint, cook for another minute, and remove from the heat. Serve hot, warm or room temperature.

Tip
  • Advance preparation: You can make the dish up to a day ahead. Reheat gently, or serve at room temperature.Martha Rose Shulman can be reached at martha-rose-shulman.com.

Ratings

5 out of 5
105 user ratings
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Comments

This is wonderful on its own but I take the finished product and drop it by teaspoonfuls onto sheet of phyllo dough then wrap it up like a samosa and freeze. Then anytime I need a quick appetizer I thaw and then pop them into the oven for 10 minutes.

Just finished making this. At the end with squash in the frying pan surrounded by the sweet and sour mix, feeling thirsty, I reached for the frozen orange juice concentrate, and tada! inspiration struck and I added some of that to the squash. Great idea! Delicious.

Great twist on winter squash that I look forward to making again. We used acorn squash wedges. My herb garden produces scraggly mint this time of year so I topped with a melange of mint, parsley, and oregano. A nice accompaniment to crusty bread and radicchio stuffed with ricotta.

Great flavors. Added an equal amount of broccoli halfway through roasting, and increased sweet vinegar sauce by half. Made a good side, covering green/orange/starch in one dish. Win!

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