Roasted Delicata Squash with Peanut, Sesame and Squash Seed Dukkah

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Heat oven to 350 degrees. Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven.

2. Step 2

   Place the squash in a large bowl and rinse well, then rub vigorously with a kitchen towel to remove any traces of dirt in the crevices. Transfer to a cutting board and cut each squash in half crosswise, leaving the skin on. Place each half cut-side down, and carefully slice in half lengthwise. Scrape the seeds and surrounding flesh into a medium bowl and set aside.

3. Step 3

   Cut the squash quarters into ½-inch cubes. In a large bowl, toss the cubes with 1 teaspoon of the salt and 4 tablespoons of the peanut oil. Add the remaining peanut oil to the bowl of squash seeds and toss to coat.

4. Step 4

   Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Arrange the squash cubes in a single layer on one of the sheets; on the other, arrange the squash seeds and press firmly into a single layer, making sure to mash the pockets of squash flesh as flat as possible. Place the cubed squash on the lower rack of oven, and the seeds on the upper rack. Start checking after about 20 minutes. but it can take up to a half-hour for the squash to become tender, the seeds to turn lightly brown and the surrounding flesh to dry. Remove both pans from oven and let cool.

5. Step 5

   In a food processor, combine the roasted squash seeds, sesame seeds, peanuts, coriander, cumin, black pepper and the remaining teaspoon of salt. Process until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Transfer the dukkah to a small bowl. When ready to serve, reheat the squash until hot all the way through, 7 to 10 minutes. Toss the hot squash with 4 to 6 tablespoons of the dukkah and serve.