Roasted Butternut Squash with Ginger and Five-Spice

Instead of pureeing butternut squash and loading it up with butter, we cut it into chunks and roast it, seasoning it with fresh ginger and Chinese five-spice to complement its natural sweetness. You will need two large, heavy rimmed baking sheets. The squash can be peeled, seeded, cut into chunks and refrigerated in zip-close bags for up to two days before cooking. Many grocery stores sell butternut squash that has already been peeled, seeded and cut into chunks. We found that this variety does not brown as well as squash we prepped ourselves, though it tasted equally good. If you purchase precleaned squash, you will still need about 4 pounds.

Good

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

1. Heat the oven to 500°F with racks in the upper and lower-middle positions. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with foil.

Step 2

2. In a large bowl, toss the squash with the butter, ginger, five-spice powder, 1½ teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Divide evenly between the prepared baking sheets and distribute in even layers. Roast, switching and rotating the pans halfway through, until well browned, 25 to 35 minutes.

Step 3

3. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a platter and sprinkle with the chives and crystallized ginger (if using). Serve warm or at room temperature.

Step 4

Don’t substitute oil for the butter. The milk solids in the butter brown during roasting, adding a nutty flavor and fragrance to the squash. Don’t try to fit all of the squash onto a single baking sheet. Crowding impedes browning.