EVERGREENS AND TOMATOES
About the Recipe
At my birthday a few years back we had the food catered by a local taco restaurant and it came with the usual carne asada and grilled chicken options, but also butternut squash. I had never really considered a vegetarian taco (other than the usual bean or cheese options), and had to give it a try. I was shocked by how good it was and how well it worked as a taco filling. This is my play on that particular taco that changed my life and took me a few inches away from being a total carnivore. Feel free to adjust the toppings to your own preferences and what you may have in the fridge. I'm not much of a person for spicy food, but the sweetness of the butternut squash would probably go really well with a hot sauce or some fresh jalapenos.
Ingredients
I butternut squash
1.5 Tbsp of canola oil
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp of salt (or salt to taste)
Toppings:
2 radishes thinly sliced
1/2 red onion quick pickled (instructions below)
Cilantro lime crema or sour cream
Cilantro (optional)
Quick Pickled Red Onion:
Thinly slice half a red onion and place in a container. Mix together 1/3 cup of white wine vinegar (or whatever vinegar you have on hand), 2/3 cup of water, 1 Tbsp white sugar, and salt to taste. Pour this mixture over the onions, you want the onions to be covered with the solution, if they aren't just add more with the same ratio. Let sit for 30 minutes and then serve. You can store whatever is leftover in the fridge for a week or so.
Preparation
Step 1:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel the outside of the butternut squash. Then cut in half length wise and remove the seeds. Dice up the butternut squash and transfer to mixing bowl (alternatively you can purchase pre-cut butternut squash to save some time). Toss the butternut squash in the canola oil and salt to taste.
Step 2:
Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and transfer the butternut squash to the baking sheet. You want it to be in a single layer and not too crowded. Transfer to oven and let roast for 25-40 minutes until full cooked. I'd start really keeping an eye on it around 25 minutes and check on it every 5 mintues. You want some browning, but you don't want it to overcook and become mushy.
Step 3:
Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for a few minutes.
Step 4:
Transfer to a mixing bowl and toss with the spice mix of cumin, chili powder, and garlic powder - you can also salt to taste, but remember that you already added some salt before roasting the butternut squash.
Step 5:
Prep your tortillas (if using corn give them a quick fry), add toppings, and enjoy!
