SQUASH TOAST WITH CHIPOTLE HONEY + PEPITAS
Okay, so I looove avocado. BUT (and I know this might offend some of you), I'm not the biggest avocado toast fan. I know! In the beginning, it was pretty cute, but now, it's become a phenomenon and a food trend (with an $8+ price tag to boot at most of my local Brooklyn spots)! Beyond that, it's Fall - the season has changed and so a time has come to explore some alternatives for your morning breakfast, snack or however you might traditionally eat toast.
Squash is everywhere, so why not mash up some buttery, sweet squash and slather it on toast? Let's go a step further. Why not spice up the squash with some minced shallots and jalapeño, top with some chipotle-infused honey, throw in some cream cheese and roasted pepitas....I think you get my point here. Toast can be so much more!
That's what this squash toast is all about. Hitting highs and lows of flavor and texture. You've got crunchy, creamy, sweet, savory, spicy (I could go on)....Enjoy!
Ingredients
Serves 4 to 6
For the chipotle honey:
½ cup honey
1-2 dried chipotle chilies (adjust to your heat tolerance)
For the squash toast:
Canola or olive oil
1 medium-sized butternut squash or kabocha (2 to 3 lb) squash, halved and seeded
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 small shallot, minced
1 jalapeno, seeded, ribbed and minced
small handful of cilantro, finely chopped
juice of half a lime
8 to 10 slices white/wheat country bread, lightly toasted
1/2 to 2/3rd cup cream cheese or mascarpone
1/3rd cup pepitas, roasted
Procedure
For the chipotle honey:
Add honey and chilies to a small saucepan. Cook on low for a half hour, remove from the heat, and let cool and infuse another 20 minutes. Strain if you want to.
For the squash toast:
Preheat the oven to 425° F.
To roast the squash, generously coat with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast flesh side down for about 30-40 minutes until mashable.
Spoon out squash into a bowl and add shallots, jalapeño, cilantro, and lime juice. Mix together and adjust seasoning.
To assemble the squash toasts, slather a tablespoon or so of cream cheese on the toasts. Top with a spoonful of the squash mixture and sprinkle a few toasted pepitas on top.
These are best enjoyed with the squash is warm.