most of the best cooking tips are dead simple. for instance, things that share a season should share the plate. the earth is always a good reminder and good at drawing me to flavors that are spare and straightforward, supple and pure. tomatoes and basil. fava beans and green garlic. beets and chicory. squash and apples. i like this last one because it is not as obvious, but just as revelatory when you try it.
a recent trip to julian, california yielded a peck of apples from an orchard with sixty-year-old trees and wild turkey feathers like clues on its paths. i spent much of the drive home mentally arranging apple possibilities, eventually settling with something easy, perhaps even predictable given my preferences. my favorite fall soup is butternut squash with apple, a hint of curry and coconut milk. the recipe that follows is that soup deconstructed and tossed in the oven.
after the butternut squash and apple are stained yellow from the curry powder and almost totally caramelized by the heat of the oven, i add a pile of maple and olive oil-coated coconut chips to the pan. these crisp, lending a welcome contrast to the heat-slackened apples and butternut. the final result can be tossed, still warm, with arugula for a substantial salad. it's also nice served atop coconut rice or all by itself, straight off the pan, as i prefer it.
roasted butternut squash, apples & coconut
(serves 4-6 as a side dish)
1-3 pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped into 1 inch pieces (about 5-7 cups)
3 medium-sized tart, crisp apples, peeled, cored and chopped into 1 inch pieces
1. 5 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
kosher salt & cracked black pepper
1 cup coconut flakes (sometimes called coconut chips)
1 tablespoon maple syrup
fresh cilantro leaves (optional)
preheat oven to 425. you will need two rimmed baking sheets--you have the option to line them with parchment paper. place the butternut squash and apples in a large bowl. sprinkle the curry powder and thyme leaves over the squash and apples, then drizzle 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over everything. season with salt and pepper and use your hands to toss everything until well-coated.
divide evenly onto the baking sheets. roast for forty minutes, pulling the sheets out halfway through and turning the squash and apples. meanwhile, toss the coconut flakes with the remaining olive oil and maple syrup. once the squash and apples have roasted for forty minutes, divide the coconut among the baking sheets and fold them in with the squash and apples with a spatula. roast for 6-8 minutes more, until the coconut is golden-brown and caramelized (keep an eye out as this happenes quickly). garnish with cilantro if you'd like and serve.
notes
* coconut chips (a fatter, snackier version than the ubiquitous shredded coconut) are not always easy to find. i've had success at whole foods, but it appears they are also on amazon.