Smoky Grilled Butternut with Balsamic Glaze, Sage & Seeds
Butternut and other squashes like pumpkin, gem and Hubbard are in season now and their tender taste pairs well with smoky flavours infused from fire. For this recipe, two big butternut squash are halved and roasted over the coals in the Le Creuset Alpine Grill Basket, brushed with a piquant balsamic glaze and stuffed with fresh sage. A scattering of toasted pumpkin, flax, sunflower and sesame seeds finish off this easy veggie dish.
Equipment
- 1 Small saucepan
- 1 Le Creuset’s Alpine Grill Basket
- 1 Kettle braai or Weber
Ingredients
- 2 large butternut squash halved lengthways
- 50 ml balsamic vinegar reduction
- 25 ml dry red wine or water
- Sea salt and black pepper
- Olive oil
- A handful of fresh sage
- 30 ml mixed toasted seeds
Instructions
- Pour the balsamic reduction and red wine into a small saucepan over medium heat and reduce until thickened. Season with salt and pepper.
- Rub a little olive oil over the skin-side of the butternut and place into Le Creuset’s Alpine Grill Basket. Use a sharp knife to score the cut side of each butternut in a criss-cross pattern and brush with the balsamic glaze.
- Put the butternut into a preheated 220°C kettle braai or Weber and cook skin-side down for the first 20 minutes before basting the cut side with more glaze, placing some sage into each cavity and turning the butternut to roast flesh-side down for a further 10 to 20 minutes or until soft. To serve, baste once more with the balsamic reduction and scatter over the toasted seeds.
Notes
*Cook's tip: by roasting butternut in the skin, the vegetable takes on a buttery, nutty flavour. Once cooked, the skin of a butternut can be eaten and is more nutrient-dense than the flesh. This is also a tasty way to roast butternut for soups, sauces and pasta filling.