Before the evil vine borers decimated our squash crops, we harvested A LOT of butternut squash.


I really love butternuts, but most of my recipes are much more Fall oriented.


There’s a reason people grill in the Summer and it’s not just about the food. For each meal I plan, I try to minimize my use of the oven or stove. Cooking on a gas stove in 100 degree heat in an 80 year old house makes the kitchen feel like the Sahara.


Despite that, I’ve made soup…twice. I’ve even tackled risotto which definitely does not meet my Summer-oven routine.


We’ve gifted lots of our butternuts to willing (and some unwilling) friends.
The butternuts from our garden have even been farmed out for baby food.
And, we still have this much.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m thrilled to have butternuts to last us through the Fall. (Of course, that requires me to actually freeze them…)

So, I was thrilled to find this recipe. It’s true…it does require use of the oven. But, not for too long. And, the result is the perfect accompaniment to a grilled Summer meal.

Butternut Squash and Chickpea Salad

From Smitten Kitchen
For salad:
1 medium butternut squash (about 2 to 2 1/2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium garlic clove, minced or pressed
1/2 teaspoons ground allspice (I skip this)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt
One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (1 1/2 cups)
1/4 of a medium red onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
For tahini dressing:
1 medium garlic clove, finely minced with a pinch of salt
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons well-stirred tahini
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more to taste
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
In a large bowl, combine the butternut squash, garlic, allspice, olive oil, and a few pinches of salt. Toss the squash pieces until evenly coated. Roast them on a baking sheet for 25 minutes, or until soft. Remove from the oven and cool.
Meanwhile, make the tahini dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic and lemon juice. Add the tahini, and whisk to blend. Add the water and olive oil, whisk well, and taste for seasoning. The sauce should have plenty of nutty tahini flavor, but also a little kick of lemon. You will probably need to add more water to thin it out.
To assemble the salad, combine the squash, chickpeas, onion, and cilantro or parsley in a mixing bowl. Either add the tahini dressing to taste, and toss carefully, or you could serve the salad with the dressing on the side. Serve immediately.