Roasted Squash with Yogurt, Walnuts, and Spiced Green Sauce

Such a stunning dish, and with so little work. I look for a mix of squash that will have differently shaped slices so that you get some drama on the platter. Fr Six Seasons Cookbook

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Step 1

Put the coriander, cumin, and cardamom seeds into a dry skillet. Toast the spices lightly over medium heat, shaking the pan frequently, just until they become fragrant, about 4 minutes. Dump them out of the skillet onto a plate to cool, then grind finely in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle.

Step 2

Put the chiles and garlic in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are fairly fine. Add the cilantro, parsley, toasted seeds, ground cloves, lemon zest, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and a few twists of black pepper. Pulse until all is finely chopped into a rough puree. With the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil. Stop the processor processor before the sauce is completely blended and smooth—you want a slightly “bitty” texture.

Step 3

Taste the sauce (be careful of the blade!) and adjust the seasoning with more salt, black pepper, lemon juice, or any of the spices—though show restraint with the spices because they can get overwhelming. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Step 4

Line a sieve with some dampened cheesecloth and set over a bowl. (If you don’t have cheese-cloth, you can use paper coffee filters, but the draining time will be slightly longer.) Put the yogurt in the cheesecloth and let it sit for at least 1 hour, so the whey drains out and the yogurt gets thick and creamy (save the whey to use in a smoothie or something; it’s nutritious!). You can set this up in the fridge and drain overnight, if you like.

Step 5

Mix the drained yogurt with the garlic, lemon zest, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Set aside.

Step 6

Heat the oven to 200°C

Step 7

Trim off the top and bottom of the squash, then peel away the skin with a paring knife or sturdy vegetable peeler. Cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds and fibers with a stiff spoon, and cut the squash into ½-inch slices.

Step 8

Toss the squash, either in a large bowl or directly on a rimmed baking sheet, with 2 tablespoons olive oil and a generous seasoning of salt and pepper. Spread out on one or two rimmed baking sheets, and roast until tender and nicely browned on the underside, 20 to 40 minutes depending on the texture of the squash. Let the squash cool slightly on the baking sheet(s).

Step 9

Arrange the squash slices on a platter, spoon a ribbon of yogurt on top, and then sprinkle with the vinegar. Drizzle/spoon the green sauce over the squash so it looks pretty. Scatter the walnuts on the dish and finish with a few drops of the squash oil (if using) or some olive oil. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Step 10

In the kitchen To save time, instead of draining your own yogurt, you can use store-bought labneh or Greek yogurt, though I like the slightly looser texture I get when I drain my own.