Grilled Hot Honey Acorn Squash
And a final plea to a local restaurant
A beloved local restaurant makes a dish I’ve become unhealthily obsessed with; here’s how you know it’s good. This restaurant primarily serves pizza, and I’m freaking out about an acorn squash side. (The pizza is amazing too, just not the focus of today’s appeal.)
For good reason though! It’s sticky and sweet and the skin is all crispy and buttery. They smear homemade ricotta on the bottom and cover it all in fried herbs. Since this restaurant’s menu is vague enough that I can’t figure out how to make it, rather than doing the socially well-adjusted thing and asking, I’ve been trying in vain to make it at home and it’s just not happening.
As such, my final ditch effort is to appeal to logic. If this doesn’t work, I’ll continue pushing an acorn squash up the hill and watching it roll back down again. We’ll get it someday!
6 reasons The Wylder should tell me the secret formula for their acorn squash
Who am I going to tell?
Okay, I might tell my mom. But who is she going to tell? Maybe some of my friends at work. But we’re all under one way NDAs, so they’re safe. I might tell the gal at my favorite register at WinCo, but she’s an angel and would never share your proprietary secrets with anyone else. And maybe my husband, but he has bad hearing so you can rest easy he’s not going to remember how to make them. In short- just tell me!!!! I’m a literal lockbox.
Potential for increased revenue?
Hi Sharks, I’m Jackie, and I have a business opportunity for you. If you give me one (1) secret squash recipe, I’ll give you a lifetime of pizza loyalty in return. Even though you don’t deliver, AND I’ll have to parallel park if I want to visit. That is a sacrifice I’m willing to make.
Kindness is FREE
Try a little tenderness?
Everyone else is doing it
I didn’t want to play this card, but all of your competitors are giving me their recipes. You’re pretty much the only one not doing it.
Blackmail?
I see you at the full moon meetings of the notoriously covert Squash League. I’m the one with the hood and chalice full of mysterious liquid. I would consider not leaking the membership list to the media if you’d oblige my request.
For the children
Look- I’m going to play hardball. You know, and I know, that squash is an unsung hero of vegetables. Do the right thing, and teach me how you get the skin so crispy. Otherwise, that secret ends with you! Imagine generations of future children neglecting their acorn squash skin? Not a world I want to live in. Do the right thing, it’s for the kids.
Grilled Hot Honey Acorn Squash
Makes a side dish for 4. I make in my grill pan inside if I’m not already grilling. You can also make in the oven- I’ll include alternative instructions.
Ingredients
1 large acorn squash, or 2 small ones
2 tbs olive oil
2 tbs honey
1/2 tbsp smoked paprika
1/2 tbsp cayenne
1/2 tbsp onion powder
1/2 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp salt
Fresh cracked pepper
Optional- chili flakes to taste or a squeeze of lemon
Process
To make the grilling portion quicker, I roast halfway, and then transfer to the grill to finish off.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Cut the top and bottom off of your acorn squash. Now that you have a flat surface, cut in half, and then cut into slices.
Set on the baking sheet while you put together the hot honey rub.
Mix olive oil, honey, smoked paprika, cayenne, onion and garlic powder, salt and pepper. If the honey is acting up, pop in the microwave for 5 seconds to help it loosen up a bit. Mix everything together, and then brush it onto both sides of the squash. Don’t forget the skin!
I like a little squeeze of lemon on top- try this before doing, because I’ve had mixed results from my testers.
If grilling:
Bake for 10 minutes, pull out, and put on the grill for 3-5 minutes each side.
If roasting:
Preheat oven to 450. Roast for 20 minutes, flipping at the 10 minute mark. You’ll know they’re done when they’re fork tender. These are good as a sidedish, cut up in a grain bowl, or with beans in a taco. Enjoy!