Maple Squash Butter

Sometime last year, I lent my copy of Moosewood Restaurant Celebrates to my fabulous foodie friend, Louise.  And then I forgot about it.

Louise then brought me one of the most delicious things I’ve ever tasted: pumpkin butter!   Oh my word, similar to apple butter, but made with pumpkins, this is a spread perfect for morning toast or muffins.

So of course, I asked for the recipe.  And she told me it was from MY Moosewood cookbook!

When I went to check out the recipe, I realised this was something I never would have made in a million years just from the recipe, but it tasted so divine.  I am thankful Louise introduced me to it, and now I am hooked.

This recipe is my latest variation — I’ve added vanilla and used maple syrup instead of brown sugar (yum!).  I think next time I might try use the zest of the lemon as well as the juice.

Feel free to use whatever winter squash you have on hand.  If it’s pumpkin you’re using, you’ll need to puree it once it’s cooked using a food processor or blender.  Any squash or combination of squash is great here, and it’s a perfect way to use up the squash that you’d forgotten about on your kitchen counter that needs to be used now!

Trust me, this one’s a keeper.

Maple Squash Butter
Adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Celebrates‘ Winter Squash Butter (p. 388), Makes about 2 cups

• 1 whole winter squash (acorn, delicato, butternut, kuri, pumpkin…)
• 1/4 c. maple syrup
• 1 pinch sea salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. vanilla paste or extract
• 2 whole cloves
• 1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
• the juice of 1/2 a lemon

Preheat the oven to 425F.

Halve the squash and remove the seeds and stringy flesh.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.  Place the squash cut-side-down on the baking sheet and roast at 425F for 30 minutes, until the flesh of the squash has softened completely.  Let cool.  (You can even do this part in advance, and keep the roasted squash in the fridge until you are ready to use it).

Using a potato masher, blender, or food processor, mash or blend the squash until smooth.  Add the squash along with the remaining ingredients to a small heavy-bottomed pot.

Over medium heat, bring the squash mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cook for 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.

Taste and add more of any ingredient you’d like.

Let cool and transfer to the fridge for up to 3 weeks, or freeze small batches.  (As I’ve adapted the original recipe, I would like to warn you that this recipe has not been designed for canning.)

Enjoy with your morning flax pita, or on muffins or other breads!