It's Squash Season!

I'm a keen baker, I love the whole process of preping the ingredients, measuring, weighting, sieving, aline them in the order of use (yes, I'm slightly maniac on my baking etiquette). Making complicated classical pastries or layer cakes is a challenge I like to take. I like that rules need to be followed, that it's a lot about chemistry, with little room for impro.

To me that's one of the main difference between baking and cooking, and it took me more time to appreciate those "wiggle rooms" in cooking. On the other hand, it allows you more of a personal touch to a dish, and that personal touch is the signature of all the great chefs. I'm not a great chef myself, and I believe less is more, giving one ingredient all the care it deserves.

Good thing the squash season is back. First because I love saying "squash" and because it means autumn, great colors, comfort food... But also that halloween is around the corner and that I'll be carving my jack-o-lantern soon! My squash of choice today is the "potimarron" squash, named like this for it's little chesnut taste.

It's one of my favorit, it's pratical size-wise (unless you feed a family of 8, a pumpkin is a little big) and it doesn't need to be peeled, how cool is that! It's such a great product it doesn't need much to be divine. This dish made my saturday evening, sitting in front a episod of "Castle" enjoying my potimarron with a spice butter rub.
Happiness can be simple sometimes.

Potimarron Squash with a Spice Butter Rub

Half a Potimarron Squash (about 600gr)
50gr of Butter, at room temperature
1 Teaspoon of 4 Spicies
1/2 Teaspoon of Dried Ginger
2 Tablespoon of Oregano
Olive Oil
Fresh Parsley
Parmesan
Coarse Salt

Preheat your oven to 180°C.

Wash the squash, cut it in half and take out the center part with the seeds and the fibres to leave just the flesh.
Slice it carefully with a big sharp knife and set aside.

Prepare the spice butter: mix the butter at room temperature with the 4 spicies mix, the ginger and the oregano, combine well.

Pour a bit of olive oil in a roasting tray, big enough for the squash not to overlaps.

Now is the dirty part: take each slice of squash and rub it generously with the butter and place it in the tray. If you have some butter left, place on top of the slices.

Place in the oven for about 30 minutes, but it depends how thick your slices are, check with the tip of a knife if it's cooked.

Coming out of the oven, place the slices on your plate, sprinkle some freshly chopped parsley, grate some parmesan on top and generously season with coarse salt.