Roasted Butternut Squash With Candied Jalapeño

1. 1

   Place the sugar and water in a sauce pan over medium heat. Stir over heat until the sugar is dissolved. Add the jalapeno and guajillo peppers, seeds and all, and simmer the mixture until it becomes unctuous and is reduced to about 4 tablespoons of syrup. Set aside to cool.

2. 2

   Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the chopped squash, the hot pepper oil, and the salt and pepper on a half sheet pan and toss throughly so the squash is oiled and seasoned. Place in the oven on the middle rack.

3. 3

   After 15 minutes, flip the squash with a spatula. Continue to roast.

4. 4

   In the meantime, remove the jalapeno and guajillo peppers from the syrup. Deseed both peppers. Chop about one quarter of the guajillo pepper into small dice. Dice the entire jalapeno pepper and set aside.

5. 5

   Flip the squash after it has roasted another 15 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees. Remove the half sheet pan from the oven and set the pan on a counter. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the jalapeno syrup over the squash and toss so the syrup coats all the squash. Return the squash to the oven.

6. 6

   Allow the squash to roast for another half hour, turning with a spatula as needed - until it is partially crisp and browned. Remove from the oven.

7. 7

   Sprinkle the squash with the diced jalapeno pepper, the diced guajillo pepper, the lime zest, and the lime juice. Toss throughly, place in a serving bowl, and serve either warm or at room temperature.

No additional tips available.