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Enjoy this story from our archive, originally sent to TT members on .

Double Nut

Butternut meets marcona

Fried heart-shaped marcona almonds from Spain are one of our go-to cheese-plate accompaniments. Chef Mark Mendez, known for pairing seasonal ingredients with Latin classics, takes these slightly sweet nuts from cheese plate to striking side dish by sprinkling them over silky butternut-squash purée at his Chicago restaurant, Vera. Now we have a new reason to enjoy an old favorite.

Butternut Squash with Marcona Almonds

Recipe adapted from Mark Mendez, Vera, Chicago

Yield: Serves 4

Cook Time: 1 hour

  • INGREDIENTS
  • 1 medium butternut squash (about 3 pounds)--halved lengthwise, seeds removed and discarded

    2 whole cloves

    1 cinnamon stick, broken in half

    3 tablespoons heavy cream

    2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

    1 tablespoon light brown sugar

    1 tablespoon honey

    2 tablespoons marcona almonds, coarsely chopped

    Flaky sea salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Lay the squash cut-side down on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet. Tuck 1 clove and ½ cinnamon stick under each squash cavity and place the squash in the oven. Roast the squash until very soft and fork tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove the squash from the oven and set aside until cool enough to handle.

2. Heat the cream in the microwave until warm.

3. Scoop out the flesh from the squash halves (discard the skin) and place in a blender. Purée with the warm cream, butter and brown sugar until silky smooth. Serve on plates with a drizzle of honey, marcona almonds and flaky sea salt.

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About The Chef

Mark Mendez, a Chicago native, has worked at Spiaggia in Chicago, then at the now-closed Patria in New York. He returned to Chicago to work at Gioco and Carnivale before opening Vera in 2011.

Vera, 1023 W. Lake St., Chicago; 312-243-9770 or verachicago.com

Go to Vera's Website