Butternut Squash Home Fries

You could call this a light bulb moment recipe.

I really love starchy vegetables almost as much as I love chocolate, and that says a lot. They’re warm and comforting and everything you could want on a plate.

The squash has been excellent at the farmers’ market this Fall; I’ve been roasting it so much, I’ve been thinking of any which way to eat it otherwise.

And that’s when it hit me: Butternut squash home fries.

I started by roasting the squash to get it tender, and finishing it off in some fat and seasoning over a low burner. It was perfectly tender with a bit of a crust. The secret to any good home fries is time, so I left plenty for the pan-frying.

Butternut Squash Home Fries

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 butternut squash, peeled and diced
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 1/4 cup butter, separated
• 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 sprig of rosemary

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and roast the butternut squash for 45 minutes or until tender before starting. Warm a pan over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of butter and the diced onion. Once the pan has come to temperature, add in the squash. Toss every couple of minutes for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, add the salt, pepper, rosemary, and remaining butter and continue to toss for 10 more minutes or until the moisture is gone and the home fries have begun to char.

Usually you want to treat food delicately and keep it tender and fresh—not so with home fries. The best home fries I’ve had at restaurants look like they’ve been battered and beat and have often been cooking for near an hour. That’s how they develop such rich flavors that intermingle.

Going back to “just” roasted squash is going to be hard.