A Recipe Sneak Peek...

Here is a little sneak peek into one of the recipes and photographs you will find in my new cookbook, ''The Modern Menu'. The recipes all follow my usual, simple, straightforward style. Lots of flavor, not a lot of fuss. The stunning photographs found in the book were taken by award-winning photographer and filmmaker, Andrew Zuckerman. 
The holidays may be over but the season for squash and root vegetables definitely isn't. I wanted to share this amazingly magical flavor combination: Gingered Butternut Squash and Sweet Potatoes. It’s a flavor match-up that always surprises people when they first taste it. If you've been following the blog, you'll know by now I have a bit of a love affair with these ingredients, but I just can’t get enough of the sharpness of the ginger when added to the creaminess of the butternut squash and sweet potatoes - it's a wonderful contrast. 

I like to make this in the morning, turn off the oven, and leave it in there all day long. Your house will smell so good, you’ll want to make it again and again. To keep things simple, sometimes I make this a day in advance, cover and refrigerate, then reheat in a low oven until warm. 

Gingered Butternut Squash and Sweet Potatoes 

Serves 8

1 Large butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 2-inch wedges

4   Sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 

2-inch wedges

3 Yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced 

1 (4-inch) piece ginger, peeled and julienned 

5 Tablespoons olive oil

1 Tablespoon kosher salt 

½ Tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet 

with parchment paper. 

In a large bowl, combine the squash, sweet potatoes, 

onions, ginger, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Use your 

hands to mix everything together until the wedges 

are evenly coated. Transfer to the prepared baking 

sheet and arrange in a single layer. Bake, uncovered, 

for 40 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 300°F 

and bake for an additional 90 minutes. Reduce the 

oven temperature to 200°F and bake 1 hour longer. 

The potatoes and squash should be crisp on the 

outside and soft on the inside. If you are not serving 

this dish immediately, keep in the oven, with the 

oven turned off, until serving.