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Roasted Acorn Squash with Chile Vinaigrette

The chile vinaigrette here will perk up an otherwise ho-hum dish with some heat and tang. For a tasty variation, use sweet potatoes instead of acorn squash.

Ingredients

2 (1 1/2-pound) acorn squash
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, or to taste
1 to 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh hot red chile, including seeds
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Put the oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 450°F.

    Step 2

    Halve the squash lengthwise, then cut off and discard the stem ends. Scoop out the seeds and cut the squash lengthwise into 3/4-inch-wide wedges. Toss with the pepper, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons oil in a bowl. Arrange cut side down in 2 large shallow baking pans.

    Step 3

    Roast the squash, switching position of pans halfway through roasting, until tender and undersides of wedges are golden brown, 25 to 35 minutes.

    Step 4

    While squash roasts, mince the garlic and mash to a paste with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Transfer the paste to a small bowl and whisk in the lime juice, chile to taste, cilantro, and remaining 1/4 cup oil until combined.

    Step 5

    Transfer the squash, browned sides up, to a platter and drizzle with vinaigrette.

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