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If you like winter squash and peanuts, here’s a side dish that’s delicious and good for you. Called Calabeza Con Pipián Rojo in Spanish, it’s comforting roasted winter squash with beautiful seasoning, covered with a spicy peanut sauce.
Pipián rojo is a peanut sauce from the central Pacific region of Mexico, and is typically served over chicken or pork.
Here, the peanut sauce is served with roast calabeza, winter squash. You can use calabeza: acorn, butternut, delicata squash, kabocha squash all work wonderfully.
Thanks to Oldways for the recipe, created in partnership with The Peanut Institute.
> The different types of squash: a photo glossary.
> The history of squash.
> The history of delicata squash.
> Below: about Hispanic Heritage Month.
RECIPE: WINTER SQUASH WITH PEANUT SAUCE (Calabeza Con Pipián Rojo)
This recipe is nutritious, gluten free, and vegan.
Prep time is 20 minutes, and cook time is 1 hour 10 minutes.
Ingredients For 6 Servings
½ cup dry roasted, unsalted peanuts, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 ancho chile*
1 arbol chile (or guajillo or chipotle chile)*
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 roma tomato, quartered
1 small white onion, sliced
1 teaspoon agave syrup or honey
¾ teaspoon salt, divided
1 cup water
2 medium winter squash (roughly 4 pounds total), seeds removed, sliced
¼ teaspoon pepper
Optional garnish: additional peanuts
Preparation
1. PREHEAT the oven to 350°F. On a parchment- or foil-lined sheet pan or baking sheet, evenly spread out the peanuts, sesame seeds, ancho chiles, and chiles de arbol and toast for 5-8 minutes, until fragrant, but not burned. Once cool, brush the peanut and chile mixture into a medium pot and set aside. While the mixture toasts…
2. COMBINE the allspice, cloves, oregano, and cumin in a large mixing bowl. Raise the oven to 425°F.
3. ADD the onion slices and tomato quarters to the mixing bowl of spices along with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Stir to combine.
4. EVENLY SPREAD the coated onions and tomatoes onto the lined baking sheet. Roast for 10 minutes, then gently flip and roast for another 12 minutes.
5. ADD the roasted tomatoes and onions to the pot with the peanut and chile mixture. Stir in the agave, salt and water and bring to a boil.
6. REDUCE the heat to low and let simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat, let cool for 10 minutes or more, and then transfer to a high-powered blender or food processor. Blend until you have a smooth sauce. While the mixture is simmering…
7. DRIZZLE the remaining olive oil on a parchment-lined sheet pan and evenly distribute the squash slices in a single layer, tossing with your hands to make sure the pieces are evenly coated. Season with the pepper and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt.
8. ROAST at 425°F for 12 minutes, then flip the slices and roast for another 8-15 minutes, until soft and golden.
9. SPOON the sauce onto a serving dish, then nestle the squash slices on top. Garnish with a handful of peanuts and additional sauce, if desired.
ABOUT NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH
National Hispanic Heritage Month is observed in the U/S/ rom September 15th to October 15th each year. It recognizes the contributions and influence of Hispanic Americans to the nation’s culture and history.
September 15 was chosen as the starting point for the commemoration because it is the anniversary of the Cry of Dolores (early morning, 16 September 1810), which marked the start of the Mexican War of Independence and thus resulted (in 1821) in independence for the New Spain Colony (now Mexico and the Central American nations of Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Honduras, and Nicaragua) which became the Federal Republic of Central America.
> Here’s more about it.
ABOUT OLDWAYS
Established in 1990, Oldways’ mission to inspire people to live healthier and happier lives via the sustainable joys of the “old ways” of eating.
The organization recipes, educational materials and other resources, based on shared cultural food traditions from around the world.
They encompass the education and celebration of African, Asian, Latin American, and Mediterranean cultural eating traditions (Heritage Diets), and plant-based diets (Plant Forward Plates).
Their efforts include consumer advocacy (Oldways Whole Grain Council), heritage diet travel and discovery (Oldways Culinaria Tours), and guidance (Oldways Cheese Coalition).
Here’s more about this wonderful organization.
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*The different chiles: Ancho: Dense, raisiny, with mild heat. Ideal for sauces. De Arbol: Very hot. Mostly for salsas. Guajillo: Light (not a lot of body), hot, and very fruity. Nice for sauces.
†The difference between Spanish and Hispanic: “Hispanic” refers to people from Spain and Latin American countries where Spanish is the primary language (i.e. not Brazil). All Spanish people are Hispanic, but not all Hispanic people are Spanish, e.g., a person born in Madrid is Spanish and also Hispanic; a person from Mexico is Hispanic but not Spanish. Hispanic people share a cultural heritage as well as a linguistic one.
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[1] You can use any winter squash—here, delicata—with peanut sauce (photo © Oldways).
[2] Delicata squash is easy to slice into the appropriate size disks (photos #2, #3, and #6 © Good Eggs).
[3] Butternut squash, one of the easiest-to-find winter squash varieties.
[4] Types of winter squash (chart © Melissa’s Produce).
[5] A bowl of ancho chiles* (photos #5, #6, and #7 © Rancho Gordo).
[6] De arbol chiles*.
[7] Guajillo chiles*.
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