“We had our first taste of autumn weather in the Carolina mountains this past weekend. A brisk 64 degree weekend had us daydreaming about being basic with pumpkin spiced coffee, braised short ribs, roasted chicken (and the inevitable chicken stock simmering on the stovetop the next day), and football. Having one foot in the summer heat and the other in autumn weather had us wanting to roast something, anything, but to keep it light as to not get too ahead of ourselves. Our farmer at the restaurant helped plant the seed for this recipe when he brought in fresh spaghetti squash from his property just down the mountain.
Last we spoke, we talked about a man-made squash substitute for pasta. This week we are speaking of one made by mother nature. Spaghetti squash is a vegetable that once cleaned and roasted has a resemblance of angel hair spaghetti. Some restaurants use it as a gluten free substitute for spaghetti in dishes, however I think once added to other ingredients it can get lost and often overcooked. That is why we love using it as a side dish to just about anything, especially in the autumn and winter months. This recipe will make enough to serve for guests as a side dish.
A half sheet tray is something that we as chefs use daily and take for granted. It’s small size and versatile attitude allows us to use it for anything from roasting meats and vegetables to holding cakes slices for service. Known outside of the professional kitchen as a cookie sheet, one of quality will serve you a lifetime no matter how you use it.” – Joe
Ingredients
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1 spaghetti squash – cut in half and seeds scooped out
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4 sprigs thyme – cut in half
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2 cloves garlic – cut in half
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1 small shallot – small dice
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3 tablespoon chives – thinly sliced
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2 tablespoon organic olive oil
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salt and pepper
Directions
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Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Place two halves of garlic and four halves of thyme in each half of the spaghetti squash, drizzle each half of the squash with one tablespoon organic olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
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Wrap each half of seasoned squash in a sheet of aluminum foil and place on a half sheet tray or cookie sheet.
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Place in the oven and roast for an hour. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for five minutes.
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Remove the squash from the aluminum foil and remove the garlic and thyme.
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Scoop the squash from the skin into a bowl, add the shallots and chives to the bowl, and season with any additional salt and pepper.
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Place into a serving dish and serve.