misunderstood

Dear Mom,

In your last post you forgot to add a note to your fried sweet potatoes recipe: "Immediately refuse any offers of help from family members during the frying process."  Because chances are you will loose half of those wonderful potatoes due to "quality control."  Any one who has tried them knows exactly what I'm talking about, they're quite addictive.  (Oh, and don't forget to sprinkle with salt.)

Your last post got me thinking about another vegetable.  It's not necessarily tortured, but I think its misunderstood.  (Well, I think a lot of veggies are misunderstood, brussel sprouts and celeriac also come to mind.)  I'm talking about squash.  I actually start day-dreaming about squash mid to late summer, when I know fall is right around the corner, just as the leaves are starting to turn you start seeing squash in the farmer's markets and featured in the grocery store.  I've had a lot of friends tell me that they've never made any type of squash before.  I think maybe it has the opposite complex from the sweet potato.  They look too pretty.  People too often use them in flower arrangements and decorate their homes with the little gourds, and they completely miss out on this fall delicacy.

The other night it was still relatively warm here, considering its November, so I figured why not fire up the grill.  It was probably one of the last decent nights for grilling, but I still wanted to get some squash on the table.  So why not throw it on a cedar plank with some chicken, and to get us in the Thanksgiving Day mood, top it all with a little bit of cranberry gastrique. 

cedar-planked chicken with butternut squash
& cranberry gastrique

1 cedar planked, soaked in water for 15-20 minutes
1 small butternut squash, cut into 1/2" cubes
2 large shallots, sliced
1 tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper
1/2 cup 100% cranberry juice (not cocktail)
2 bone-in, skinless chicken breasts
1 orange, four thin slices and the juice

for the gastrique
1/2 cup cranberry juice
1/2 cup white wine
3 tbsp. white balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp. brown sugar
salt

Preheat grill.  In a large deep dish pour 1/2 cup cranberry juice on chicken and let marinate. Meanwhile, in a large bowl toss together squash through olive oil (enough oil to lightly coat squash), and season to taste.  Spread mixture on the prepared cedar plank, place on grill over low heat and cook for 10 minutes.  Add the chicken over the squash and top with 2 orange slices per breast.  Cook over medium-low heat until chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. 

While the chicken is cooking, prepare the gastrique.  Combine all ingredients and the orange juice in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.  Bring to a simmer and continue to cook until sauce is reduced by half and coats a spoon.

Serve chicken over squash, drizzled with the gastrique.