In time for Thanksgiving

My great-grandmother’s Cassolita

Winter Squash with Caramelized Onions 

Serves 4 

This baked squash dish traditionally complements the couscous of Tétouan, a city in Northern Morocco. In our family, cassolita or cazuelita  (little pot) always accompanies a platter of couscous. Some of you may already have tried it out, using the recipe in one of my books. Cassolita has become indispensable as a side dish for a Thanksgiving.

 

2 pounds winter squash, peeled and seeded (Butternut is best)

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/4 cup (about 1 ounce) sliced almonds, plus 2 tablespoons for garnish

3 large onions, thinly sliced or 2 dozen cooked and peeled pearl onions

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 cup raisins, plumped in warm water and drained

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

 Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cut squash into 2-inch pieces. Place in an ovenproof dish. Bake until tender, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a skillet heat the oil over medium high heat. Fry the almonds until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on a paper towel. Set aside.

To the same skillet, add the onions. Cook, stirring occasionally until they turn soft, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the sugar and cinnamon, and continue cooking until the onions turn brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Add the raisins, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring, until heated through. Spread the onions mixture evenly over the cooked squash. Sprinkle with almonds, and serve. 

from Cooking at the Kasbah: Recipes from my Moroccan Kitchen

Speaking of turkey: Want to give your bird a Moroccan flair? Baste it inside and out with the pulp of YOUR OWN preserved lemons.