This Miso-Glazed Hasselback Delicata Pumpkin Is a Real Eye-Catcher.
There is no really ugly food in my book. The difference between great food photography spread across magazines and Martha Stewart’s foray into the genre is food stylist and professional lighting. However, even I have to admit that some dishes look natural.
One of the prettiest recipes I’ve seen lately is Bon Appétit’s Hasselback Gourd . The recipe I wrote is simple, butwatching Carla Lalli Music create it put me off the idea. Nutmeg is not my favorite option to start with, and neatly cutting it in half is a huge headache. In addition, it will have to be cleaned, and the whole process takes almost two hours. But damn it, it’s so beautiful and I really like the tastes. Determined to explore the virtues of Hasselback-style winter gourds without fiddling with nutmeg, I replaced the unpeeled Delicata and tiled the glaze with miso and soy for more measure.
Does this technique do anything other than good looks? Yes, it is – thin slices are not easily separated, so most of the pulp is steamed in its own juice, absorbing any icing left between the slices. This method ensures that only the outer parts of the flesh are soaked in the icing, so you get a little bit of everything in each bite: candied peel, butter, miso-i pulp, and lots of pure pumpkin flavor to top it off. If you cut a pumpkin, cover it with glaze and throw it into the oven, the sugar will burn out before the pumpkin is cooked; if you have glazed the inside and fried it with the meaty side up, the frosting to pumpkin ratio will not be sufficient. It’s a rare whimsical technique that’s both easier than it sounds – slicing a boiled pumpkin took me maybe three and a half minutes – and absolutely deserves a little extra fuss. If you’re looking to buy a beautiful, festive, easy vegetarian second course, look no further.
Sweet and spicy zucchini Hasselback Delicata in miso glaze
Do not attempt to cut Hassel (or Hoffs) backs without a very sharp knife and some kind of offset trowel. The flexible fish spatula is probably the “right” tool here, but I used the flipper burger type which worked great. If you don’t plan on peeling the pumpkin, be sure to reduce the amount of frosting until it is completely syrupy – the thicker the frosting, the easier it will stick to the skin. Adding a few bay leaves to the sliced pumpkin slices creates a great presentation and enhances the aromatic flavor, but it doesn’t have to. My bay leaf was grown in a wine cellar across the street and so I mostly smell dust. I left them aside and would not change anything.
Ingredients:
- 1 medium tender courgette (mine weighed just under 1 1/2 pounds)
- 1-2 tablespoons olive, canola, or vegetable oil
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- 3 tablespoons butter, salted or unsalted (or coconut oil)
- 1 tablespoon miso paste, red or white
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
- 2-3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 1 or 2 chopped fresh hot chili (serrano, fresno, bird’s eye, jalapenos, or whatever)
- (Optional) A handful of bay leaves, curry leaves, or makroot lime leaves, fresh or dried.
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 425ºF and line baking sheet with parchment paper. You can use oiled aluminum foil, but parchment is highly recommended. This makes it easy to remove dripping and burnt glaze.
Use a very sharp knife to cut the squash in half lengthwise, then spoon out the insides with a spoon. Cut through the trunk if you can, but if it is too stiff, finish cutting the pumpkin by pressing it against the trunk with your hands. It must break in two.
Place the squash, cut side down, on a parchment-lined baking sheet and use your hands to spread the olive oil and salt over the skin and flesh. Return to cut side down, transfer to preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes.
In the meantime, make the frosting. Add butter, miso paste, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, and chili to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar and miso. Reduce heat to low and simmer until thick and syrupy, about 10 minutes. Try the frosting several times during cooking – when the heat level is right, remove the chili with a fork or strainer and set aside for later.
The courgettes should now be soft enough to slice easily. Carefully place the hot pumpkin halves, cut side down, on a cutting board. Make thin (1/4 – 1/8 “) cross-cut cuts through the skin along the entire length, stopping before the knife touches the board. Stop earlier than you think is necessary, and don’t worry if you accidentally cut an entire piece; you can connect the pieces later.
Keep doing this until you have two beautifully designed Hasselback pumpkin halves. Insert the spatula offset to fit the length of the pumpkin, using the flat of a knife if necessary, and transfer back to the parchment-lined skillet. Press down gently on the slices until they fan out slightly, add bay leaves if using them, and drizzle over the courgette with a few generous spoonfuls of frosting. Return to oven for 10 minutes.
Repeat this process two more times, adding more frosting every 10 minutes, until the skin is smooth and brown. Some of the frosting will definitely slip off and burn, so remove any black pieces before applying some more frosting. If you’d like, place it under the broiler for a few minutes before serving to keep the skin crispy.
Serve as you like. I opted for chopped onion and lemon wedges, which added enough harshness to balance the powerful, savory sweetness of the pumpkin. If I hadn’t run out of yogurt, I would have made a quick lemon yogurt sauce, spread it over a serving platter, and put the pumpkin on top. In fact, you can’t go wrong. Dressed up or down, this squash is a real sight to behold – and I promise it tastes even better than it looks.