Lane Crowther, a contributing editor at Bon Appétit, says, "Every year, I try to get my tradition-bound family to eat something new at Thanksgiving. This year, I'm hoping everyone will accept this dish in place of yams with marshmallows. It will take a lot of convincing, but I think they'll be pleasantly surprised. The orange juice gives the acorn squash a nice sweetness. Besides, Asian ingredients have become such an important part of American cooking lately that I thought it would be nice to fuse Pacific Rim flavors with a classic of the American table in autumn."
Recipe information
Yield
Makes 12 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Combine first 4 ingredients in heavy medium saucepan. Boil over medium heat until reduced to 1 1/3 cups, about 30 minutes. Pour into bowl. Mix in ginger. Cool. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)
Step 2
Preheat oven to 400°F. Place squash on baking sheet. Brush squash on all sides with sesame oil. Turn squash, 1 cut side down, and bake 15 minutes. Turn squash, skin side down. Brush squash with some hoisin mixture. Bake until tender and well glazed, brushing occasionally with some hoisin mixture, about 50 minutes.
Step 3
Preheat broiler. Generously baste squash with hoisin mixture. Sprinkle with salt. Broil until bubbling, about 2 minutes. Baste with any remaining hoisin mixture. Sprinkle with onions and sesame seeds.