“The first and only time I’ve seen a whole, skin-on squash roasting over an open fire was during a trip to Valle de Guadalupe, Mexico. When they cut that baby open, they drizzled it with honey, sprinkled some salt and cilantro, and added a squeeze of lime. It was the most unctuous, velvety bite of squash I have ever had in my life, and I came home thinking about how to re-create that experience in my own kitchen. Excited to glam up the classic roasted butternut squash, I added honey, a habanero pepper, and some seasonings and spices to melted butter and drizzled it over the squash halves before roasting to sweet, savory, caramelized, spicy perfection. Add any leftover roasted squash to rice, pair it with other veggies as a side, or turn it into a salad. And don’t keep this luscious butter mixture just for this recipe; drizzle it on other vegetables before roasting them to level them up.”

• When handling habanero peppers, I recommend using gloves to protect your skin. If you opt to use bare hands, take care to wash your hands thoroughly, and do not touch your eyes.
• The fresh herbs are a delicious garnish, and I also like to add some toasted, roughly chopped or crushed hazelnuts for added texture and flavor.
• This recipe can also be used in my Curried Roasted Butternut Squash Soup recipe!