Roasted Butternut Squash with Dukkah and Brown Butter

Credit for this recipe goes to Los Angeles-based chef Chris Feldmeier, who gave us the idea of enhancing sweet roasted butternut squash with dukkah, an Egyptian nut and seed crumble. While variation on dukkah abound, we make ours with cashews and a fragrant blend of spices that includes nigella, tiny coal-black seeds with a mild onion flavor. They have a unique flavor and are worth seeking out, but if you can’t find them, substitute sesame seeds. The dukkah gets combined with browned butter for a very rich topping; a little cider vinegar cuts the sweetness and richness of the squash. We like to cut the squash into quarters for this dish—not only does it give the squash more surface area for roasting, it’s also a very beautiful presentation.