Photo by Michael Piazza / Styled by Catrine Kelty

Serves 4 as a side dish

FOR THE SQUASH SLICES:
1 large “long neck” Butternut squash, about 2½–3 pounds
zest of half an orange
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 ounces Great Hill blue cheese

FOR THE HONEY CIDER SQUASH PURÉE:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 green apple, peeled, cored and chopped reserved squash bottom, cut into 1-inch chunks
¾ cup chopped leeks
1 tablespoon honey pinch cardamom
1 cup apple cider salt, lemon juice and white pepper to taste

FOR THE STREUSEL:
2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
2 tablespoons oats
6 sage leaves, torn into little pieces
2 tablespoons very thinly sliced leeks
12 fresh cranberries, sliced into wheels
2 tablespoons olive oil
pinch of ground ancho chili powder
salt to taste

FOR THE CHERRIES:
¼ cup dried Bing cherries
1 cup red wine
3 tablespoons sugar

FOR THE SQUASH SLICES:
Peel the squash and separate the neck from the bottom. Remove the seeds from the bottom and cut into 1-inch chunks; set aside for purée. Slice neck in half longways and slice again into 1-inch-thick half moons.

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons butter. When butter has melted, sear the squash slices until caramelized and browned, then layer into a 9- by 13-inch Pyrex baking dish. Dot with the remaining butter cut into tiny pieces and sprinkle with orange zest. Dribble over 2 tablespoons water, seal tightly with foil and place in a 300°F oven to steam until just shy of tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside until ready to assemble gratin. Increase oven temperature to 425°F for the streusel.

FOR THE HONEY CIDER SQUASH PURÉE:
Heat butter in a medium skillet and add apples, squash and leeks. Sauté over medium heat, stirring often, until deeply caramelized, about 15 minutes. Add honey, cardamom and cider and simmer, covered, until liquid is reduced and the squash is tender all the way through. Season with salt to taste, a squeeze of lemon and a pinch of white pepper and purée in a food processor or blender until smooth. Set aside until ready to assemble the gratin.

FOR THE STREUSEL:
In a large bowl, toss all ingredients together and toast in the 425°F oven until crisp and fragrant, stirring occasionally.

FOR THE CHERRIES:
Combine all ingredients in a sauce pot and simmer until thick and syrupy. Set aside until ready to serve.

TO ASSEMBLE THE GRATIN:
Spoon squash purée into an ovenproof serving dish and arrange the seared-steamed squash pieces on top of the purée in an overlapping shingle pattern. Top with crumbled blue cheese and bake at 425° until brown and bubbly, about 25–30 minutes. Sprinkle with streusel topping and a little flakey sea salt and drizzle with cherry-wine reduction, or serve the cherry-wine reduction at the table. Serve hot with roast duck, turkey or lamb.

This recipe appeared in the Winter 2024 issue as part of a larger story on Butternut Squash.