1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and ¾-inch diced
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2teaspoons kosher salt, divided
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, divided
4 small yellow onions, sliced 1/8-inch thick
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 small (or half of one large) chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/3 cup chicken broth
1 16-oz. bag corn tortilla chips
3 cups shredded fontina d’aosta
3 cups shredded Monterey jack
1 Hass avocado, small-diced
¼ cup salted pepitas
Preheat oven to 400. Place the squash on a sheet pan, add two tablespoons of the olive oil, the cinnamon, and a half-teaspoon of the salt, and toss lightly. Roast for thirty to thirty-five minutes, until tender.
Meanwhile, heat one tablespoon of the butter and two tablespoons of the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cover for ten minutes to let them steam. Remove the lid and continue to cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for about forty-five minutes, until the onions are caramelized and golden brown. Add the vinegar and a half-teaspoon of the salt and cook for two more minutes, scraping the brown bits from the pan. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Place the cooked squash in the bowl of a food processor. Add the chipotle pepper, maple syrup, chicken broth, remaining butter, and another half-teaspoon of salt and process until smooth. If the puree seems very thick, add an additional 1/4cup chicken stock.
Spread one layer of tortilla chips onto the sheet pan you used to roast the squash. Spoon half of the squash mixture on top, distributing it as evenly as you can. Spoon half the caramelized onions on top of that, followed by half the cheese.
Repeat with remaining chips, squash, onions, and cheese to make one more layer. Bake for ten minutes, until the cheese has melted and is beginning to brown at the edges. Sprinkle with diced avocado and pepitas and serve.
DID YOU KNOW?
Nachos were invented at a restaurant in Mexico, but tortilla chips were first sold and popularized as a packaged snack by a Los Angeles tortilla manufacturer.
Lidey Heuck ’13 works as an assistant to Ina Garten, helping manage Barefoot Contessa’s social media platforms as well as testing recipes. She and Garten were featured in the Bowdoin magazine cover story for our Winter 2015 issue. Follow Lidey’s blog at lideystable.com.
