Butternut Tarte Tatin

YIELD: 8 servings

For the roasted butternut:
4 cups peeled, cubed butternut
1 tsp. minced fresh ginger
½ Tbsp. ground cinnamon
sea salt and pepper, to taste
3 Tbsps. vegetable oil

2/3 cup sugar
3 Tbsps. water
1/3 cup butter
dash of red chili flakes
2 ½ cups roasted butternut
1 sheet of frozen puff pastry, thawed

1. For the roasted butternut: Preheat oven to 350°F. Place butternut cubes in a large mixing bowl. Add the ginger, cinnamon, seasoning and oil and mix well. Spread in a single layer in a flat-bottom baking dish and roast for 30 minutes, or until soft and done.

2. Preheat oven to 400°F. Set aside 8 ramekins. Dissolve sugar in the water in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Once a light caramel color is achieved, add the butter. Be careful when adding the butter as there will be a lot of bubbling and splattering.

3. Divide the caramel between the 8 ramekins and sprinkle with a few chili flakes. Spoon the roasted squash over the caramel.

4. Roll out the puff pastry to 1 mm thick and cut out rounds that are a little bigger than the opening of the ramekins.

5. Place rounds of puff pastry over the squash and fold any extra pastry down the sides of the ramekin. Prick the pastry in many places with a skewer then place the ramekins on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Once cooked, allow to cool for 5 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate. Serve with a small rocket salad on top for an appetizer or cinnamon whipped cream for dessert.

Photo and recipe: Eats: Enjoy All the Seconds by Mary Rolph LaMontagne, Advantage Media Group, June 2013