Holiday dinner season starts this weekend in Canada, just in time for the markets to start filling with this year’s autumn harvest. Growing up, we always had yams or squash on our holiday table, but they were never the storied candied yams with marshmallows that I heard about from other families. My mother preferred to roast them and mash them with just enough butter, brown sugar, and nutmeg to enhance their natural flavour. It’s my favourite way to eat them still.
So, I looked at this week’s recipe carefully, worried that it skewed to the dessert on the dinner table side of things. But, this recipe makes the most of butternut squash’s savoury affinities, while using its sweetness to balance the dish. The crisp is a mixture of bread crumbs, Parmesan, and polenta, seasoned with sage and held together by butter and egg. Underneath, the squash is infused with homemade chicken stock and flavoured with thyme and shallots.
As much as I like sweet crumbles, with almost any sort of fruit, I’m excited to have met its savoury cousin. Now that I’ve given it a test-run, it can graduate to prettier baking dishs and shine on holiday tables this year, and I suspect, for years to come.
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One Wet Foot 
I haven’t had a chance to make this yet! Can’t wait! Just love squash! Looks fab!
It’s so good! You’re going to love it.
This looks and sounds delicious Teresa! Happy Holidays to You and to all of your Family!
This will definitely become a “go to” for me for holiday tables!
A crumble may seem ordinary. Dressing up for the holiday table would certainly elevate this dish a notch. You have the right idea!
I have always made it the way your mom did, but it was fun to try something different. Happy Thanksgiving!
Ooooh, happy thanksgiving tomorrow! I agree–I love fruit crisps and this was a fun alternative that is really quite lovely. I’ll admit I never did like candied yams and am so glad they were not part of our traditions, well, ever. Your mom’s version sounds perfect!
Happy Thanksgiving in advance! Interesting post on crumbles and squashes!
Happy Thanksgiving. I made this last night and we loved it.
Happy Thanksgiving! Your crumbles looks great!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. This is the perfect holiday addition to the table
and the crumble would be excellent on other winter veggies as well.
I loved discovering this new way to make squash (and I’ll try it with other root vegetables). It’s surprising. Perfect for the season. I hope you and your family had a great Thanksgiving!
You write so well, Teresa. I looked forward to reading your post because I knew you would be enjoying this for the holidays. Happy Thanksgiving, my Canadian friend. All of us seem to have done the fruit/crumbly top – thing but the savory dish, you’re right, it’s a novel thought. I plan to make this for our family Thanksgiving in November and am looking forward to tasting it for the first time.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, Teresa!
I love the idea of a savory crumble! This would be terrific on our Thanksgiving menu (expect I’m probably the only one who would eat it!). I need to invite company 🙂 Hope you had a wonderful holiday.
Looks like I will have to try this one for sure!!