What makes this dish exciting is the unexpected mash-up of bright, fresh stuff with soft and toasty flavors that are traditionally reserved for fall. The base of the dish is curried chickpeas and onions tossed with caramelized butternut squash. We scattered a light salad of pomegranate seeds, radishes, herbs, and yogurt over the top of it — and it really works. The creamy yogurt is a natural with the spicy curry, and we love the textural tango of the crisp, peppery radishes and creamy butternut squash. Who’d have thunk it? But this is a dish full of such surprising and wonderful bites.

One-skillet meals are perfect for a slow Sunday supper. But this one is so pretty — orange squash, red radishes, green herbs, and pops of garnet pomegranate seeds — we wouldn’t hesitate to make it for a small, socially distant dinner on the patio with our folks. Leave the kitchen door open as you’re cooking: when that curry hits the hot, cast-iron skillet, the smell is like perfume.

Servings: 4 to 6

Ingredients

1 small butternut squash (about 1½ pounds)

½ cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt

5 cloves garlic, divided, 1 finely grated, 4 chopped

2 Tbsp lemon juice, divided

Kosher salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

4 Tbsp olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling

1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed, patted dry

1 medium onion, chopped

1 Tbsp curry powder

2 radishes, trimmed, very thinly sliced

½ cup parsley, chopped

½ cup mint, chopped

2 Tbsp pomegranate seeds (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°.

2. Roast the butternut squash directly on the oven rack for 50 to 65 minutes or until a paring knife poked through the skin easily slides through the flesh. Let the squash cool until you can handle it.

3. Trim and discard the ends of the squash, halve the squash lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds.

4. Tear or cut the squash into large pieces. The skin will come off as you tear the squash, and you can discard it. Set the squash aside.

5. In a medium bowl, mix together the Greek yogurt, grated garlic, and 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice. Season the mixture with salt and pepper and set aside.

6. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large, cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chickpeas, shaking the skillet often, until they start to brown and crisp, about 5 minutes.

7. Add the onion and chopped garlic and cook, stirring often, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.

8. Sprinkle in the curry powder and cook, stirring, until the chickpeas and onion are coated and the mixture is fragrant, about 1 minute.

9. Season the chickpea mixture with salt and pepper and transfer it to a medium bowl.

10. Wipe out the skillet and heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook the squash pieces, undisturbed, until they’re brown and caramelized, about 5 minutes.

11. Turn the squash pieces over, remove them from the heat, and season with salt and pepper. Spoon the chickpea mixture over the squash, and then garnish with dollops of the reserved lemon-garlic yogurt.

12. In a small bowl, toss the radishes, herbs, and pomegranate seeds with the remaining tablespoon of lemon juice. Drizzle with a splash of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

13. Scatter the radish mixture over the squash and chickpeas. Finish with a grind or two of pepper.

Recipe adapted from: Bon Appetit

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