Roasted butternut squash salad

THIS roasted butternut squash salad with onions, bacon, raisins and chopped lettuce is drizzled with a syrup (of choice) and served warm. It is simple and delicious.

Ingredients

One medium butternut squash, halved lengthwise and seeded;

One tablespoon of olive oil;

Aluminium foil;

Six slices of bacon;

One cup of sliced onion;

Eight cups of chopped romaine lettuce;

Third cup raisins;

Two tablespoons of syrup

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 230 degrees C.
2. Brush cut sides of butternut squash with olive oil. Wrap each squash half tightly in aluminium foil.
3. Roast squash halves in the preheated oven until they begin to soften, about 20 minutes. Remove squash from the oven and let sit until cool enough to handle. Remove foil and slice into three-quarter-inch-thick slices. Remove skin from each slice and cut into three-quarter-inch cubes. Set aside eight cups of the cubed squash. Reserve any remaining squash for other use.
4. Place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until crispy, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels. Add onions to the skillet and cook in the bacon grease for two to three minutes. Add eight cups squash and cook, tossing occasionally, until onions are soft and beginning to caramelise, and squash cubes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.5. Place lettuce in a large serving bowl; crumble bacon on top and add raisins. Add butternut squash-onion mixture; toss to combine. Drizzle with maple syrup and serve warm.

You can cook the butternut squash on an outdoor grill over indirect heat, if you prefer. — Wires