New England Mashed Winter Squash

From the garden

• 4 lb winter squash (butternut, kabocha, hubbard, or buttercup), halved lengthwise and seeded · one big squash or two small ones

From the pantry

• 5 tbsp butter · 1 tablespoon for the cut faces, the rest for the mash
• 1 tbsp brown sugar · or honey; enough to lift the squash, not to sweeten it
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg · grated fresh if you have a whole nutmeg
• 2 tbsp heavy cream (optional) · for a looser, silkier mash
• salt · to taste
• black pepper

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Halve the squash lengthwise through the stem with a heavy knife, then scrape out the seeds and stringy centers, setting the seeds aside if you mean to toast them.
2. Rub the cut faces with about 1 tablespoon of the butter and a good pinch of salt. Lay the halves cut-side down on a foil-lined sheet pan and roast 40–50 minutes, until a knife slides through the skin with no resistance and the halves have slumped.
3. Scoop the hot flesh into a wide pan and leave the skins behind. Set the pan over medium heat and stir 2–3 minutes to drive off steam: a watery mash is the one way this dish goes wrong.
4. Mash off the heat with the remaining butter, the brown sugar, and the nutmeg, using a potato masher for a rustic texture or a stick blender for a smooth one. Beat in the cream if using.
5. Season with salt and pepper and taste twice, since squash takes more salt than expected. Serve hot beside pork, turkey, or a roast chicken.