Roasted Acorn Squash

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Wash and dry the squash. Cut off and discard the ends of the squash; halve lengthwise, then scoop out and discard the pulp and seeds. Cut the squash into 1-inch-wide wedges. Place on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; toss to thoroughly coat. Arrange in a single, even layer and roast 30 to 32 minutes, or until browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven.

While the squash roasts, wash and dry the fresh produce. Using a peeler, remove the rind of the lemon, avoiding the white pith; mince the rind to get 2 teaspoons of zest (or use a zester). Quarter and deseed the lemon. Peel the carrots; thinly slice into rounds. Peel and mince the garlic. Roughly chop the apricots. Cut off and discard the ends of the radishes; thinly slice into rounds.

While the squash continues to roast, in a small pot, combine the couscous and 1½ cups of water; season with salt and pepper. Heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, cover and remove from heat. Let stand for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed and the couscous is tender. Fluff the cooked couscous with a fork.

While the couscous cooks, in a bowl, combine the yogurt, half the lemon zest, the juice of 1 lemon wedge and a drizzle of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

While the couscous continues to cook, in a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the carrots; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 4 minutes, or until softened. Add the garlic and as much of the Aleppo pepper as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add the cooked couscous; cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until thoroughly combined. Turn off the heat. Stir in the apricots, remaining lemon zest and the juice of 1 lemon wedge to thoroughly combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Just before serving, in a large bowl, combine the pea shoots, radishes, the juice of the remaining lemon wedges and a drizzle of olive oil. Toss to combine and season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving dish. Transfer the couscous salad and roasted squash to a serving dish. Top the squash with the yogurt sauce and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve with the dressed pea shoots on the side. Enjoy!