Delicata Taco Bombas

Delicata squash have taken over my seasonal taste buds for the moment.  This squash ranges in size and for this particular rendition I used the smallest ones I could find.  I got these from Paradise Valley Produce at the Thursday San Rafael Civic Center Market.  Last week I put sloppy joe filling in them and Steve commented that I should really try to do a "taco" version as he was just picking them up whole and taking huge bites out of the entire combo.  The kids really liked them too, I thought they might balk at eating the skin, but once they tried it they cleaned their plates. 

This flavor profile is really different to me.  Not particularly sweet, just the right amount of heat and a very clean feeling after you eat them.  I'm not sure it will please everyone but after the excesses of Thanksgiving it was a nice break.  There's not a ton of cooking time, the bulk of the work is actually in the prep.  I had "leftovers" with this quantity, actually looking forward to trying it the next day to see if the flavors settled in any kind of exciting way, but alas, Steve struck before he went to bed and when I went to try them the next day they were a distant memory. 

Delicata Taco Bombas

6-8 small delicata squash (no bigger than the size of your hand--if bigger use less squash and cut accordingly)
1-1.5 lbs. grass fed skirt steak
1-2 poblano (pasilla) chiles
3 cloves garlic, chopped
sea salt
fresh ground pepper
1/3 cup chopped fresh sage
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup chopped white onion
organic olive oil

Rub the skirt steak with the garlic on all sides and season with salt and pepper.  Leave out on counter and let come to room temp while getting everything else ready.  Turn on grill to high or oven to broil and roast peppers until blackened all over (If using the grill get your oven going to preheat to 375 as well).  Put roasted peppers in a glass bowl and cover, or in a plastic ziploc, to allow to steam on their own--turn oven down to 375 if you need to.  While peppers are going, start prepping the squash.  Wash the squash well and cut off stem ends and slice lengthwise.  Scoop out the seeds and set them cut side up in whatever pan you are roasting them in. Drizzle then brush all squash with olive oil.  Sprinkle half the sage on to the squash along with salt and pepper and put in oven for 20 min. or until tender when pierced with fork. 

10 min. before pulling out the squash, grill the skirt steak about 3 min. side for medium.  I went 2 min. and it was a little too rare on the thicker end of the steak, but it's really up to you.  Combine the chopped onion, cilantro and remaining cilantro.  Remove the skins from the poblanos, seed them and take the tops off.  It's easy to do under runing water.  Chop the poblano into strips

Assemble your "taco".  I did chopped steak first, a slice of poblano and a spoon of sage onion cilantro mix.  Very delicious!