Start to finish: 20 minutes
Hands in time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4

 1 medium butternut squash (1 ½ pounds)
2 medium shallots
1/3 cup shelled natural pistachios
3 large dates
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 large mint leaves
1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt
Cayenne pepper

Peel the butternut squash and cut it into pieces that will fit into the feeding tube of a food processor. Fit the processor with the shredding disc and shred the squash (about 3 ½ cups). Finely chop the shallots (about 1/3 cup), coarsely chop the pistachios (about 1/3 cup), and pit and coarsely chop the dates (about ¼ cup).

Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat until hot. Add the shallots and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Add the butternut squash, turn up the heat to medium-high, and cook for 3 minutes, stirring, until the squash is tender. The mixture will become soft, like a puree. Shred the mint (about 2 teaspoons). Stir in the pistachios, dates, mint, and lemon juice. Add salt and cayenne to taste