A guide to winter squash: butternut squash relish

When I cube my squash to roast, I'm completely obsessive about the precise evenness of each piece. So naturally I have all sorts of funny-shaped odds and ends leftover and I can't bear to throw them out; the color is too pretty and the smell is too sweet to go to waste.

There's really only one thing, one surprising and amazing thing, that you can do with uneven bits of squash. You can pickle it. The color stays vibrant, the flavor is unlike anything you've had before and it's the perfect crunch on top of chicken, fish or tacos. Most surprising of all, butternut squash is best pickled with Asian flavors: rice vinegar, fresh ginger and green onions.

How does your family cook (or not cook) butternut squash?

Butternut Squash Relish

1 cup finely chopped butternut squash
1T brown sugar
1T rice vinegar
1t oil
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 heaping teaspoon fresh grated ginger (use a microplane, please)
large pinch kosher salt (to taste)

Saute onions and ginger in oil over medium heat for about one minute. Mix all ingredients into a jar and let sit overnight before using.

For tacos:

black refried beans
crema, sour cream, creme fraiche, etc
feta, queso blanco, queso fresco, etc
lime
avocado
cilantro