Recipe of the week: Butternut-squash steak and eggs

“These days, just about any hearty vegetable can be reimagined as ‘a steak,’” said TastingTable.com. In this version of steak and eggs, thickly sliced butternut squash—roasted with maple syrup and smoked paprika—replaces the beef. You should top the caramelized squash with a poached egg and lightly dressed baby arugula.

Butternut-squash steak and eggs

• 1 butternut squash, peeled
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1½ tbsp olive oil
• ¼ tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• ½ tsp distilled white vinegar
• 4 large eggs
• 3 cups baby arugula
• ½ red chile, finely chopped
• 1½ tsp lemon juice

Set oven at 400 degrees and use it to preheat a baking sheet. Cut squash in half, crosswise, then chop the bottom half into ¼-inch cubes and the neck piece lengthwise into four ¾-inch-thick “steaks.”

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In a bowl, whisk syrup, olive oil, paprika, ¼ tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper; drizzle squash cubes with 3 tbsp of the mixture and place cubes on a second baking sheet. With a pastry brush, coat one side of each steak with the remaining mixture; place them maple side down on the oven baking sheet on the lower rack. Place second sheet on middle rack and roast everything 15 minutes.

In a saucepan, poach the eggs in vinegar plus 3 inches water. In a medium bowl, toss arugula, red chile, lemon juice, and the cubed squash. Plate squash steaks and top with the arugula-squash mixture and the poached eggs, plus salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4.