Fun with Winter Squash!

Winter Squash

With summer vegetables giving way to the fall harvest, I still find myself craving squash. Winter squash, acorn squash, butternut squash. Yum! In researching winter squash, here’s what I’ve learned:

TIPS ON HOW TO PICK OUT A WINTER SQUASH:

·         Look for a squash with a very hard outer shell. If you can put your thumbnail through the fruit, it's not ready. You want to look for fruit that has had a chance to mature completely on the plant. Squash that are harvested before they reach maturity haven't had a chance to fully develop their flavor and will probably have a shorter shelf life.

·         Pick a squash with as few blemishes as possible, as cracks and blemishes decrease storage life.

TIPS ON COOKING WITH WINTER SQUASH

·         Use acorns and butternuts for baking, because they have a nice flesh consistency so after baking you can easily scoop the flesh out.

·         For soups, choose a butternut rather than an acorn.

·         Butternut squash is easier to process and handle, with fewer ridges and crannies and has a higher concentration of caratonoids, the precursor to vitamin A.

·         Acorn squash and delicatas are great for stuffing, mainly because of  the shape left when the seeds are removed.

Here are a few recipes I’ve already tried:

Brown Sugar Acorn Squash

Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Please cut sides down in a foil-lined pan. Mix a half cup of brown sugar with a cup of water. Beat the mixture until the brown sugar is dissolved. Pour the mixture into the pan and cover tightly. Cook at 450 for 40 minutes. During the cooking process the mixture is drawn up into the flesh. When down, the flesh easily scoops out of the shell. It tastes like candy!

Butternut Squash Bisque with Roasted Red Bell Pepper

Ingredients:

·         2 tbsp butter

·         4-5 tbsp olive oil (divided)

·         1 cup diced onion

·         3 cloves minced garlic

·         1 1/2 cups diced carrots

·         1 tart apple, sliced but unpeeled

·         1 roasted red bell pepper

·         8 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash

·         6 cups chicken or vegetable stock

·         Salt and pepper to taste

·         Ground nutmeg to taste

·         1 cup butternut pieces diced to small crouton size

·         1 cup heavy cream

·         Sour cream for garnish (optional)

·          

Directions:

•  Heat butter and 2 tablespoons oil in large pot. Cook and stir the onion and garlic in the butter and oil until tender. Add the carrots, apples, bell pepper and squash.
•  Pour in stock and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
•  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender.
•  Meanwhile, heat 2-3 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet.
•  Fry butternut croutons, stirring frequently, until crispy.
• Puree soup. 
• Stir in heavy cream, heat through, but do not allow to boil.

Ladle soup into bowls and top with butternut croutons and dollop of sour cream if desired. Makes eight generous servings.

Easy Squash Side Dish

Ingredients:

·         1 winter squash (acorn, butternut, delicata)

·         Vegetable oil

·         Shredded cheese

Directions:

•   Cut squash in half and remove seeds.
• · Cut a cross-hatch pattern in the flesh.
• · Bake face down for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
• · Turn squash right side up and fill cracks with vegetable oil, bake another 20 minutesor until a knife slides smoothly in.
• · Top with shredded cheese and serve.