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I'll admit I never knew that much about squash except that they looked interesting with all their shapes and sizes. Then as I developed my cooking skills and broadened my culinary (and dietary) horizons, squash has become a familiar ingredient. The sweet nutty flavor of squash makes delicious soups, sides, casseroles and baked goods.
Common squash varieties include the familiar pumpkin, acorn, hubbard, turban and butternut, but others are available. They can be roasted, boiled, steamed, mashed or pureed for use in cooking. Here are a few tips on how to prepare squash for your favorite recipes.
When a recipe calls for peeled cubed squash, the secret to success is a very sharp chef's knife. Cut the squash in half horizontally and cut off the top and bottom so it's flat. Stand it on its end and run the knife downward, like cutting corn off the cob or cutting a pineapple. Remove any seeds and pulp, cut flesh into cubes and proceed with the recipe.
For dishes calling for cooked squash there are several options including oven roasting and microwaving. To roast, halve the squash length-wise, remove seeds and place cut side down on oiled baking pan. Place in 350 to 375-degree F. preheated oven and roast till tender (time will vary depending on the size of the squash.)
To microwave, pierce whole squash all over with a fork and on full power cook for five minutes for smaller squash and 10 minutes for larger. Use a fork to check for doneness. Continue to cook at 1-minute intervals until tender. Cool until able to handle, then cut in half length-wise, remove seeds and scoop or cut as desired.
Winter Squash Soup with Gruyere Croutons
Soup:
1/4 cup butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 large garlic cloves, chopped
3 (14 1/2-ounce) cans chicken broth
4 cups peeled butternut squash, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 cups peeled acorn squash, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/4 tsps. minced fresh thyme
1 1/4 tsps. minced fresh sage
1 1/2 tsps. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 cup whipping cream
Croutons:
2 T. butter
24 baguette bread slices, 1/4-inch thick
1 cup grated Gruyere or Swiss cheese
1 tsp. minced fresh thyme
1 tsp. minced fresh sage
Directions: For soup: Melt butter in large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and saute till tender, about 10 minutes. Add broth, squash cubes and herbs. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer till squash is very tender, about 20 minutes.
Working in batches, puree soup in a blender (or use an immersion blender.) Return pureed soup to the pot. Stir in cream and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper.
(Can be made a day ahead. Chill. Reheat over medium heat before serving.)
For croutons: Preheat broiler. Butter one side of each bread slice. Arrange bread, buttered side up, on a baking sheet. Broil until golden, about one minute. Turn bread over. Sprinkle with cheese, then thyme and sage. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil till cheese melts. Ladle soup into bowls. Top each with croutons and serve.
Serves 8.
Baked Spaghetti Squash
1 spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
3 slices bacon, chopped
1 T. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 T. minced garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup red wine
2 (14-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1 T. Italian seasoning
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions: Oil or spray a baking sheet and a 9-inch square baking dish. Pierce the squash halves with a fork and arrange, cut side down, on the baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 375- degree F. oven until tender, about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool until able to handle.
Cook and stir bacon in large skillet over medium-high heat till evenly browned. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on paper toweling, reserving about 1 tablespoon drippings in skillet. Set bacon aside.
Add onion and garlic to the drippings and saute till golden brown. Season with salt. Slowly pour wine over the onion mixture and bring to a boil while scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon. Add tomatoes and Italian seasoning. Sprinkle with black pepper. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes.
Shred the spaghetti squash with fork. Discard the peel. Stir squash into the sauce. Spoon into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with cheeses. Bake in a preheated 375-degree F. oven until cheese is melted and browned, 25 to 30 minutes. Sprinkle bacon over cheese before serving. Serves 6.
Squash and Apple Bake
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 T. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground mace
2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 large apples, cored and cut into 1/2-inch slices
Directions: Preheat oven to 350-degrees F. In a medium bowl, stir together brown sugar, butter, flour, salt and mace. Arrange squash in an ungreased 9×13-inch baking dish. Top with slices of apple then sprinkle with the sugar mixture. Cover the dish with foil. Bake 50 to 60 minutes, or until squash is tender.
Serves 8.