Squash!
Eating seasonally in the northeast isn't easy...with such a short growing season everything from November on to March is either preserved or grown indoors. Of course, since the advent of mass shipping, you can get just about anything year round. Naturally, Leslie and I are trying to eat as much local produce as possible, and that has led us to today's topic: squash. I have experienced more varieties of squash this season than I even knew existed before! The question is, aside from mashing it and mixing it with butter, what on earth can you do with it?
First off, there are two basic types of squash: winter and summer. Summer squash (usually zucchini and that yellow one...what's it called...oh yeah! summer squash!) are a lot like cucumbers. Soft flesh and a thin skin that can easily be eaten. We were up to our eyeballs in that this summer. Sadly, we've moved on. Winter squash, though, has a much larger variety than I was aware of. These typically have a harder flesh that has to been cooked through (like a potato) and has a very thick skin.
Acorn and Buttercup: These are the medium, dark-green globes you see all year are the ones I'm used to. Nuke 'em, mash 'em, butter 'em and eat 'em. Leslie and I have been roasting them in the oven (or nuking them) and just eating them straight out of the shell. The edible flesh is orange and has a sweet, but not too sweet, flavor. I discovered pale yellow acorn squash at the store the other day...they had green stripes. Very tasty!
Hubbard: These are the monstrous pale green squash you find at the grocery store. They also have an orange flesh on the inside and a very subtle flavor...not nearly as sweet but very tasty.
Butternut: Long, peach-colored tubes with a round end. Orange flesh (anyone noticing a pattern here?). These are very sweet. I've had them chopped up in sauce and stir fry, but also cooked up in soup. Mmm Mmm!
Delicotta and Dumpling: These pale yellow squash were new to me this season. They have dark green stripes down the sides and can usually be found at the farmer's market. They don't ship well because, although they are winter squash, they have a very thin skin. So thin, in fact, that you can eat it! The flesh is yellow and so sweet, it's almost like eating candy.
Pumpkin: I know, I've done a post on pumpkin already, but with six of them sitting on my porch right now, I kind of have to mention them...besides, technically they are squash and therefore fit in. Roast it, nuke it, puree it...it's always good. Makes great dumplings!
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Honestly, my favorite way to prepare these different varieties is the simplest way possible! Cut them and microwave until tender (cover with plastic wrap...on hi about 10 minutes). Salt, pepper, and spices depending on your mood. Chili powder and cumin works great. Leslie likes curry. Ginger and cayenne gives it a kick. Of course, brown sugar and maple syrup gives it a completely different feel!
In general, you don't need to add butter, unless that's the flavor you're looking for. I've also had many of these diced and put into tomato sauce or soup, or even stir-fried with other veggies. Make sure it gets cooked all the way through, though, because that's when the flavor really comes out.
Finally, what to do with all these seeds? Well, I read one day that you can toast squash seeds just like pumpkin seeds, so I tried it. YES YOU CAN! They are wonderful! Check out this entry here ( aristaslab.livejournal.com/11368.html) for my how-to on pumpkin (and now squash) seeds!
What is your favorite way to prepare squash?
First off, there are two basic types of squash: winter and summer. Summer squash (usually zucchini and that yellow one...what's it called...oh yeah! summer squash!) are a lot like cucumbers. Soft flesh and a thin skin that can easily be eaten. We were up to our eyeballs in that this summer. Sadly, we've moved on. Winter squash, though, has a much larger variety than I was aware of. These typically have a harder flesh that has to been cooked through (like a potato) and has a very thick skin.
Acorn and Buttercup: These are the medium, dark-green globes you see all year are the ones I'm used to. Nuke 'em, mash 'em, butter 'em and eat 'em. Leslie and I have been roasting them in the oven (or nuking them) and just eating them straight out of the shell. The edible flesh is orange and has a sweet, but not too sweet, flavor. I discovered pale yellow acorn squash at the store the other day...they had green stripes. Very tasty!
Hubbard: These are the monstrous pale green squash you find at the grocery store. They also have an orange flesh on the inside and a very subtle flavor...not nearly as sweet but very tasty.
Butternut: Long, peach-colored tubes with a round end. Orange flesh (anyone noticing a pattern here?). These are very sweet. I've had them chopped up in sauce and stir fry, but also cooked up in soup. Mmm Mmm!
Delicotta and Dumpling: These pale yellow squash were new to me this season. They have dark green stripes down the sides and can usually be found at the farmer's market. They don't ship well because, although they are winter squash, they have a very thin skin. So thin, in fact, that you can eat it! The flesh is yellow and so sweet, it's almost like eating candy.
Pumpkin: I know, I've done a post on pumpkin already, but with six of them sitting on my porch right now, I kind of have to mention them...besides, technically they are squash and therefore fit in. Roast it, nuke it, puree it...it's always good. Makes great dumplings!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Honestly, my favorite way to prepare these different varieties is the simplest way possible! Cut them and microwave until tender (cover with plastic wrap...on hi about 10 minutes). Salt, pepper, and spices depending on your mood. Chili powder and cumin works great. Leslie likes curry. Ginger and cayenne gives it a kick. Of course, brown sugar and maple syrup gives it a completely different feel!
In general, you don't need to add butter, unless that's the flavor you're looking for. I've also had many of these diced and put into tomato sauce or soup, or even stir-fried with other veggies. Make sure it gets cooked all the way through, though, because that's when the flavor really comes out.
Finally, what to do with all these seeds? Well, I read one day that you can toast squash seeds just like pumpkin seeds, so I tried it. YES YOU CAN! They are wonderful! Check out this entry here ( aristaslab.livejournal.com/11368.html) for my how-to on pumpkin (and now squash) seeds!
What is your favorite way to prepare squash?