Cooking Winter Squash

Our local farms carefully tended their squash fields all summer and we are now reaping the delicious benefits of all that hard work. We’ve got a great variety of squash, including kabocha, buttercup, spaghetti, butternut, and acorn. Why not try a different one every week? Squash lasts quite a while and now is the perfect time to take advantage of a sale on local squash from Second Spring Farm in Cedar, only $1.69/lb. Regular price $2.49/lb. (Sale price good 10/23-10/29.)

Squash is easy to prepare, is warm and filling, and only needs minimal seasoning to taste great. Here are some basic instructions for preparing squash.

The only squash you can easily peel and cut up before cooking is butternut squash. All others are generally cut in half before baking. Once cooked you just scoop out the flesh, leaving the skin behind, and use in soups, casseroles, or as a simple side dish with a little butter and brown sugar or maple syrup. Delicata squash is so tender that you can eat the skin. Spaghetti squash is the oddball in the bin. This squash yields interesting, neutral-tasting and spaghetti-like strings that you can use as a low carb substitute for pasta. With added fat and seasonings, this stringy squash can be transformed into tasty dishes.

How to cook winter squash

Heat oven to 425ºF. Cut squash in half, lengthwise. Don’t worry about the stem, whether it comes off or not. Using a spoon, scoop out the seeds and stringy stuff to leave a clean cavity. Brush the squash with olive oil, season with salt, and place on a roasting pan, cut side down. Roast for 30 – 45 minutes, depending on the size and thickness, until you can easily pierce the squash with a sharp knife. It should be nice and soft all the way through. Remove from oven and let cool a few minutes before scooping out.

Once scooped out, mash/puree the squash with flavorings of your choice including (but not limited to!) butter, coconut oil, cream, garlic, pepper, honey, maple syrup, brown sugar, etc. Alternately, you can flip the squash halves right side up and add delicious things to the cavities before baking further. Or use the flesh to make a creamy, comforting soup.

Another method is to slice the squash into rings and clean each individual ring of its seeds and guts before tossing in a bit of oil and seasonings and then baking. Sliced squash rings make a nice presentation on a plate. (Scroll down for recipes.)

A few squash recipes for you:

Maple Roasted Squash Rings
Acorn Squash Soup
Spaghetti Squash Casserole with Caramelized Onions
Brussels Sprouts Delicata Squash Casserole
Southwestern Stuffed Acorn Squash
Butternut Squash Soup with Goat Cheese Croutons
Butternut Squash Galette
Spiced Squash Pancakes