Tackling Squash-o-Phobia

originally published Thursday, February 23rd

Squish Squash
The humble winter squash comes in so many varieties. From oblong yellow and orange speckled delicatas to golden and green armored acorns and everyone's favorite, the smooth, creamy butternut. All squash are part of the gourd family and fit into two categories.
Where summer squash (like zucchini) are soft and perishable, winter squash such as those listed above are often harvested in late summer or fall but can be cured and kept for months in a cool place, thus the name.
Winter squash are a great source of natural sugars, complex carbohydrates and beta carotene. In addition many varieties contain high amounts of essential minerals and vitamins B and C.

The other important thing you should know about winter squash is that they are easy to prepare, and delicious!
If you've never enjoyed any it's time to start now.
At the farmer's market or other seasonal markets, you will see many varieties of winter squash. This can be intimidating, but here's a little tutorial to get you started.
In general, pick squash that are heavy for their size and with no soft spots or cracks.
They should have a hard rind and an intact stem. The darker the flesh, the sweeter the squash.
To prepare, wash the squash and carefully cut open. This will take a sharp knife and a steady hand. If the squash is extremely large, you can trim a bit off the base to make it flatter for a more safe cut.
Then, scoop out the stringy flesh and seeds. (These seeds can be saved for roasting just like pumpkin seeds. Email me for a recipe!)
The most simple and delicious preparation for winter squash is to roast them.
Lightly coat squash halves or wedges with extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Place cut side down on a baking pan and pop into a 400 degree oven for 30-50 minutes, until flesh is soft and does not stick to the roasting pan. Allow to cool and dig in!
Most winter squash can be baked with skin on, and the flesh scooped out to serve. When cooking squash for a soup or puree, you may find it easier to peel first.
Here are some more details on squash varieties.

Acorn
Shaped like a big acorn, this squash comes in green or golden varieties, the golden being the sweeter of the two. Acorn has a nutty flavor that is great simply roasted with a dash of cinnamon and a bit of maple syrup drizzled over when they're still warm!

Delicata
This oblong squash is ivory with orange, green and yellow specks. It has a light, sweet flavor similar to butternut. For best results, season lightly and bake with olive oil or butter.

Buttercup
This squash is wider and flatter than an acorn, with a dark green rind and white stripes. Just like acorn, a buttercup squash is great when stuffed and baked with wild rice or other stuffing. It has a mild flavor, and it is more dense and dry than other varieties.

Butternut
A favorite among chefs, this squash has a long wide neck and very few seeds. It's pale, butterscotch color makes it very recognizable. This squash is smooth and sweet; excellent for roasting in small cubes, mashing or making a delicious soup. Butternut squash is great for big dishes as it's very easy to peel.

Red Kuri
A more rare Japanese variety and bright orange in color. This squash is great for pies and purees, much like kabocha.

Spaghetti
A very unique squash. After cooking, one opens to find "miles of tender golden strands" that resemble the familiar pasta. Serve as you would spaghetti, with a light sauce of tomato or pesto. This variety is high in fiber and folic acid.

For those cooks who are really inspired, here's one of my favorite soups. It contains loads of winter squash as well as other seasonal vegetables.
This soup is great for a rainy day and well worth the effort. The sweetness of roasted apple and squash blends perfectly with the spicy hint of parsnip and fennel.

Roasted Autumn Vegetable Soup
Recipe Holly Mendenhall

You will need:

 1 medium parsnip, peeled and diced into small pieces
 1 medium bulb fennel, tops removed, cored and sliced
 2 small carrots, peeled and diced into 1 inch cubes
 1 medium red onion, peeled and sliced
 2 small winter squash of any variety (butternut, ambercup, delicata) peeled and diced into 1 inch cubes (about 4 cups)
 1 small apple, cored and diced (sweet variety such as gala or macintosh)
 1 small bulb celeriac or celery root, peeled and diced (about 1/2 cup)
 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil or butter
 1 medium yellow onion, diced
 2 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
 6 cups vegetable stock
 kosher salt and ground black pepper

What to do:

 Preheat conventional oven to 400 degrees and toss first 6 ingredients one at a time in olive oil, seasoning with salt and pepper

 Arrange vegetables separately on sheet trays, with varieties of squash, celeriac and parsnips on one, apple, onion and fennel on the other

 Roast in oven for 30 to 40 minutes until vegetables are soft and slightly carmelized, remove from oven (if parsnips and carrots are not quite done, that's okay)

 Add olive oil or butter to a large saucepan over medium high heat

 Saute yellow onions until translucent and beginning to carmelize, about 10 minutes

 Add garlic and saute for one minute more or until fragrant

 Add all of the roasted vegetables and vegetable stock, bring to a boil

 Reduce heat to a simmer and cook 20 minutes until all vegetables are completely soft

 Allow to cool and puree with a submersible blender or standing blender. Add more stock for a thinner consistency. Season with salt and pepper and enjoy! Serves 6

*feel free to share this recipe, but please do not reprint or use for commercial purposes without permission