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Food

Don't hate them because they're ugly

Give winter squashes - those odd, knobby gourds - a chance to shine as a satisfying, new side dish.

By JANET K. KEELER
Published November 8, 2006

The hatlike turban is just one of many varieties of thick-skinned squash popular this time of the year.
	[Times photo: Cherie Diez]

We call them winter squash but we see them in summer. And what we know as summer squash, green zucchini and yellow crookneck mostly, we eat all year.

The notion of seasonal produce has lost its meaning in the American grocery store where so many fruits and vegetables are available year-round. Still, I like the tough-skinned, weird-shaped family of winter squash when the weather cools and I don't mind having the oven on for extended periods.

What curious shapes and designs winter squash come in: oblong and oval; striped and mottled; bumpy and curvy. Take, for instance, the turban squash, which looks like a hat intended to rock the casbah with its orange, brown and green carnival stripes.

Intriguing shapes are matched by wild colors inside, ranging from creamy beige to taxi cab yellow and Bozo orange. The taste varies just slightly and, except for

the stringy flesh of the spaghetti squash, most cook up to the consistency and character of a turnip or potato though are more flavorful on their own.

A holiday treat

Winter squash is a genial guest at the Thanksgiving table, especially for a vegetarian feast. The natural well inside many varieties, acorn specifically, makes a good nest for a wild rice and dried cranberry stuffing or another melange of hearty flavors. Cut off the top knot of the turban, scoop out the seeds and you've got another squash suited for stuffing.

As a holiday side dish, winter squash takes many forms, from whipped butternut with a sour cream tang to baked acorn rings sweetened with maple syrup and cinnamon. Who needs sweet potatoes anyway?

Pureed squash soup with a swirl of creme fraiche would be a lovely starter and chunks of squash can be added to that turkey soup swimming with leftovers.

If you don't want to eat them, winter squash look festive in a holiday centerpiece. Don't confuse edible winter squash with their pint-sized ornamental cousins. Sometimes they are displayed side-by-side.

Most winter squash, which cost about 89 cents a pound, have a sticker that identifies them and provides cooking instructions.

Taming squash

Do not eat the skin of winter squash. Thinner-skinned varieties, such as butternut, are fairly easy to skin with a vegetable peeler.

Squash with thick skin and ridges, like acorn or turban, should be cooked with skin on and then the soft flesh scooped out.

There will be some seeds, though not nearly as many as a pumpkin holds, and they too can be roasted for a tasty snack. (Separate and discard strings, rinse, sprinkle with coarse salt and olive oil and roast in a 275-degree oven for 15 minutes or until seeds start to pick up color.)

Winter squash benefits most from roasting. Dry heat and extended cooking time intensify the sweetness of hard-skinned squash. You can microwave them, too, but they won't have the same concentrated flavor. To prepare simply, cut in half, remove seeds and roast, flesh-side down on a baking dish sprayed with nonstick spray. It will take about one hour at 350 degrees for most squash to cook. Salt, pepper and butter to taste.

TIP: To cut open a winter squash, pierce skin several times with a sharp knife and microwave on high for about 3 minutes. This will soften the skin enough to cut.

Winter squash have a much longer life span than summer varieties, lasting for months when stored in a cool, dry place, though not the refrigerator. They are packed with vitamins A and C, plus potassium and beta carotene.

Good thing, because they sure do look weird.

Janet K. Keeler can be reached at (727) 893-8586 or jkeeler@sptimes.com.

Vegetarian

Acorn Squash Stuffed with Wild Rice, Hazelnuts and Dried Cranberries

7 cups water

2 cups wild rice about 12 ounces

3 small acorn squash (each about 10 to 12 ounces), cut in half, seeded

2 tablespoons butter

2 cups finely chopped onions

2 teaspoons crumbled dried sage leaves

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons dried cranberries

1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons chopped toasted hazelnuts (or pecans)

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

- Bring 7 cups water and rice to boil in heavy large saucepan. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until rice is tender, about 1 hour. Drain. Transfer rice to large bowl.

- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Oil baking sheet. Place squash, cut side down, on sheet. Bake until tender, about 40 minutes. Cool.

- Using spoon, scoop out pulp from squash, leaving 1/4-inch-thick shell; reserve shells. Transfer pulp to medium bowl. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.

- Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onions; saute until tender, about 15 minutes. Add sage; stir 2 minutes. Add rice, squash pulp and lemon juice; stir until mixed, breaking up squash pulp into smaller pieces. Mix in 1/2 cup cranberries, 1/2 cup hazelnuts (or pecans) and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.

- Divide rice mixture among reserved squash shells. Place in roasting pan. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover and chill.)

- Bake squash until filling is heated through, about 25 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 3 tablespoons cranberries and 3 tablespoons nuts.

Serves 6.

Source: Bon Appetit magazine, October 1998

Side dish

Whipped Butternut Squash

2 butternut squash, halved and seeded

1/2 cup margarine

1 cup light sour cream

Salt and pepper to taste

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

- Place squash halves cut side down in medium baking dish with enough water to cover. Cover, and bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, until tender.

Scoop squash from skin into medium bowl, and mix with margarine and light sour cream. Whip until smooth. Add salt and pepper. Serves 10.

Source: www.allrecipes.com

Side dish

Baked Acorn Squash Rings

1 acorn squash (about 1/2 pound)

1 teaspoon maple syrup

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon water

1 apple, cored and sliced (optional)

- Wash the squash, then slice it crosswise into 1/4-inch rings.

Remove the seeds and pulp.

- Layer the rings in a casserole dish, top with maple syrup, dust on cinnamon and sprinkle with water. (As an added touch, slices of apple can be placed in layers alternating with the squash rings.) Bake, covered, in a preheated oven at 275 degrees for about 30 minutes. The timing and temperature are not critical, so this can bake along with other dinner dishes.

Serves 2.

Source: www.recipecottage.com

Starter

Creamy Squash Soup

2 pounds butternut squash, or other variety, halved, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 1/2 cups diced onion

2 carrots, peeled and diced

3 (13-ounce) cans chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup light cream or heavy cream

Sour cream or creme fraiche, for garnish

- In a medium saucepan, combine squash, onion, carrots, broth and salt. Simmer, uncovered, until squash is very tender, about 40 minutes.

- Puree soup in a blender or food processor with the butter. Whisk cream into soup.

- Serve in wide, shallow bowls with a dollop of sour cream, if desired.

Serves 4.

Source: Paula Deen, Food Network

Winter squash to meet and eat

- Butternut: Bright orange, creamy flesh; not stringy. Thin skin can be peeled easily; cubes of the veggie add flavor and nutrition to casseroles and soups.

- Calabaza: Oval variety with skin that looks like wood grain. Also called a West Indian pumpkin. Bright orange flesh under thick skin. Roast for best results.

- Acorn: A favorite for stuffing. Yellow-orange flesh is slightly sweet, if a little watery. Good alternative to baked potatoes.

- Spaghetti: This has long been the dieter's substitute for pasta because the stringy flesh separates into long strands when scraped out with a fork after cooking. Best cut in half, seeded and baked.

- Delicata: An elongated, striped variety that usually weighs less than 1 pound. Yellow, sweet flesh.

- Turban: Bake, steam or simmer or use for a table centerpiece.

Janet K. Keeler

[Last modified November 7, 2006, 10:38:09]