A Dish of Squash
This Healthy Choice is Versatile & Simply Delicious
From the forest green veins of a black zucchini to the bright yellow of a sunburst patty pan, from the smooth cream and green stripes of a delicata to the warty mint green of a Queensland blue … ah, the delicious variety.
Yes, Fordhook acorn, cocozell, costa romascica, Lebanese, turban, all of these are squash.
Even Cinderella’s pumpkin – before it became a horse-drawn carriage – was a squash. Talk about versatile.
A Dish of Squash
As for the recipes that come from such diversity: Yum, let me count the ways to prepare it.
Deborah Shubat of Shubat’s Fruits in Duluth suggests something as simple as stir-frying young zucchini with garlic in olive oil. Emphasis on young.
“If it gets too huge, I tend to stuff it with a combination of seasonal veggies and wild rice,” says Deborah.
“I find the older zucchini makes wonderful pickles,” says Tom Cogger of Maple Hill Farm in Washburn, Wisconsin. “But we try to pick our black and golden zucchini and patty pans when they are small, no bigger than 6 inches. We find the younger the squash, the more firm they’ll be when cooked.”
Tom suggests sautéing young sliced summer squash with onions in butter or olive oil.
And winter squash?
Tom says that simple can be delicious.
“Just bake and eat. There’s nothing better.”
Well, maybe there is something better…when his wife bakes it into a pie. And some folks like to bake it with brown sugar and butter.
Archaeological evidence tells us that squash may have been first cultivated in Mesoamerica 8,000 to 10,000 years ago.
Squash was one of the famous “Three Sisters,” made up of corn, beans and squash, planted by Native Americans.
Planted together, the cornstalk provided support for climbing beans and shade for the squash that covered the ground and limited weeds. Brilliant and delicious.
“One of my favorites is a curry squash soup,” Deborah says, kindly sharing the recipe from her friend, Wendy along with Deborah’s secret for managing the dissection of a squash.
“Because a lot of people damage themselves while cutting winter squash, I suggest putting the entire thing into a microwave container and cooking it until it’s soft.
Make certain to poke a few holes so you don’t execute the exploding squash trick.
“Or use a microwave container with a lid so you don’t have to scrub exploded squash out of your microwave,” she wisely suggests.
Wait for the squash to cool, then easily cut it open and remove the skin and seeds.
Squash, besides being easy to prepare, can become and an incredibly healthy staple on your fall table, packing vitamins A and C, potassium, fiber and beta-carotene.
It is low in calories and is fat and cholesterol free.
And it turns out that summer squash is also high in minerals like manganese.
Good and good for you. Make a date to sample squash this fall in all its delicious variety.
Juli Kellner hosts the “WDSE Cooks” series.
A Dish of Squash
Thelma Liebertz’s Nutty Baked Squash
- 1 acorn squash (1 lb.)
Filling
- 2/3 c. cracker crumbs (saltines)
- 1/3 c. coarsely chopped pecans
- 3 Tbsp. brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
- 1/3 c. butter or margarine, melted
In mixing bowl, mix cracker crumbs, pecans, brown sugar, salt and nutmeg. Add melted butter to moisten mixture.
Cut squash in half. Trim stem ends so it sits upright in baking pan. Remove seeds.
Fill squash cavity with mixture.
Bake in ungreased baking dish at 325 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Serves 2.
Wendy’s Curry Squash Soup
- 3 Tbsp. butter
- 1 1/2 c. diced onions
- 2 tsp. minced organic locally grown garlic
- 2 tsp. curry powder (or more to taste)
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. turmeric
- 1/4 tsp. cumin
- 1/8 tsp. diced hot pepper (like Serrano)
- 2 lb. cubed sweet winter squash (1” cube) (examples: butternut, acorn, buttercup)
- 3 c. vegetable or chicken stock
- 3/4 c. cream
Melt butter in a heavy pot, add onions and cook until soft. Add garlic and all spices. Cook until fragrant - roughly 1 minute. Add squash and cook roughly three minutes, then add stock and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes or until soft.
Remove from heat and cool sufficiently to safely purée. Return pureed soup to pot, add cream and heat but do not boil. Serves 4.
The Care & Eating of Winter Squash
Winter squash is harvested in September or October when it is mature and the rind is hard. Unlike summer squash, winter squash has a hard rind; summer squash are harvested earlier and are still slightly immature, so the rind is softer.
When choosing a winter squash, avoid a gourd with any sort of cuts or punctures on the rind or with mold. These could be signs of decay. A tender spot on the rind means the squash is not yet fully ripe.
Winter squash can be kept for three months in a cool, dry place.
Once cut or cooked, squash can be kept in the refrigerator for four to five days.
A frozen, cooked squash can be kept for a year.
Pennsylvania Nutrition Education Network / panen.org
Squash-Apple Casserole
- 2-1/2 c. winter squash, such as acorn, butternut or hubbard
- 1-1/2 c. apples, cooking, such as Macintosh, Granny Smith or Rome
- 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350° F. Wash and prepare squash and apples (for extra fiber, keep peel on apples). Alternate layers of squash and apples in 8-inch square pan; end with a layer of apples. Sprinkle spices over the top layer. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 45-60 minutes, until squash is tender.
This recipe, developed by the University of Massachusetts Extension Nutrition Education Program, comes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture website, which features many recipes along with nutrition information and an estimated cost. Find more recipes at recipefinder.nal.usda.gov.
Spaghetti Squash - Quick & Easy Does It
Among the easiest squash to prepare is spaghetti squash, which has a bright yellow rind and can vary in weight and size.
You simply preheat the oven to 375° Fahrenheit.
Cut the squash in half, the long way. Scoop out the seeds and stringy fibers in the center of the squash.
Place squash face down on a cooking sheet and bake for an hour.
Either leave the squash in the rind or remove with a fork. Add your favorite sauce for a healthy substitute for pasta.