October 15. 2003

The Big Three Winter Squash: A Primer

As the seasons change, all the magazines and newspapers without exception talk about the same foods. Perhaps this fall you think you never want to see another recipe for strawberries or peaches or tomatoes, even though each is delicious in it’s own season. Right now the food pages are rampant with squash recipes, and OOPS! I’m about to do the same thing. Why? Because when I buy a squash, I can never think what to do with it. Sometimes it’s too much trouble to look through recipe clippings and cookbooks, when you need is an idea to get dinner on the table in an hour.

So here is a “primer” containing basic information and a collection of various hints/ideas of my own and some that I’ve found in publications and on the Internet.

What big three? Who says?

Butternut, acorn and spaghetti squash are the three most available winter squash in grocery stores where I have shopped over the years, that’s why I call them the big three. Another kind, buttercup, is reported to be preferable to butternut, but I have not tasted it. You may also sporadically find others like kabocha, Hubbard or Sweet Dumpling squash but mostly at farm markets and so-called gourmet grocery stores.

How to choose winter squash
Look test for weight and observe the color. A good squash is heavier relative to size. If the outside of the squash is darker in color, you’ll generally find that the inside is darker and richer. This is a good thing. If acorn squash is all shiny and dark green, however, it is not yet ripe. Choose acorn squash with a good splash of yellow/gold/orange. Bigger is better for all types, indicating perhaps a longer time on the vine, although growing conditions can produce a wide variety. I’ve heard that squash ripens after picking, so if you’re a squash fan and want to test this, keep several wrapped separately in tissue paper in a dark, cool place.

How to cut open the darned things

Outside of a coconut, a winter squash is about the hardest piece of produce you’ll ever have to cut through. Even the sharpest knife can slip and cut you. A small saw for cutting frozen foods and bones is better than a knife, but if you don’t have one, try this: prick the squash with a paring knife or fork and bake, whole, for about a half hour at 400 degrees to soften the skin, then halve lengthwise, remove the seeds and continue baking. Sometimes I bake acorn squash until soft before doing this, and the seeds are also easier to remove.

If your grocer has bags of peeled and cut up butternut squash—and your recipe doesn’t call for stuffing—you can avoid the whole issue.

Basic cooking methods

Most recipes call for cutting a winter squash in half lengthwise, removing seeds and baking until a fork pierces it easily. Other methods call for peeling and cutting into squares for steaming or roasting at a high temperature. Rarely is the squash served plain with salt and pepper; it is usually “gussied up” with something sweet, or pureed, or stuffed. If stuffed, it may be served as a main course.

Spaghetti squash is not watery and may be baked whole before cutting in half, removing the seeds and “flaking” the flesh into spaghetti-like strands. I always thought I was undercooking it until I read somewhere that it remains crisp. If you prefer your pasta more “dente” than not, this squash is for you.

What to do if your squash is stringy and/or watery

If it’s stringy, either cut into small pieces to cook (instead of baking whole) by roasting or steaming, then puree in a food mill or processor. You can further run the processed squash through a sieve if you’re obsessive about the strings.

If it’s watery, roast or bake instead of steaming, and cook it longer. Don’t cook whole as steam builds up inside. One cook says she bakes a big squash up to TWO HOURS at 400 degrees, which dries it out, caramelizing and intensifying the flavor.

What flavors go with winter squash?

Herbs are not prevalent in winter squash recipes, except for sage and occasionally thyme or parsley. Sage with squash ravioli in brown butter has been popular for a few years.
Sweet spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger go well. Squash also has an affinity for cheese, cream and bacon.

Squash may also be used as an ingredient in a myriad of dishes: think of sweet potato pie or pudding, or squash in cookies, cakes, nut breads, cornbread and yeast rolls, pancakes, bread stuffing and polenta. In baked goods, you’ll want it fairly moist.

Some good ideas for which you don’t need a recipe

Butternut squash:

Roast alone or with a combination of root vegetables, in salt and pepper, olive oil

Make a pureed soup, simple or as complicated as you like: for example, with chicken broth, onions or leeks, tomatoes sans skins and seeds, garlic, a touch of orange or apple

Cook large dice of squash (can also do this one with sweet potatoes) in cider or apple juice, a bay leaf, and one each diced apple and pear, season with cinnamon

Sauté cubes with bacon and onion

Acorn squash:

Stuff after baking with sour cream, orange sections and zest, nutmeg and sugar, then broil

Bake a few minutes longer with brown sugar and butter—or maple syrup and heavy cream—in the cavities; or serve with cinnamon sugar and butter mixed together

Make custard from a cup of mixed Boursin and cream cheese with an egg or two; add to baked squash halves and cook about 20 minutes longer

Spaghetti squash:

With garlic, Parmesan and butter or olive oil

With any kind of pasta sauce, like marinara, clam or meat sauce

In a gratin with Gruyere (Swiss) cheese, cream, sage and garlic

And finally, here is my favorite squash dish for which you do need a recipe! This is one of those in my Ten Best Recipes of 2002 file.

Sausage Squash Bake

The original recipe came from a cookbook published by the American Dairy Association, and I’ve been making it for years. This even yummier 2002 version came about because of the need to serve five people rather than four and the fact that sausage packages have gone from 16 ounces to 12. I added the mushrooms, increased some ingredients and not others, and loved the outcome. Reheats well in microwave or, covered, in the oven. Serves 6.

3 acorn squash, all the same size
2-12 ounce packages country-style sausage (I use Jimmy Dean Regular)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green or red pepper
1/2 cup chopped celery
Salt and pepper
8 ounces sliced mushrooms (Baby Bella are nice)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 cup sour cream

Cut squash in half and scrape out seeds. Place cut side down on a baking sheet or dish, add a little water to cover the bottom of the pan and cook until tender, about 45 minutes at 375 degrees. OR, bake squash whole, then cut in half and remove seeds. The squash are much easier to cut this way, but may need a bit longer cooking time.

While squash is baking, brown sausage in a skillet, and pour off most of the drippings. Add onion, green or red pepper, and celery, season with salt and pepper, and cook mixture over low heat until the vegetables are tender. Add mushrooms, season and cook a few minutes longer. Remove from heat.

When squash are tender when pierced with a fork, turn cavity side up. Stir 6 tablespoons Parmesan cheese and the sour cream into the warm sausage mixture (re-warm if necessary) and fill squash halves to heaping. Sprinkle remaining two tablespoons cheese over the tops. Bake 15 minutes longer or until hot. The tops get a little crunchy, so you may want to cover loosely with foil.

Sausage Quiche Bonus Recipe: If you want to make only four servings you can save out a third of the sausage mixture before you add cheese and sour cream. Mix with one-half cup each sour cream, heavy cream and milk, 3 eggs, salt and pepper and bake in an unbaked 9-inch pie shell for about an hour at 375 degrees in the lower third of your oven. Excellent for brunch, lunch or dinner.

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