/ck/, what's your favorite way to prepare squash? Bonus points for butternut squash!
Last year I did a butternut squash soup for thanksgiving, but I think soup is sort of weird in the whole assortment of thanksgiving stuff.
I'm worried roasting it, as in this recipe, might be too boring:
>cooksillustrated.com/recipes/7718-roasted-butternut-squash-with-goat-cheese-pecans-and-maple
(if there's a paywall, ill post recipe in subsequent post)
And then there's this option for mashing it:
>marthastewart.com/938822/butternut-squash-mash
This seems on the simpler, unadulterated sort of thing:
>foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/caramelized-butternut-squash-recipe.html
IIRC, when I've enjoyed butternut squash in the past, its usually either in a soup or sauce (and so there's likely heavy cream doing some work) or there's been bacon or chilis that are adding a savory or spicey edge to it.
What would you do?
>>7092986
Re: roasted squash w goat cheese, pecans and maple syrup:
>For plain roasted squash omit the topping. This dish can be served warm or at room temperature. For the best texture it’s important to remove the fibrous flesh just below the squash’s skin.
>1. FOR THE SQUASH: Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Using sharp vegetable peeler or chef’s knife, remove skin and fibrous threads from squash just below skin (peel until squash is completely orange with no white flesh remaining, roughly 1/8 inch deep). Halve squash lengthwise and scrape out seeds. Place squash, cut side down, on cutting board and slice crosswise 1/2 inch thick.
>2. Toss squash with melted butter, salt, and pepper until evenly coated. Arrange squash on rimmed baking sheet in single layer. Roast squash until side touching sheet toward back of oven is well browned, 25 to 30 minutes. Rotate sheet and continue to bake until side touching sheet toward back of oven is well browned, 6 to 10 minutes. Remove squash from oven and use metal spatula to flip each piece. Continue to roast until squash is very tender and side touching sheet is browned, 10 to 15 minutes longer.
>3. FOR THE TOPPING: While squash roasts, stir maple syrup and cayenne together in small bowl.
>4. Transfer squash to large serving platter. Drizzle maple mixture evenly over squash. Sprinkle with goat cheese, pecans, and thyme and serve.
I like to chop it up, quick roast, then put it in my footbath. makes the room smell great.
OP, my family doesn't dig butternut, but they'll eat it as soup.
I use Cook's recipe from years ago. Silky might be in the name. Super easy. Shallots and butter and all the stuff you scoop out goes into the pot, and you steam the pieces over that. You can season how you want, but I like just a pure squash flave.
Soup is deelish at Thanksgiving, but you just have to do a separate course.
>>7092992
>remove skin
The skin is delicious and full of nutrients.
Cut spaghetti squash in half length-wise, roast and shred the insides with a fork. You want to do this carefully to preserve the integrity of the skin.
Cut open some Italian sausage (or just buy it without the casing) and cook just long enough to render. Remove the sausage and keep the fat to cook some onion and red bell pepper. You can add garlic if you wish, but the sausage usually has enough garlic in it.
In a large bowl mix together the squash, sausage, vegetables, ricotta and whatever herbs you like. Place back into squash skin and top with a bit of mozzarella and parmesan. Place back into the oven until the top is brown and inside is set.
I like to get the green part off of the acorn squash and cut it up into cubes. I stick the cubes in a pot of water with a caldo de Pollo cube and let that boil until it's soft. I drain them and squish them and add a cup of half and half and a couple slices of salted butter and tons of pepper and reheat. It's pretty good, that's what I'm making tonight.
>>7093022
Think I found it!
>If you don’t own a folding steamer basket, a pasta pot with a removable pasta insert works well. Some nice garnishes for the soup are freshly grated nutmeg, a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, a sprinkle of paprika, or Buttered Cinnamon-Sugar Croutons (see related recipe).
>For the Soup 1. Heat butter in large Dutch oven over medium-low heat until foaming; add shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add squash scrapings and seeds and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and butter turns saffron color, about 4 minutes. Add 6 cups water and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt to Dutch oven and bring to boil over high heat; reduce heat to medium-low, place squash cut-side down in steamer basket, and lower basket into pot. Cover and steam until squash is completely tender, about 30 minutes. Off heat, use tongs to transfer squash to rimmed baking sheet; reserve steaming liquid. When cool enough to handle, use large spoon to scrape flesh from skin into medium bowl; discard skin.
>2. Pour reserved steaming liquid through mesh strainer into second bowl; discard solids in strainer. Rinse and dry Dutch oven.
>3. In blender, puree squash and reserved liquid in batches, pulsing on low until smooth. Transfer puree to Dutch oven; stir in cream and brown sugar and heat over medium-low heat until hot. Add salt to taste; serve immediately.
>For the Croutons 1. Adjust oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Toss the bread cubes with melted butter in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, combine cinnamon and sugar; sprinkle over the bread cubes and toss to combine.
>2. Spread the bread cubes in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes (The croutons can be stored in an airtight container for several days.) Sprinkle over soup just before serving.
I might be catering to a conservative palette during the holidays - what do you think about adding a tiny bit of curry? too risky? I want squash to be the focus and maybe shallots and butter is the best way to sex it up so to speak.
I know there's a bajillion types of curry too - not really my expertise
>>7093049
That's it.
I realize I have been making this without the brown sugar for a while. Adds sweetness (duh) but also a little nuttiness. I usually do a dash of sherry or marsala and maybe some nutmeg.
>>7093055
No harm in curry, but keep it light. Some people won;t want it, but fuck em. A bisque flavor is easy and mellow and makes people think your fancy. Throw a dollop of creme fraiche on there, drop in some cranberry drizzle, or candied cranberries...
>>7093055
curry flavor goes real well with butternut squash, i did a roast squash with curry flavors for thanksgiving a few years ago and it was a smash success
Butternut Squash Risotto. Will post the recipe when I get home from work. It's delicious, with some parm and pepper on top.
Bump
I have 2 butternut squash, 2 acorn squash and and some zucchini. Halp me plox
Has anyone else had turban squash? I've had it twice now (just baked and eaten as a mash), but I can't think of a squash I've enjoyed more. It has the perfect amount of starch, and is neither too sweet or too bitter/acidic. On top of that, it's the most aesthetically pleasing culinary gourds. Too bad it's only in season for 1-2 months.
Does anyone have any recipes that would work specifically well with it?
Acorn squash only for my family. Butternut squash are rather phallic and triggering, not to mention the problematic "nut" in the name.
modern human rapists probably share a genetic lineage with butternut squashes.
I cut buttercups in half, fill with apples/butter/honey, and roast. I was also filling pumpkins with peaches and blueberries and surrounding it with embers. Fun campfire stuff.
This is my first year ever eating squash....first time growing too.
>>7094641
Homegrow buddy! Was your family wowed by the spread?
>>7093026
The skin is riddled with toxins dont listen to this fool
>>7094706
you trip so hard if yu eat squash skins
Usually make soup out of them.
