Winter Squash, From Decoration to Dinner

posted October 14, 2007
  by Amy Powell, Real Meals In Minutes

Last week Thad Starr of Pleasant Hill, Oregon, introduced his prize pumpkin to the world, a pumpkin worth 1500 pies. Weighing in at 1,524 lbs, Starr’s pumpkin took home top prize at the Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin festival and over $9,000 in prize money. Although there was no word as to the possible kitchen table fate of the enormous pumpkin, its sheer size was food for thought on what to do when one’s autumnal decoration comes home for dinner.

Unlike their sister vegetable the summer squash, which is harvested and consumed while the skin is thin, winter squash such as pumpkins are left to mature on the vine. The name “winter squash” has nothing to do with its growing time as it is grown during warm months, the same as summer squash. The difference is that it is harvested during September and October, once the skin has had time to harden and the seeds inside have reached maturity.

Although they are harvested during the fall, what makes a winter squash a winter squash is that after being plucked from the vine, they continue to ripen for another 2 to 4 weeks, really reaching their peak in the range of 1-3 months. Storing the squash in a single layer in a cool, dry area, a properly cared for squash can continue to be consumed well into the cold winter months.

Aside from the pumpkin, the harbinger of fall, there are several other winter squash varieties to be enjoyed for consumption as well as for an autumnal decoration. Spaghetti squash with its noodle-like interior is often used as a low-carb, low-cal alternative to its starchy namesake. Acorn squash, named for the nut it resembles, is the perfect size to be a natural serving dish for a soup made from its interior. Butternut squash is almost as common these days as pumpkin, its sweet flesh turning up as a filling for ravioli, a base for a cream soup or baked as a side.

A lesser known winter squash, the kabocha, or Japanese pumpkin, is distinctly green in color but a sister nonetheless to both butternut and pumpkin in flavor or texture. The kabocha has been turning up on more restaurant menus these days, and certain chef acquaintances of mine swear that it makes a better butternut squash or pumpkin ravioli filling than the original.

No matter the winter squash one decides to work with, making it work for your kitchen in a timely fashion requires some concentration and a little elbow grease. Yes, it is always lovely to have the caramelized sweetness of a slow roasted squash before it goes on to become part of the recipe. But lacking the hour needed to bake squash to that point, there are alternatives.

Using a heavy duty chefs knife to work with, cut the squash of choice down the center (use this technique for butternut, sugar pumpkins, and kabocha). Scrape out the seeds and discard. Lay each half cut side down and slice lengthwise into 1 inch wide strips. Using a smaller, thinner knife such as a good paring or boning knife, work around the edges of each slice to trim off hard skin and discard. Cut remaining flesh into 1 inch long pieces to get rough cubes 1 inch by 1 inch. From here the squash can be simmered for soup or pan sautéed for an interesting salad or side, all in about the time it would take to carve a Jack O’ Lantern.

It is unlikely Thad Starr’s pumpkin will find its way to the dinner table either as a pie or as a centerpiece, but chances are that both he and many others will find a gourd or two around the house this fall. Whether that winter squash starts out as a Halloween decoration or becomes part of an autumnal cornucopia, give it a month--or three--and it can find new life at the tip of one’s chef’s knife, the bottom of a sauté pan, and back to the table, this time as something you can take in with your eyes and your mouth.

Autumn Salad with Sauteed Kabocha, Candied Walnuts and Toasted Goat Cheese Recipe
http://www.cdkitchen.com/


Serves/Makes: 4
Ready in: < 30 minutes

* 1 medium kabocha squash (or butternut)
* 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
* 4 ounces goat cheese
* 1/3 cup plain breadcrumbs
* 1 tablespoon herbs de provence
* 1/2 cup walnuts
* 1 tablespoon butter
* 2 tablespoons brown sugar
* 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
* 6 tablespoons olive oil
* Salt and pepper
* 8 cups Mixed salad greens

Preheat broiler. Line a baking sheet with foil.

Prepare squash. First cut in half with a chef's knife and scoop out seeds, discard. Placing cut side down, slice each half into strips 1 inch wide. Using a smaller, thinner knife, trim thick skin from squash and discard. Cut each slice into 1 inch long pieces to get irregular shapes about 1 inch by 1 inch.

Heat vegetable oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add squash along with a pinch of salt and some cracks of pepper. Saute tossing occasionally for about 10 minutes until tender and cooked through.

Meanwhile slice goat cheese log into 8 equal rounds. In a shallow plate mix breadcrumbs and herbs de provence. Carefully dip each round of goat cheese in the breadcrumbs to coat on both sides. Place on the foil covered baking sheet. Repeat with each round. Place sheet under broiler for about 10 minutes until cheese has slightly browned around edges. Remove from oven and let cool. Heat a large saute pan over medium high heat. Add walnuts and toast for about 3 minutes until fragrant. Add butter to pan, tossing to coat walnuts. Remove from heat to a small bowl. Sprinkle with brown sugar, cayenne, and 1/4 tsp salt. Stir to thoroughly coat.

In another small bowl, whisk together red wine vinegar with olive oil, a couple of cracks of pepper and a couple pinches of salt. Clean salad greens and toss with dressing. Arrange lettuce on each plate topping with kabocha squash, two rounds of goat cheese per plate, and a couple tablespoons of walnuts.

©2008 CDKitchen, Inc. No reproduction of this article may be made without express permission from CDKitchen, Inc.

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