On a chilly autumn evening, winter squash makes a rich-tasting, deeply satisfying meal. Unlike summer squash, the winter varieties are thick skinned and can be stored for many months. Like a fine wine, the larger, late-winter varieties actually improve with age.
Not all winter squash are created equal, however. From late September until about Thanksgiving, the early winter varieties such as acorn, sugar loaf, and delicata are in their prime. After that, and practically until spring, you can enjoy the deep-winter varieties, the butternut, hubbard, and kabocha. Be sure and stock up now gather what you can from a backyard garden or farmer’s market. Enjoy the early varieties first and then move on to the others as the winter progresses. When you taste that steaming butternut in December, you’ll be glad you did.
The delicata squash is actually an heirloom variety, a fairly recent reentry into the culinary world. It was originally introduced by the Peter Henderson Company of New York City in 1894, and was popular through the 1920s. Then it fell into obscurity for about seventy-five years, possibly because of its thinner, more tender skin, which isn’t suited to transportation over thousands of miles and storage over months. Like other heirloom varieties, it is valued for its taste, not its transportability.
Sugar loaf is a more modern variety, but it is actually just a rounded strain of delicata. Both have beautiful ivory skin striped with dark green, with the delicata being more elongated. The moist, creamy flesh tastes and smells like a delicious blend of corn, butternut squash, and sweet potato. These squash have a small cavity, so although they may appear on the stingy side, they yield a generous amount of pulp. Perhaps another reason for the delicata’s resurgence in popularity is that when it is cut in half lengthwise it makes two perfect single portions.
Acorn squash is an old favorite, and it’s still the most prevalent of the winter squashes. In addition to the dark green acorn, there are now golden and multicolored varieties. Among the colorful varieties, decked out in orange, yellow, and green, are the carnival and festival squash. These are often categorized with acorn, but are in fact a cross between acorn and sweet dumpling, a recent variety developed by the Sakata Seed Company of Japan.
Delicata, sugar loaf, and acorn are all simple to prepare. For the richest flavors, slice lengthwise and bake on a lightly oiled sheet until tender. You can also cut them into chunks and steam or boil them.
Early Winter Squash Purée
3-4 delicata, sugar loaf, or acorn squash (about 2 pounds), halved and seeded
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
freshly grated nutmeg to taste
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1. Sprinkle the cavities of the squash halves with salt and arrange the squash, inverted, in one layer in a buttered baking dish.
2. Bake, covered with foil, in a preheated 375 degree F. oven, for about forty-five minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork.
3. Let cool. Scoop out the pulp, and purée it in a food processor with the butter. If necessary, transfer the purée to a saucepan and simmer to evaporate any excess liquid. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
Delicata Squash with Rosemary, Sage, and Cider Glaze
(Adapted from The Herbfarm Cookbook by Jerry Traunfeld, Scribner, 2000)
2 medium delicata or other winter squash such as kabocha (about 2 pounds)
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup very coarsely chopped fresh sage
1 Tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh rosemary
11/2 cups fresh unfiltered apple cider or juice
1 cup water
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1. If using delicata squash, peel it with a vegetable peeler, cut it lengthwise in half, and scrape out the seeds with a spoon. (Kabocha do not need to be peeled.) Cut each piece lengthwise in half again, then crosswise into half-inch-thick slices.
2. Melt the butter in a large (twelve-inch) skillet over low heat. Add the sage and rosemary and cook, stirring, until the butter just begins to turn golden brown, three to five minutes. Do not brown the herbs. Cooking the herbs in butter mellows their flavor and improves their texture.
3. Add the squash to the skillet, then the apple cider, water, vinegar, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat at an even boil until the cider has boiled down to a glaze and the squash is tender, about twenty to thirty minutes. Season with pepper and additional salt if needed. Makes six servings.
Autumn Minestrone with Squash and Kale
2 Tablespoons canola oil
1 cup chopped onions
3 garlic cloves, minced
21/2 cups peeled and cubed acorn, delicata, or sugar loaf squash
1 cup diced carrots
2 cups cubed potatoes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 cups water
4 cups chopped kale
11/2 cups cooked cannellini beans (optional)
1. Warm the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic, and sauté for five minutes.
2. Add the squash, carrots, potatoes, oregano, salt, pepper, and water. Cook for ten minutes or until the potatoes are almost done.
3. Add the kale and beans and simmer for another five to seven minutes, until the kale is tender and the beans are hot.
Squash with Mushroom
and Cranberry Stuffing
1 acorn or delicata squash, halved and seeded
1/2 cup dried cranberries or currants
1/4 cup hot water
4 Tablespoons butter
4 ounces fresh mushrooms (such as shiitake), stemmed, chopped
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 cup fresh whole wheat breadcrumbs
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place the squash cut side down in an eight-inch- square baking dish. Bake until tender. Season the cavities with salt and pepper.
2. Combine the dried cranberries or currants and hot water in a small bowl.
3. Melt three tablespoons of the butter in a heavy medium skillet. Add mushrooms, onion, and sage and sauté until soft, about five minutes. Add the breadcrumbs and stir until they brown lightly, about three minutes.
4. Mix in cranberries with soaking liquid. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Mound the stuffing into squash halves. Dot with remaining one tablespoon of butter. Bake until heated through and crisp on top, about ten minutes. Makes two servings.
Curried Squash
2 1/2 pounds acorn squash
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 1/2 Tablespoons corn or safflower oil
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon packed light brown sugar
2 cups water
3 Tablespoons unsweetened dried coconut
1. Peel and seed the squash and cut it into 1 1/2-inch pieces.
2. Heat a four-quart heavy kettle over medium-low heat. Add oil and onions and cook until the onions are softened.
3. Add mustard seeds and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until they begin to pop, about thirty seconds. Add garlic, cumin, coriander seeds, turmeric, salt, and brown sugar and cook, stirring, for thirty seconds.
4. Add squash, stirring to coat with seasoning, and add water. Boil mixture over moderately high heat, stirring frequently, ten minutes. Add coconut and salt to taste. Cook, stirring, until squash is just tender and liquid is evaporated, about five minutes. Makes four servings.
Baked Squash with Orange, Garlic, and Parsley
1/2 cup Italian parsley
2 two by one-half-inch strips orange peel (orange part only)
2 garlic cloves
2 small acorn or 1 large butternut squash, seeded, cut into one-inch slices
2 teaspoons olive oil
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Finely chop the parsley, orange peel, and garlic together.
2. Arrange the squash in a thirteen by nine by two-inch glass baking dish. Drizzle oil over the squash. Sprinkle with the parsley mixture, salt, and pepper.
3. Cover with foil. Bake squash until tender, about forty-five minutes. Makes four servings.
Winter Squash Soup with Ginger
3 Tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 1/2 cups chopped onions
8 cups (about 3 pounds) peeled winter squash, cut into one-inch pieces
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
4 1/2 cups (or more) canned low-salt chicken broth
2 tablespoons tomato purée
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 Tablespoon cumin seeds
1 Tablespoon mustard seeds
1. Heat three tablespoons of the oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add onions; sauté until light golden, about eight minutes. Add squash and ginger; sauté 5 minutes.
2. Add 4 1/2 cups of broth. Simmer until the squash is very tender, about thirty-five minutes.
3. Working in batches, purée the squash in a blender. Return the mixture to the pot.
4. Add tomato purée and cayenne. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer ten minutes to blend the flavors; add more broth if the soup is too thick.
5. Heat the remaining teaspoon of oil in small skillet over medium heat. Add cumin and mustard seeds and stir until fragrant, about two minutes. Ladle the soup into bowls. Top with the seed mixture and serve. Makes six servings.
Terra Brockman is the director of The Land Connection Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving farmland and promoting small-scale, diversified, organic agriculture in Illinois. Visit www.thelandconnection.org or call 309-965-2407 to learn how to get involved.