Winter squash
Is it just squash that's grown in the frigid months?
I had just turned on my computer and was scrolling through Facebook as I wondered what I should write about this week when a beautiful shot of winter squashes magically appeared, posted by the Napa Farmers Market. Sure, that could have been a lucky coincidence but I viewed it more as a pretty direct message from San Pasqual, the Patron Saint of kitchens and cooking: start typing about winter squash.
But, how is winter squash different from butternut squash? Basically, there are two types of squashes: Winter squash is actually a warm weather crop but can be stored through the winter. They tend to have hard, thick skin and it includes butternut (yes, it was a trick question) pumpkin, acorn, and spaghetti squash. Summer squash, also grown during the warm months, is soft-skinned and doesn’t store for very long: this includes zucchini, pattypan and crookneck.
While many place squash in the vegetable bin, remember an earlier column where we discussed how, botanically speaking, a fruit is a seed-bearing structure that develops from the ovary of a flowering plant? This is how a scientist describes a squash, so you can see why they will not be featured in the next “The Bachelor.”
Squash is one of the oldest known crops, cultivated at least 10,000 years ago by some estimates of sites in Mexico. Because of their hard skins, the thinking goes, winter squashes served as containers. The seeds and flesh later became an important part of the pre-Columbian Indian diet in both South and North America. Today, hundreds of types of squashes are cultivated around the world.
These are just a few examples of good winter squash eating.
Butternut Squash Soup
Serves 4
Fall feels like the perfect time to enjoy winter squash soup. This is a basic recipe that you can use to craft any delicious soup; just replace the squash with almost any vegetable or fruit.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium butternut squash (about 3 pounds), peeled and cubed
4 cups chicken broth
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
To finish: heavy whipping cream and sage leaves that have been crisped by sautéing them in butter.
In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir until tender. Add garlic; cook one minute longer.
Stir in squash, broth, salt and ginger; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 10-15 minutes or until squash is tender. Puree soup using an immersion blender (That’s the easiest way or let cool and puree soup in batches in a blender, then return to pan). Add cream; cook and stir until heated through (Dairy products with higher fat content, such as whipping cream and heavy cream, are less prone to curdling. Restaurants use heavy cream for making soups because, unlike milk, it can be boiled without curdling). If desired, top with additional heavy whipping cream and crispy sage.
Risotto with Roasted Winter Squash
Serves 4 to 6
Adapted from Martha Rose Shulman’s recipe in The New York Times
I enjoy the richness of risotto in the fall and winter and the addition of winter squash transforms this rice dish into a true autumn treat.
Ingredients
1 pound winter squash (about 1/2 of a good-size squash such as butternut, banana or hubbard) peeled, seeded and cut in 1/2 inch dice
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
7 to 8 cups chicken stock, as needed
1 small or 1/2 medium yellow onion
2 large garlic cloves, minced or pressed
Kosher salt to taste
1 ½ cups Arborio, or Carnaroli rice if you have it on hand
½ cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
1 to 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1/4 to 1/2 cup), or more to taste
3 to 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Cover a baking sheet with foil. Toss the squash with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and spread on the baking sheet in an even layer. Place in the oven and roast for 30 to 40 minutes, (start stirring the last 10 minutes so it doesn’t burn), until tender and caramelized. Remove from the heat.
Bring the stock to a simmer in a saucepan next to where your saucepan will be.
Heat the remaining oil over medium heat in a large, heavy nonstick frying pan or a wide saucepan and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until the onion begins to soften, about 3 minutes, and add one third of the squash, the garlic, and about 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring, until the onion is tender and the garlic fragrant, about 1 minute, and add the rice. Cook, stirring, until the grains of rice are separate.
Stir in the wine and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. The wine should bubble, but not too quickly. When the wine has just about evaporated, stir in a ladleful or two of the simmering stock, enough to just cover the rice and squash. The stock should bubble slowly. Cook, stirring often, until it is just about absorbed. Add the sage and another ladleful of the stock, and continue to cook in this fashion, not too fast and not too slowly, adding more stock when the rice is almost dry, for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the rice is cooked al dente. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Add the remaining roasted squash and another 1/2 cup of stock to the rice. Stir in the Parmesan and parsley, and immediately remove from the heat. Add freshly ground pepper, taste one last time and adjust salt. The rice should be creamy. Serve at once.
Pumpkin-Ricotta Stuffed Shells
Serves 8
Stuff pasta shells is an easy way to feed a lot of people and it looks elegant on a pool of roasted tomato sauce.
Ingredients
24 jumbo pasta shells
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
22 oz. fat-free ricotta
1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree
2 1/2 oz. Pecorino Romano
1 large egg white
2 clove garlic
1 cup fresh basil
1 tbsp. finely chopped fresh sage
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Freshly ground pepper
3 cups store-bought tomato sauce or your own
Cook pasta shells according to package instructions; drain. Transfer to a baking sheet and drizzle with oil. Set aside and let cool.