Winter Squash: Very Versatile!
Bon Appetit magazine has been teaching Americans how to cook since 1956.
To celebrate the magazine's 50th anniversary, editors have compiled their favorite recipes into "The Bon Appetit Cookbook."
Dede Wilson, a contributing editor at Bon Appetit, stopped by The Early Show Friday in the last part of the weeklong "Culinary Inspiration" series to share all you need to know about one very versatile vegetable: winter squash.
Its season is peaking now, and there are numerous kinds.
Butternut, acorn, buttercup, hubbard, delicato, calabasa — these are all different types of winter squash in markets now.
But it's not winter, so why are these called "winter" squash?
Winter squash is grown and harvested before the first frost of the season, but all types have a hard, thick outer rind that protects their flesh and enables them to be stored for long periods of time, even throughout winter.
One storage tip: Keep them at a cool temperature of about 50 degrees, and don't stack them on top of each other, because that encourages rot.
BUTTERNUT SQUASH
This is one of the most popular winter squashes. It appears in tons of recipes and can be found in almost any grocery store. When buying butternut, choose one with the thickest possible neck and the smallest round base. This will wind up giving you the most edible flesh, because all of the seeds live in the rounded portion. The bigger the round base, the more seeds it contains and, thus, less flesh.
Steer clear of butternut squash that are pale or have a greenish tinge. The darker the color, the riper the squash and sweeter the flesh.
If you don't want the hassle of buying and peeling a whole squash, many stores now carry peeled halves or chunks in the produce department. They come wrapped in plastic wrap; look through the plastic and make sure the flesh is very dry, with no indication of mushiness. Also keep in mind that once cut, the squash's shelf-life is short. You can also buy cooked squash in the frozen foods aisle.
ACORN SQUASH
This is another popular winter squash. The most common acorn squash is dark green with a blush of orange on the side. The darker the orange in this area, the riper the squash.
Recipes often call for scooping out the insides of this squash, filling it with a stuffing and baking in the oven. Wilson suggests a different preparation: squash rings with a honey-soy glaze. You cut the small squash into rings and bake in the oven until soft. You then brush with a glaze of honey, soy sauce, ginger and garlic, and place back in the oven until glazed.
SPAGHETTI SQUASH
Wilson says this squash is a lot of fun to prepare and is often overlooked. Just as the name suggests, the squash's flesh can be roasted and then shredded into spaghetti-like strands.
Wilson tells how to make spaghetti squash with sausage filling. First things first: You have to cut the squash in half, something that can be hard to do, thanks to that darned hard shell. Wilson suggests popping the squash in the microwave just for a minute or two until the shell begins to soften some. Once you've cut the squash in half, you cover each half with plastic wrap and microwave until cooked through, about eight minutes. Scrape out the insides with a fork. Combine the squash strands with a mixture of Italian sausage, peppers, onions and marinara sauce. Spoon the mixture back into the now empty squash shells, cover with Parmesan cheese and heat in the oven. It couldn't be easier!
Squash are considered a complex carbohydrate and high in fiber. So using squash instead of regular spaghetti in this recipe is a healthy choice!
For recipes, go to Page 2.RECIPES
All these recipes can be found at epicurious.com.
SQUASH RINGS WITH HONEY-SOY GLAZE
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
2 1 1/4- to 1 1/2-pound acorn squash
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Line large baking sheet with foil. Spray with nonstick vegetable oil spray. Cut off both ends of each squash. Cut each squash crosswise into 4 rings. Scoop out seeds and discard. Place squash rings in single layer on prepared baking sheet. Cover baking sheet tightly with foil. Bake until squash begins to soften, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk next 5 ingredients in small bowl to blend. Remove foil from squash. Brush half of honey mixture over squash. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake uncovered, 10 minutes. Brush remaining honey mixture over squash; continue to bake until squash is brown, tender and glazed, about 10 minutes.
SPAGHETTI SQUASH WITH SAUSAGE FILLING
1 3 3/4- to 4-pound spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise, seeded
1 pound bulk pork sausage
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups purchased marinara sauce
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Wrap squash halves in plastic wrap. Cook 1 at a time in microwave on high until tender, about 8 minutes. Pierce plastic to allow steam to escape. Cool. Meanwhile, sauté sausage, bell pepper, onion and garlic in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat until sausage browns and vegetables are tender, breaking up sausage with back of spoon, about 12 minutes. Mix in marinara sauce. Using fork, pull out squash strands from shells, leaving shells intact. Mix squash strands into sausage mixture. Season filling to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon filling into squash shells. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover; refrigerate.)
Preheat oven to 400°F. Arrange filled squash halves on baking sheet. Sprinkle each with 1/4 cup Parmesan. Bake uncovered until heated through, about 20 minutes (30 minutes if previously chilled). Cut each squash half in two and serve.
Serves 4.
For more recipes, go to Page 3.WINTER SQUASH SOUP WITH GRUYERE CROUTONS
In France, this soup would be prepared with a baking pumpkin. A mixture of butternut and acorn squashes mimics the French pumpkin's exceptional taste and texture. Pour a lightly chilled rosé with this colorful first course. Either a Rhône Tavel or a Provençal Bandol would be lovely.
Soup
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 large garlic cloves, chopped
3 14 1/2-ounce cans low-salt chicken broth
4 cups 1-inch pieces peeled butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)
4 cups 1-inch pieces peeled acorn squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 1/4 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
1 1/4 teaspoons minced fresh sage
1/4 cup whipping cream
2 teaspoons sugar
Croutons
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
24 1/4-inch-thick baguette bread slices
1 cup grated Gruyère cheese
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1 teaspoon minced fresh sage
For soup:
Melt butter in large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add broth, all squash and herbs; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until squash is very tender, about 20 minutes. Working in batches, puree soup in blender. Return soup to same pot. Stir in cream and sugar; bring to simmer. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill. Rewarm over medium heat before serving.)
For croutons:
Preheat broiler.
Butter 1 side of each bread slice. Arrange bread, buttered side up, on baking sheet. Broil until golden, about 1 minute. Turn over. Sprinkle cheese, then thyme and sage over. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil until cheese melts, about 1 minute.
Ladle soup into bowls. Top each with croutons and serve.
Serves 8.
WILD AND BROWN RICE PILAF WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND DRIED CRANBERRIES
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped peeled carrot
1 tablespoon minced peeled ginger
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 garlic clove, minced
3 cups 1/2-inch cubes peeled seeded butternut squash
1 cup wild rice
1 cup long-grain brown rice
1 Fuji apple, peeled, cored, diced
1 cinnamon stick
3 3/4 cups water
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup dried cranberries
Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and carrot; sauté 5 minutes. Add ginger, curry powder, cumin, and garlic; stir 1 minute. Stir in squash and next 4 ingredients. Add 3 3/4 cups water and salt. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until water is absorbed and rice is tender, about 45 minutes.
Remove from heat. Stir in cranberries. Cover; let stand until cranberries soften, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand uncovered at room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap; rewarm in microwave.)
Makes 8 servings.
BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND MUSHROOM LASAGNA
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups chopped onions
1/2 pound crimini (baby bella) mushrooms, sliced (about 3 cups)
2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 5 1/2 cups)
1 14-ounce can vegetable broth
4 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme, divided
4 tablespoons sliced fresh sage, divided
3 15-ounce containers whole-milk ricotta cheese
4 cups grated mozzarella cheese, divided
2 cups grated Parmesan cheese, divided
4 large eggs
Olive oil
1 9-ounce package no-boil lasagna noodles
Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions; sauté until soft, about 8 minutes. Increase heat to high; add mushrooms and cook until tender, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer mushroom mixture to bowl; set aside. Add squash, broth, 3 tablespoons thyme, and 3 tablespoons sage to same skillet. Cover and simmer over medium heat until squash is just tender, about 6 minutes. Uncover and cook until squash is very soft but still retains shape, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Mix ricotta, 2 cups mozzarella cheese, 1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese, and remaining 1 tablespoon thyme and 1 tablespoon sage in large bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper; mix in eggs. Brush 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass or ceramic baking dish with oil. Spread 1 cup ricotta mixture over bottom. Arrange 3 noodles on top. Spread 1 3/4 cups ricotta mixture over noodles. Arrange 1 1/3 cups squash mixture over. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup mushrooms and 1 cup mozzarella. Top with 3 noodles, then 1 3/4 cups ricotta mixture, half of remaining squash, 1/2 cup mushrooms, and remaining 1 cup mozzarella. Repeat with noodles, 1 3/4 cups ricotta mixture, remaining squash, and remaining mushrooms. Top with 3 noodles. Spread remaining ricotta mixture over; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Cover with oiled foil.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake lasagna, covered, 35 minutes. Uncover; bake until heated through, about 25 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. (The lasagna can be assembled one day ahead and refrigerated.)
Makes 8 servings.