If Dr. Seuss designed a food, I’m sure it would have been what we know as Winter Squash. From dull and stolid looking to wildly shaped and brightly colored, winter squash run the gamut. Like Dr. Seuss books, winter squash also yield a treat when you open them, a warm-colored flesh and a mellow flavor–sometimes mild and nutty, sometimes sweet. They also mix well with other vegetables, carry flavors, and act as a foil for more pronounced flavors. I have to admit to liking them just for their brightly colored shells. I leave them out on the counter much as some people leave out flowers, and a large pile of colorful and weirdly shaped pumpkins at the market never fails to cheer me up.
When working with these squash,
do not think of explosions of flavor. Rather, think depth and subtlety. I choose garnishes to either complement or counterpoint the flavors. For example, I might complement a puree of Kabocha squash, which has a fairly distinct nutty flavor, by adding chestnuts. For a pumpkin soup, which could be quite mild, I might use ginger, sherry, and a frizzle of fried leeks, or curry powder and a scattering of chopped cashews.
I also choose cooking methods based on the squash and what I want from it. Roasting or baking tends to bring out the sweetness of the squash, the “bottom notes”, while wet methods of cooking such as steaming or stewing bring out the more pronounced “squash” ness, the slightly bitter flavors and the vegetable quality to the taste, or “top notes”. Some squash, such as the Kabocha squash are fairly dry, and wet methods work well with them. Wet squash like Spaghetti I feel benefit most from dry cooking methods at first to develop their flavor to its fullest. Even when making soups, where the squash is cooked in the pan in liquid, you can still roast some of the squash before adding it to the pan. Winter squash is sturdy enough to be sautéed as well, and if you it cut small enough it will cook fast enough to retain its shape. Some squashes lend themselves to being microwaved better than others, and you will have to play with your food to find out which is which.
About that skin… The shells of winter squash vary from almost knife proof to edible. In my house, they all get peeled because that’s the way the kids will eat them. The Japanese squash- Kabocha, Green and Orange Hokkaido (By the way, the word “Kabocha” in Japanese means pumpkin or winter squash) all have peels that can be eaten. A traditional method is to use a swivel peeler to take away large strips, leaving a little of the shell for color interest. This squash is traditionally simmered in a little sake, sugar and soy to make a glaze for it. Delicata, Sweet Dumpling, and Acorn are squash that have edible skins.
Cutting and peeling your winter squash may seem intimidating, but you can do it! You may need to venture outside the kitchen to the workbench for the appropriate tool/s for the job. A rubber mallet, utility knife and screwdriver may be useful, along with a cleaver or a knife with a thick spine. To remove the stem, use the back of the knife, the cleaver, or the mallet to knock it loose. Before cutting the squash, first determine if the skin is slick enough to warrant putting a towel or something under it to keep it from skittering away as you cut it. Sometimes, I score the squash deeply with a utility knife to form a “track” for my knife to follow. Use your thick knife or your cleaver to cut the squash. If you need to use a mallet, use a rubber one or pad the blade. Tap the mallet at the point where the blade and handle meet–DO NOT bang away as on a forge, as that can damage your knife. If you do not have a mallet, lift the squash a little and thump i
t on the cutting surface to try to drive the knife through. If you need to pull the knife from the squash because it seems stuck, be REALLY careful! This is where accidents could happen. I have scored the squash, then driven screwdrivers and/or a chisel into the score and popped the squash open. It wasn’t a perfect cut, but-hey-it did the job! For peeling, use a sturdy swivel peeler for real hard skinned chunks. For butternut, I cut off the ends, then the bulbous part, and then stand it on end. I use a thin bladed, very sharp, paring knife to slice away the skin from top to bottom. You can do this with round squash you have halved. You are frequently better off just roasting the squash skin on, then peeling it when done. Try to always peel away from you, and try to place the piece you are working on on a firm steady surface.
Use a melon-baller, ice cream scoop, or sturdy handled spoon to scoop seeds. Save those seed… The larger seeds from the big squash and pumpkins are quite edible. I like to roast them, but they can be dried and eaten raw as well. Scrape them out of the squash and into a colander. Run water over them, loosening the clinging fibers and rinsing them away. Allow to dry a couple days for eating raw, or as soon as they are reasonably dry, toss with a little oil, salt and pepper and garlic powder, and roast at 350° until golden and crunchy. Pumpkin seed are high in essential fatty acids and are 29% protein.
Once you have cut your squash into big chunks and cleaned out the seeds, follow the recipe for Basic Roasted Winter Squash to get started on your meal. For other winter squash recipes, click here. If you are not ready to use your winter squash right away, don’t panic. They last quite a long time on the counter, and will cheer you up throughout the fall and winter with their Seussian goofiness.
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