by Lynn Greene
There’s a squash for every season
Summer is officially over, and though winter is not here yet (thank goodness), we have moved from harvesting “summer” squash to “winter” squash. These terms refer to two general groups of squash, all easily grown in the home garden. The summer squash varieties include the zucchini, yellow crook neck, patty pan and Benning green tint. All of these, while quite delicious, do not store well.
The winter squash varieties include the rather small acorn all the way up to the huge hubbard. They have tough, hard skins, which, unlike the summer varieties, are not edible. They keep well — wintering them over in a cool basement or root cellar is possible, hence the name. Additional varieties of winter squash include pumpkins, turban, buttercup, butternut, Delicata, and many more.
Summer squash is a fast grower as any owner of a zucchini patch will tell you. Winter squash takes longer to mature — up to three months — and is being harvested now.
Spaghetti squash
Spaghetti squash, which has a golden-yellow oval rind, falls somewhere in between these two groups. If it is nearly white, it is not yet ripe. To prepare spaghetti squash, cut it in half lengthwise and remove the seeds, then bake, flesh side up, until fork tender. You can also wrap the halves in plastic wrap and microwave on high for 10 to 12 minutes. Once cooked, use a fork to rake out and separate the spaghetti-like stringy flesh, which is a pale yellow color with a mild nut-like flavor. Serve with a sauce. Spaghetti sauce made with sausage or ground beef and tomatoes is good, but so too is a clam sauce. Or, just top the squash with olive oil and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Preparing winter squash
While you can store winter squash for a month or so in a cool area, you can also freeze it for later use. I like to prepare it by cooking, then mashing it and adding some butter and sweetener to it. Then I freeze it in Ziplock bags and stack in the freezer. I use this for a vegetable, but also like it for baking in any recipe that calls for canned pumpkin.
To prepare the squash, first wash the whole thing. Then lay it on a towel so it won’t skid around on you and cut it in half. Remove the seeds and any stringy fibers, then bake, steam, or boil the squash. When water is used in cooking, the quantity of water should be kept small to avoid losing flavor and nutrients. You can substitute apple juice or apple cider to enhance the flavor.
Acorn and butternut squash are frequently cut in half, baked, and served in the shell.
Hubbard: The biggest of all
Hubbard is my personal favorite when it comes to winter squash, and, if I had more time, I’d tell you about the pig roast served up with just one squash that fed more than 50 people.
These days, however, growers have taken the fun out of it, coming up with smaller varieties of Hubbard. But this has the advantage of introducing more people to this fine squash. There are green and gray varieties as well, but both have the same dense, dark orange flesh that requires a longer cooking time than other winter squash.
Hubbard squash, if in good condition initially, can be successfully stored for six months at 50 to 55 F with 70 percent relative humidity. A 15 percent loss in weight from shrinkage during this length of time is average. Less rot will develop in the Hubbard if stems are completely removed before storage.
One other caveat for storing squash is not placing them near apples, which release ethylene gas. This causes fruits and vegetables nearby to ripen and deteriorate faster.
Stuffed acorn squash
Serves 2-4
1 acorn squash
2 apples, unpeeled, diced
1/4 cup diced celery
2 Tbsp. butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup fresh cubed bread
1/4 cup apple cider or water
Cut squash in half. Scoop out seeds. Place cut side up on baking sheet. Combine remaining ingredients and scoop into the two halves of squash. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and bake for about 45 minutes in 375°F oven until tender.
Lynn Greene is senior editor for Community Shoppers Inc., which publishes the Stateline News. Contact her at lgreene@communityshoppers.com. |
