Winter Squash For Days
10 GOURD-geous ways to revel in them while you can
Issue 61: From Dana
Some people go to a pumpkin patch to get into the Halloween spirit and to soak up all the cozy fall vibes: the quest for the perfect jack–o-lantern, running through corn mazes, sipping apple cider on a hayride.
I go to a place like this and what I really get excited about is dinner.
Don’t get me wrong; I love nothing more than a fun day at the pumpkin patch, but when it comes time to shop from those overflowing farm stand bins, I know the squash and gourds are so much more than decoration for your front stoop or porch. In the whole vegetable world, is there any species more diverse, with so many colors, sizes, and lumpy, bumpy, bizarro shapes, not to mention flavors and textures?
From the usuals like butternut, acorn and spaghetti squash to more heirlooms like tiny carnival, white Cinderella, big blue Hubbards, and oval delicata, the variety of squashes offer so much potential to us cooks, for so little money and effort. (For a deep dive into the subject, check out Amy Goldman’s classic and beautiful book, The Compleat Squash.)
Each year, my son and I fill the back of our truck with bags full of them and unload dozens into our kitchen where they sit, looking pretty and offering inspo for meals, for many months. Sometimes I just cut them in half, scoop out the seeds, maybe add a drizzle of maple syrup or a bit of apple cider (or both) and cook them at 400º F covered with foil until they’re soft and squishy; other times, I slice them thin or cube them, toss them with oil and some warm spices or herbs like sage or rosemary, and roast them until they’re charred around the edges. I can rarely be bothered to peel off the skins: why add extra work? (Plus, they’re edible!)
I often will roast a sheet pan full of squash so I have it on hand for eating cold or reheating. Here are some of the squashy meals that are go-tos for me this time of year and through the winter, until the last of them are gone.
Pasta: Toss cooked short pasta (like rigatoni or orecchiette) with cubed and roasted squash (any variety), goat cheese and sauteed kale or chard. Top with toasted bread crumbs and lots of Parmesan. Squash is a beautiful partner for cream sauces like bechamel: at The Dynamite Shop, we layer it in lasagna with bechamel, kale and pesto.
Salad: Thinly sliced and roasted delicata or carnival squash tossed with arugula, sliced red onion, toasted pepitas and feta is a great dinner or side salad. I love a sweet-tart dressing, infused with pomegranate molasses or honey and balsamic.
Grain Bowls: Winter squash add heft, color and flavor to healthy bowls with grains like quinoa or bulgur. I usually add chopped hard boiled eggs, cooked greens, toasted nuts, and whatever dressing I have on hand.
Soup: Cubed roasted squash goes into most of my winter vegetable soups, like minestrone drizzled with our any-herb pesto, but I also love to combine peeled, roasted squash with stock in the blender for a pureed soup (also drizzled with that same pesto).
Sheet Pan Dinners: Whether I’m cooking a spatchcock chicken, pork loin or country ribs, it often goes on a bed of sliced squash tossed with onions, Brussels sprouts, and spices and herbs like smoked paprika and cumin, or sage and rosemary. Oftentimes I’ll add chopped apples or quartered oranges to the sheet pan before roasting and always I shower with fresh chopped herbs, like parsley, before serving.
Risotto: I turn my go-to caramelized onion risotto into a fall version by swapping out zucchini or summer squash for cubed roasted winter squash. With lots of sage and Parmesan, this is one of my son’s favorite meals – and when there’s leftovers, we make arancini rice balls the next day.
Hasselbacks: Give butternut squash the hasselback treatment by cutting it in half, scooping out the seeds, setting it cut side down and slicing it 3/4 of the way down every 1/4 inch, then slathering it all over with pesto or a compound butter made with garlic, sage and Parmesan. Roast it until soft and golden on top.
Enchiladas: In my opinion, one of the best flavor pairings with sweet, roasted winter squash is chipotle. I fill enchiladas (and sometimes, quesadillas or burritos) with a mix of sauteed onions, black beans, cumin, chili powder and chipotle in adobo – and lots of cheese.
Hash: Winter squash stands in for potatoes in a breakfast hash with onions and red peppers. Saute it all until cooked through and browned around the edges and top with a fried or poached egg.
Stuffed: Those mini carnivals and acorns are a perfect vessel for fillings like rice pilafs with mushrooms and other vegetables, topped with breadcrumbs and cheese.
