Info – Winter Squash

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

The shell for each type of squash has a distinct shape and color, but the
meat inside is similar enough to be used interchangeably in recipes.  The
flesh of winter squash is firmer than that of summer squash (such as
zucchini), so it takes longer to cook.  You can roast plain squash
along-side meat in your oven or steam or micro-cook squash halves and add a
simple sauce.
Some of the more common winter squash varieties are listed below.  Look for
squash that is heavy for its size and brightly colored for the variety.
Avoid squash with dull or shriveled skin, soft spots, bruises, cracks, or
uncharacteristic discoloration.  Store winter squash for up to 10 days in a
cool, dry place.
Bake, Steam or Micro-cook: Wash, halve and remove seeds from one 1 - 1 1/2
lb winter squash.   Bake, micro-cook, or steam as directed. One pound of
unpeeled, uncooked squash equals about 2 C of cooked pulp, enough for 4
servings.
To Bake: Place squash halves, cut side down, in a baking dish. Bake in a
350 deg F oven for 30 minutes. Turn cut side up. Bake, covered, for 25
minutes more or till tender.
To Micro-cook: Prick squash skin. Place halves, cut side down, in a baking
dish with 2 T water. Micro-cook, covered, on 100% power for 6 - 12 minutes
or till tender, rearranging once.
To Steam: Cut peeled squash into chunks. Place in a steamer basket in a
Dutch oven. Cover and steam over boiling water for 10 - 15 minutes or till
tender.
Sauce that Squash: Orange-Glazed Squash: In a small saucepan melt 1 T
lowfat margarine.  Stir together 1 T brown sugar, 1 tsp cornstarch, 1/4 tsp
finely shredded orange peel and 1/3 C orange juice. Stir into melted lowfat
margarine.  Cook and stir till thickened. Cook and stir 2 minutes more.
Serve over squash.
Caramelized Squash:  In a saucepan stir together 3 T brown sugar, 1 T
lowfat margarine, 2 tsp water, and a dash ground cinnamon. Cook and stir
till bubbly. Serve over squash.
Acorn: Shaped like an acorn, this squash has a deeply grooved shell. The
skin may be deep green, gold or white. The sweet flesh is orange to
off-white, slightly dry, and fibrous.
Australian Blue: Named for its bluish-green hard shell, the Aussie is big
and square.  Its flesh is deep orange and sweet.
Banana: Some say this cylindrical yellow or ivory squash resembles a
banana.  It is so large that it is usually sold in pieces. The meat is
golden, hearty, and slightly dry.
Buttercup: Sweet, pale-yellow meat gives this squash its name. The shell,
deep green with gray stripes, has a flat bottom and a round cap on top.
Butternut: This is a long, tan, smooth-skinned squash with a bulbous end.
Its deep orange meat has a sweet, nutty flavor and a rich and creamy
texture.
Carnival: A cross between a sweet dumpling squash and a green table queen
squash, carnival squash has orange flesh and a sweet flavor.
Delicata: This long, slender squash with a bumpy skin resembles a cucumber,
except its shell is pale yellow or orange with streaks of green or orange.
Its yellow meat has a milk, cornlike flavor.
Golden Nugget: Often confused with the mini pumpkin, this small orange
pumpkin like squash has a slightly sweet flavor.
Hubbard: This large, irregularly shaped squash has a gray, green, or golden
shell and orange meat that is rich in flavor.
Jack-Be-Little: These miniature pumpkins have mildly sweet orange meat.
Kabocha: Imported from Japan, this variety has a pumpkin-like shape and a
pale green-gray or orange shell. Its golden flesh tastes rich and smooth.
Turban: The small knobs on top give this round, flat-bottomed squash its
name.  The shell is usually bright orange with green or white streaks. The
meat is orange, sweet, and rich in flavor.
Sweet Dumpling: Shaped like a flat pumpkin with a streaked white and green
shell, this midget-sized squash has sweet, yellowish-orange flesh inside.
Table Queen: It looks like acorn squash, but this variety may have deep
golden or dark green skin. The yellow flesh is sweet and rich tasting.
Recipe By     : BH & G, 11/95, pg 230
Posted to Digest eat-lf.v096.n216
Date: Mon, 11 Nov 1996 16:52:31 -0800
From: Reggie Dwork <reggie@reggie.com>

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“We simply prepare ourselves. God fills us.”