September 17, 2010

Recipe: Yay for Squash

Left to right: Sweet Dumpling, Delicata, Golden Acorn

It's not technically Fall yet, but the telltale signs of the autumn season are popping up in stores (ie: Halloween and Thanksgiving decorations). While shopping at Publix last night I was drawn to the display of winter squash varieties. These types of squash always seemed more decorative to me, often used in Fall cornucopia arrangements, so I'd usually just pass them by. I'm a fan of butternut, acorn, and spaghetti squashes, but never really ventured into any of the other types... until now.

There were at least eight varieties available, each about .99 cents a pound. I couldn't resist picking up a few new ones to try. I was particularly excited to see the Delicata squash since I recently found a recipe using that kind (posted below). I'm guessing that the Sweet Dumpling will be similar in taste to the green acorn squash. And I read that the Golden Acorn is slightly sweeter than it's green sister.

One of the simplest ways to make squash (I'm talking specifically about acorn here) is to slice it, remove the seeds, drizzle with a little olive oil, sprinkle some coarse salt, and roast it in the oven for about 40 minutes at 450 degrees. The skin gets really soft, too, making the whole squash edible (except for the stem).

Now that I have a Delicata squash I plan to try this recipe from the Eat Well cookbook by Williams-Sonoma.


Warm Spinach Salad with Delicata Squash & Ricotta Salata

1 ½ lb. Delicata squash (or butternut)
4 tbsp. olive oil 
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tbsp. red wine vinegar 
8 oz. baby spinach leaves 
4 oz. crumbled ricotta salata or feta cheese
½ cup toasted sliced almonds 

Preheat oven to 400˚F. Rinse and dry squash. Halve squash lengthwise and remove seeds, then cut crosswise into half moons ½ inch thick. In a 12-by-17-inch baking pan, toss squash with 1 tbsp. olive oil, ¼ tsp. salt, and a few grindings of pepper. Bake until squash is tender, about 20 minutes.

In a large bowl, mix vinegar and ¼ tsp. salt. Add squash, spinach, cheese, and almonds. Heat remaining 3 tbsp. oil in a small frying pan over medium-high heat. Carefully pour over salad (oil may splatter) and toss to coat and wilt spinach evenly. Serve at once. 

Serves 4



1 comment:

  1. I too discovered delicata squash around Thanksgiving time last year at my local Wegmans supermarket. Side note - Wegmans is the MOST FANTASTIC full-scale supermarket you'll ever experience and we'll be taking you there when you come to visit :).

    Anyway, Wegmans was sampling their Roasted Cauliflower & Delicata Squash recipe and it was so good, I ended up including on our Thanksgiving Day menu.

    Here's the recipe:

    Roasted Cauliflower & Delicata Squash

    1 head cauliflower, cored
    1 small red onion, peeled, 1 1/2-inch dice
    1 pkg (20 oz) Cleaned & Cut Delicata Squash
    1/4 cup Wegmans Basting Oil (basting oil is just olive oil flavored with herbs, you can substitute just plain olive oil)
    1 pkg (6 oz) Fresh Baby Spinach
    Sea Salt and cracked black pepper to taste

    Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

    1. Cut cauliflower to be about the same size as squash for even cooking.

    2. Toss cauliflower, onion, and squash with basting oil. Arrange in single layer on baking sheet. Roast on center rack 30 min, or until tender.

    3. Add spinach to large bowl; add hot cauliflower-squash mixture. Toss to wilt spinach. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

    Chef Tip(s):
    To prepare ahead: Prepare through the end of step 2. Cool slightly, transfer to a separate container and refrigerate. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place on baking sheet and reheat 15-20 min. Continue with step 3.

    SERVES 8 -12
    ACTIVE TIME: 10 min
    TOTAL TIME: 40 min

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