Getting Squashed! HELP!

[Alix]

OK, I had a little oops this year in the garden. I THOUGHT I was planting a spaghetti squash (which I love) but it turns out I planted a freaking BUTTERNUT instead. I have only ever had butternut squash soup and was not a huge fan. What else can I do with these suckers? I tell you the thing is going INSANE. Its got about 20 on it already and another 20 blossoms. I'm in deep deep trouble. I only have so many neighbours that I can dump and run from in the middle of the night.

Anyone use butternut a lot? Can I chunk it up and freeze it? Kebab it? What do you do with it other than soup? Does it take flavours well or is it kinda strong?

 

[kadesma]

OK, I had a little oops this year in the garden. I THOUGHT I was planting a spaghetti squash (which I love) but it turns out I planted a freaking BUTTERNUT instead. I have only ever had butternut squash soup and was not a huge fan. What else can I do with these suckers? I tell you the thing is going INSANE. Its got about 20 on it already and another 20 blossoms. I'm in deep deep trouble. I only have so many neighbours that I can dump and run from in the middle of the night.

Anyone use butternut a lot? Can I chunk it up and freeze it? Kebab it? What do you do with it other than soup? Does it take flavours well or is it kinda strong?

Alix, cut into slices, sprinkle with cinnamon, molasses,salt, pepper, melted butter cover with foil and bake. 375 about an hour don't peek then uncover and enjoy it's good. plain baked with just butter salt and pepper this is a great squash. I'd aldo large dice and bake a little and freeze.
kadesma

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I like mashed butternut, made just like you would do potatoes.

Mom had "Compost" melons one year...some hybrid from watermelons, cantalopes and/or honeydew. They looked odd, but tasted good! They didn't come back the next year.

 

[Claire]

Pierce many times and put on your grill. When it is very dark all around (almost burned), let cool 'til you can handle it. Peel, seed, either mash or slice or dice, butter or olive oil, salt and pepper.

Winter squashes can also be julienned and lightly boiled (blanched? I mean you want the texture to remain intact) then tossed with pasta, olive oil, seasonings, parm.

They can be added to almost any stir fry.

To me, winter squashes in soup should be thoroughly cooked in good stock, then pureed and seasoned. If you're into creamy soups, well add cream. But just chunks in a soup I'm not crazy about.

A friend with more of a sweet tooth than I halved and seeded them, then a sprinkling of brown sugar and cinnamon and baked.

 

[Andy M.]

Butternut is a winter squash so you can harvest and store it whole in your basement to use all winter long.

To me, butternut is the most flavorful of the winter squashes. It has a sweet rich flavor that can be subbed for sweet potato and pumpkin in many recipes.

Roasted and pureed with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon, it's a standard for Thanksgiving dinner.
It can be used to make a squash pie similar to pumpkin pie.
You can use it as a ravioli filling.

 

[LPBeier]

Alix, toss some over here! I will gladly put them to good use. Acorn and butternut are my favourite squash.

Oh, but aim high. I wouldn't want them ending up on the rocky mountains somewhere!

I agree with all of the suggestions here. I make a butternut pasta sauce but if you aren't fond of the soup I think this might not be the right choice either.

 

[LPBeier]

You can use it as a ravioli filling.

Oh, one of my favourites!

 

[Alix]

Those are fantastic ideas! Andy, really? These babies will winter well? I don't have to do anything to them? Just leave them and use them as is?

Love the ravioli filling idea too! Got a recipe?

Claire, I'll try adding some to my next stir fry. Thanks!

PrincessFiona, mashed? Really? Do I need to add anything except butter and salt?

Kadesma, how much molasses? Just a drizzle? That sounds quite good.

OK, I am also NOT a pumpkin pie girl, but my family loves it. I'm willing to try this as a sub, can anyone walk me through the prep? Basically boil til soft, mash, add spices and then do the pumpkin pie thing?

 

[Andy M.]

Those are fantastic ideas! Andy, really? These babies will winter well? I don't have to do anything to them? Just leave them and use them as is?

Love the ravioli filling idea too! Got a recipe?

Claire, I'll try adding some to my next stir fry. Thanks!

PrincessFiona, mashed? Really? Do I need to add anything except butter and salt?

Kadesma, how much molasses? Just a drizzle? That sounds quite good.

OK, I am also NOT a pumpkin pie girl, but my family loves it. I'm willing to try this as a sub, can anyone walk me through the prep? Basically boil til soft, mash, add spices and then do the pumpkin pie thing?

Alix, yes, they will winter like apples or potatoes. Just keep them in a cool dark place.

I don't have a ravioli recipe.

I roast and mash them and add S&P and butter. Yu can also add brown sugar, cinnamon, roasted garlic(!).

I'll post my pumpkin pie recipe, just sub pureed squash.

 

[Andy M.]

PUMPKIN (Butternut Squash) PIE

1 C Sugar
1 Tb Cornstarch
½ tsp Salt, scant
½ tsp Ground Cinnamon
½ tsp Ground Ginger
¼ tsp Nutmeg
1 Can Pumpkin (15 Oz)
2 Eggs, beaten
1½ Tb Butter, melted
⅛ C Molasses
12 Oz Evaporated Milk
1 Dash Lemon Juice
1 Deep-dish Piecrust


Preheat the oven to 450º F.
Sift the sugar, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg together.
Combine the dry mixture with the pumpkin.
Add in the eggs, butter, molasses, milk and lemon juice and combine.
Pour the mixture into the piecrust.
Bake for 15 minutes.
Reduce the temperature to 350º F and bake for another 50 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center of the pie comes out clean.
Cool for 2 hours and serve immediately or refrigerate.

 

[LPBeier]

Alix, this is pretty much how we made the butternut squash ravioli at work, complete with the sauce. However, we did use fresh pasta sheets, not won ton wrappers. You basically only need the filling and the sauce.

I forgot another idea I loved at the catering company - butternut squash and cranberry ravioli. You finely cube and saute the squash at the beginning and add fresh or frozen cranberries at the end. Otherwise normal risotto.

 

[bigdaddy3k]

I use 50/50 with potatoes and mash mash mash!!!

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Yes, just mashed with butter, salt and pepper, add a little cream if desired. I'm not into sweet squash or many sweets for that matter. This was my remedy for eating squash.

 

[kevinlassen]

what i like to do is peel it and cut it in large dice with some sweet potatoes melt butter brown sugar cinn nutmeg clove toss it all together and bake it for 40 min to and hour stiring about every 10 min. you get that carmel built up on it then with about 10 min left in cooking toss in some tart apples to offset the sweetness.. then finish with fresh mint..

 

[Linux]

This recipe belongs to Yottam Ottolenghi who uses 1 Kg butternut squash. It is a superbly tasting meal - memorable.

Baked acorn squash with dukka

A great veg starter, but also a great side dish with roast chicken, lamb or sausages. Serves four as a side dish.


½ tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp coriander seeds
2 tbsp sesame seeds
A handful of hazelnuts, toasted
½ tsp chilli flakes
½ tsp sea salt
1 small handful fresh mint leaves, finely shredded
1kg butternut, acorn or crown prince squash
3 tbsp olive oil

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. To make the dukka, warm the cumin and coriander in a small pan over a medium heat until they just begin to release their fragrance, then bash using a pestle and mortar until broken up but not too fine. Put the sesame seeds into the spice pan and warm until just golden. Add these to the spice mix, along with the hazelnuts, chilli and salt. Bash again until the nuts are broken up into small pieces, then stir in the mint.


Peel the squash, cut it into thick wedges and remove the fibres and seeds. Tip the squash into a bowl with the olive oil and toss until well covered. Add three to four tablespoons of dukka and toss again. Tip into a roasting tin and bake for 35-45 minutes, until soft and fragrant. Just before serving, sprinkle over a little more of the dukka.
​

​

 

[Andy M.]

Kinda like spicy squash 'fries'.

 

[ChefJune]

Omigosh. I just love Butternut Squash Risotto.

Cut the squash and peel and seed it, then cut into chunks and roast it with salt and pepper. Then stir the pieces into risotto. The texture contrast is astounding.

 

[justplainbill]

Undamaged mature butternut squash gourds keep well at cellar temperatures (50 - 65F) for upwards of 6 months. We enjoy it pureed and sweetened with a little honey and butter particularly as a side dish with turkey dinners and in the winter months when local fresh veggies are not available.

 

[kadesma]

Those are fantastic ideas! Andy, really? These babies will winter well? I don't have to do anything to them? Just leave them and use them as is?

Love the ravioli filling idea too! Got a recipe?

Claire, I'll try adding some to my next stir fry. Thanks!

PrincessFiona, mashed? Really? Do I need to add anything except butter and salt?

Kadesma, how much molasses? Just a drizzle? That sounds quite good.

OK, I am also NOT a pumpkin pie girl, but my family loves it. I'm willing to try this as a sub, can anyone walk me through the prep? Basically boil til soft, mash, add spices and then do the pumpkin pie thing?

Akix I just take the bottle and pour it on in a thin drizzle and addion if you like ginger try adding some powdered giner with the cinnamon and also a tiny pinch of clove. The kids love this one.
kades

 

[Alix]

You guys are the absolute BEST! Thank you so much!

And major coolness that they keep so well. I had no idea they would keep that long.

I've saved this thread so that I can peruse it later and decide which ones to try first. I gotta say that the ravioli and risotto ideas are hitting the right note for me at the moment. That might be my first try.

Keep any and all ideas coming, I will post back what I tried and how it went over with the family.