Winter Squash 101

By Chef Andrea

Butternut Squash

Winter squash…where do I start!?  Growing up we ate squash in basically one of two ways—pie or a simple puree with butter.  It really wasn’t one of my favored foods and I had no idea winter squash could be used in so many ways!  I also had no idea there were so many different kinds of winter squash!  In my world, I only knew buttercup (my mom’s favorite), crookneck (the giant ones my grandma grew to make pies), butternut and acorn (likely the two most well-known).  Now that I’ve expanded my culinary and agricultural boundaries, I realize the world of winter squash has so much more to offer, both in variety and culinary experiences.  So, if you’re in the group of folks who are yet to embrace winter squash, I encourage you to keep reading.  Trust me, there are so many ways to prepare squash, there have to be at least a few keepers for your recipe collection!

Black Futsu Pumpkin

Last week we officially finished our 2019 winter squash harvest!  Winter squash can easily be damaged by a frost, especially if the vines have started to die back, exposing the squash.  This year the squash were ready well ahead of the first frost and are now safely tucked away in one of our greenhouses for storage.  Over the next few months we’ll be packing a variety of different squash varieties in your boxes, each with different characteristics and attributes.  While there are hundreds of different types of winter squash, we have narrowed the selection to less than 10 categories.  We’re starting off the season with Delicata or Sugar Dumpling and Kabocha squash.  Over the next few months you’ll also receive several different types of butternut squash, spaghetti squash, festival, and the newest kid on the block, black futsu.

Spaghetti Squash

When the seed catalogs come in December, it’s easy to be wooed by all the different varieties.  As we make our selections we have several different criteria in mind.  First of all, we’ve trialed a lot of squash over the years so we tend to stick with some of our historically strong producers, ones that have disease resistance and are high yielding.  But those aren’t the only two qualities we look at.  Of course, it has to taste good!  We are looking for varieties that are both sweet and flavorful.  Spaghetti squash is really the only squash we grow that is not intended to be sweet, but we have chosen the variety we believe has the best flavor!  We also want to keep things interesting for you over the course of the final few months of our CSA season, so we try to grow squash that have different colors, shapes, textures and uses.  While we intend for you to (eventually) eat the winter squash, they can also add beauty to your home in the meantime!

Festival Squash

As we journey through the season, watch your What’s In the Box newsletter for more detailed information about the individual varieties of squash.  For now, I’m going to cover some basic information applicable to most varieties.  First, the ideal temperature for storing squash is between 45° and 55°F. This is a bit more chilly than most of your homes, so know that it’s ok to store them on your kitchen counter at a warmer temperature as long as you keep your eye on them. You do not want to store squash in the refrigerator or in an uninsulated garage where the temperatures could dip below 45°F once winter sets in. At temperatures less than 45°F squash is vulnerable to chill injury. You need to check in on your squash periodically.  If you notice any sort of a spot starting to form or any signs of deterioration, you need to intervene immediately. A small spot doesn’t mean the squash is bad or needs to be composted, rather it means you need to eat it right away! Just cut away the bad spot and use the rest. If you leave it unattended, the spot will continue to grow and consume your squash….which is what we do not want to happen! Even if you are not quite ready to eat the squash, I encourage you to cook it anyway. Winter squash is a great vegetable to cook in advance and freeze. It’s super quick and easy to pull precooked squash out of the freezer in the middle of the winter and heat it up to eat as a side dish or incorporate it into baked goods or other dishes. The main thing is, don’t let it go to waste! If I have a pile of squash on my counter, I like to bake a lot at one time…the oven is already hot, and if you’re going to make a mess it’s better to clean up just once!

Butterkin Squash

Before we officially move on from the topic of storage, it’s important to understand that not all winter squash are intended for long term storage.  There are some squash varieties that naturally have a thinner skin and/or higher sugar content.  Typically, these are the squash that will taste the best right out of the field.  However, these are not the varieties of squash we would expect to store well into the winter.  The thicker the skin, the greater protection for the squash.  We handle squash very carefully when we’re harvesting and packing it, taking care not to damage the skin which can become an entry point for bacteria and cause the squash to deteriorate.  But life happens and chances are your squash may get a bump along the way, which is why we encourage you to stay in tune with your squash!  Squash that are high in natural sugars are great, but typically don’t have as long of a life.  So that’s another consideration to keep in mind when storing squash.  Finally, the storage potential of squash is directly related to field conditions.  If we’ve had a wet, cold season and there is leaf disease in the field, the squash are generally more vulnerable to decay in storage and won’t last as long.  In other years that are more dry and we see less disease pressure, we see very little decay in storage and can often store squash until the next spring!

Orange Kabocha Squash

Now that you know how to store squash, lets talk about eating it!  Winter squash is easy to cook and you have several options. The method I employ most frequently is to simply cut the squash in half, scrape out the seed cavity, and bake it.  I place it, cut side down, in a baking dish and add a little bit of water to the pan, enough to cover the bottom of the pan and come up about ¼-½ an inch on the squash. I bake it in the oven at about 350°F until it is tender when poked with a fork. Once tender, I remove them from the oven and flip them over so the cut side is up. I allow them to rest until they are cool enough to handle, then scoop out the flesh. I usually puree the flesh in a food processor so it is smooth.  Now it’s ready for use in soups, desserts, etc.  This is the easiest method, but you don’t always want puree, sometimes you want chunks or pieces to work with.  Most winter squash needs to be peeled, but there are some varieties with thinner skin that can be eaten.  The Delicata and kabocha squash we’re delivering this week are two varieties that have thinner skin and many people choose not to peel them.  It’s totally up to you! Where I’m going is that squash can be cut into chunks or smaller pieces to be roasted, boiled, steamed, baked or otherwise incorporated into dishes, etc.  I also want to mention that the seeds of many varieties are also edible!  Typically the smaller squash have more tender seeds, whereas kabocha seeds generally have a thicker skin and are not as tasty.   Once you scoop them out, rinse them to remove any flesh, then dry them in a dehydrator or just air dry.  After they are dried, you can toast them as you would toast any other nut or seed either in a hot pan on the stove top or in the oven.

Tetsukabuto Squash

As with many different vegetables, I always like to look around the world to see how different cultures use squash.  Squash is one of those vegetables that is found worldwide, so there are a lot of different possibilities to explore!  I’m fascinated by Japanese culture and was interested to find out that two of our new squash trials this year are actually varieties originating in Japan.  The Black Futsu Pumpkin is a Japanese heirloom variety and Tetsukabuto means “steele helmet” in Japanese.  It was touted as the “squash to survive the apocalypse” by the seed catalog, which is another way of indicating that it has the potential to be stored for a really long time!  In Japan, kabocha squash in particular is a common food and is often eaten as a side dish.  It is also prepared with tempura.  You’ll also find winter squash in Asian cuisine such as Thai curries and stir-fries.  It’s also a part of the diets of different European countries where it is used to make gratins, silky soups, souffles, desserts and more.  Winter squash is also part of Middle Eastern cultures, showing up in Arabic stews and preparations alongside ingredients such as lamb, tahini, and pomegranate.

Heart of Gold Squash

Winter squash can be incorporated into any meal of the day!  Use it to make frittatas, quiche and breakfast casseroles or stir squash puree into oatmeal or even a breakfast smoothie! You can incorporate winter squash into desserts such as the flan recipe featured in our vegetable feature about kabocha squash.  Some varieties are also delicious to use for making cheesecake, breads, cookies, cakes, pies and more.  Roasted squash can become a topping for pizza, or use it to make quesadillas and pasta dishes.  Don’t be afraid to incorporate squash into preparations like risotto, croquettes, fritters and dumplings.

If you ever find yourself wondering what to do with winter squash and can’t find ANYTHING to make with it, give me a call or send me an email.  I’m certain I can find something you can make with it!

Winter Squash 101- Everything you need to know!

This week, we’re honing in on all things winter squash because, let’s face it, fall is here and that means it’s time to embrace winter squash. Before we get into the specifics of each of the winter squash varieties that we grow, we’ll take a step back and give you a little background about the planning and strategy that goes into getting these squash into your kitchen.

Long before the planting season begins, Farmers Richard and Andrea begin the process of selecting which winter squash varieties to grow in the coming year. For the most part, these decisions are based on a few simple factors: appearance & size, taste & sweetness, and how well it stores. The squash you’ve seen this fall in your boxes or at our market stand all possess this trifecta of ideal characteristics—albeit, to varying degrees.  We also try to select squash that will span the season with some being best shortly after harvest and others that get better with time in storage. 

Winter Sweet Squash

 Once planting season arrives, squash transplants are nestled in along row after row of silver—or reflective—mulch. This practice largely serves as a deterrent to common pests like cucumber beetles and squash bugs. Based on the thickness of each particular squash variety’s shell, their vulnerability to these pests and their razor sharp mouthparts varies somewhat. Typically, however, any bacteria that makes its way into one of these hardly noticeable nibbles inflicted by a cucumber beetle produces a spot. This tiny spot will affect the shelf life of the squash.

Knowing this, we take great care to ‘baby’ each and every one of our winter squash as we handle them during harvest & packing. Using large portable tanks, our crew washes each squash in the field during harvest, a process that removes both dirt and bacteria. This allows us to minimize the amount of handling, which in turn limits opportunities for puncture wounds. From the field, our crew moves the day’s harvest to our warm and toasty greenhouse where they undergo a process of curing and then are held in storage.

Orange Kuri

Whether it be in the field or on the packing line, we keep an eye out for those spots I mentioned before. Any afflicted squash are culled immediately. But alas, the Harmony Valley family can only consume so much squash!  While we deliver squash with nearly every box once fall sets in, you don’t necessarily have to eat it right away.  It’s much easier for you to keep your eye on a few squash than it is for us to monitor thousands of squash nestled into bins.  Once you receive your squash, your job is to keep an eye out for any signs of aging, spots forming, etc. Even if a spot appears on the surface, it is still perfectly edible. Simply cut out the spot and eat that squash or cook it and freeze the cooked flesh. Overall, store your squash in a warm, dry place—like your kitchen table for seasonal décor or your countertop. Do not store squash in the refrigerator or in an uninsulated garage.  They could get chill injury from being in a cold environment less than 45 degrees. It also helps to be aware that the sweeter the squash and the more thin the rind, the poorer its storage ability.  These varieties should be eaten first.

And now, let’s take a look at Harmony Valley’s 2015 winter squash varieties!

 Orange Kabocha 

Orange Kabocha and Orange Kuri: These squash are similar in appearance and use.  Kabocha is rather squat in shape and features a bright orange, dull and slightly bumpy skin. Orange kuri has a similar appearance except it is pointier on top.  Both have a sweet, rich, nutty flavor profile and a chestnut-like texture that is quite similar to a sweet potato, with pumpkin influences. Highly versatile, these can be steamed or baked. If opting for the latter, cut your squash in half and remove the seeds first.  Bake in the oven in a pan with a small amount of water, cut side down.  Thanks to their dense flesh, this squash is ideal for curries, but may just as easily be pureed for your next batch of squash soup.  It’s also a good selection to use in baked goods.

Butternut Squash

Butternut: This winter squash variety has a long and somewhat slender neck and a more bulbous, rounded bottom. We intentionally grow smaller varieties so they can be used in entirety once cut.  Butternut features a mild flavor and a silky texture. Its smooth skin makes it easy to peel using either a vegetable peeler or paring knife. The seeds can either be discarded or roasted and eaten as a fall snack. Butternut can be used in both savory and sweet dishes, from soups and pastas to breads and mashes. Stored properly, butternut will keep for several months.

Honeynut Butternut

Honeynut Butternut: The product of crossing a butternut and a buttercup, honeynut butternut squash are adorable. They more closely resemble their butternut parent, though they’re much smaller in size and feature a rust-colored skin. Honeynut butternut’s flesh is very sweet, with a smooth, non-stringy texture. Their high sugar content makes them ideal for sweeter preparations, though they can also be substituted for regular butternut in any recipe. These little squash are challenging to grow and are not the best keepers.  We delivered them in some boxes over the past two weeks.  If you have one on your counter, we’d recommend you use it soon.

Sugar Dumpling Squash

Sugar Dumpling: Whitish-yellow and green in color, sugar dumplings are small and compact, with ridges that run vertically. Their flesh is sweet and flavorful. Sugar dumplings can be used in sweet or savory preparations and are ideally suited to recipes that call for sweet potatoes or pumpkins. In general, you can halve, quarter or even whole-roast and stuff these little squash. Like honeynut butternut, sugar dumplings aren’t the best keepers. We delivered these several weeks ago.  If you still have some, keep your eye on them and use them within the next few weeks.

Festival Squash

Festival: Festival squash—often called carnival squash—are the product of an acorn-sweet dumpling cross. Yellow or cream in color with green and orange striping, festival squash feature a mild, nutty flesh and a firm texture. This variety is an excellent choice for baking or stuffing. Typically, preparation doesn’t require peeling, but do note that festival’s skin is not typically eaten. This squash will keep for up to one month.

Delicata Squash Tacos, find the recipe here:
Delicata Squash and Black Bean Tacos
 With Salsa Verde and Lime Sour Cream

Delicata: Delicata squash are oblong in shape, with yellowish skin and green striping that runs top to bottom. Their flesh is sweet and creamy—similar to a sweet potato but on the earthier side. Delicata’s thin skin is edible, so there is no need to spend time and energy on peeling. Halve this squash before roasting—or slice it into rings for even faster cooking, taking care to remove the seeds. Partly due to their thin skin, delicata are very poor keepers. These were among the first squash we sent your way.

Spaghetti Squash

Spaghetti: Spaghetti squash are oval-shaped and light yellow to gold in color. After cooking, one scrape of its mild flesh will tell you how this squash got its name. Spaghetti squash’s long, noodle-like strands are similar to angel hair pasta—they’re tender and somewhat chewy, but still on the delicate side. In terms of preparation, there’s no need to peel this squash—simply roast and scrape. Due to its very mellow flavor, spaghetti squash are best incorporated into bold, savory dishes where it won’t have to compete for attention—it’ll simply blend in. This squash can also step in as a healthy alternative to pasta. Spaghetti squash will store for about one month.

Cha-Cha Squash

We have a few other varieties you might see in some of the latter boxes.  We have been trialing a few new varieties including a dark green kabocha called Cha-Cha.  The past two years we’ve also grown a squash called Winter Sweet.  This is a unique one in that it is actually better after it has been in storage for several months.  We selected this one specifically because it is one we can store and then deliver in January. 

Vegetable Feature: Winter Squash

by Andrea Yoder

Front: Delicata squash, Festival Squash, Butternut Squash, Sweet Winter Squash
Back: Red Kuri squash, Sugar Dumpling Squash, Spaghetti Squash, Honeynut Butternut Squash

Honeynut Butternut Squash

Sugar Dumpling Squash

As the leaves turn to shades of orange, red and yellow and the nights get chilly, we welcome the changing of the seasons and transition from cool, refreshing summer vegetables to those that offer us warmth and comfort. Winter squash holds a special place in a seasonal Midwestern diet, with the potential to feed us all the way from September through the cold winter until spring comes again. We grow several different types of winter squash, several varieties you’ve already had in your boxes. We start off our squash season with delicata and spaghetti squash, followed by two of our sweetest varieties—Sugar Dumpling & Honeynut Butternut. Both of these varieties are higher in natural sugars making them very tasty, but the downside is they don’t store as well as some of the other varieties. The little honeynut butternut squash in your boxes this week are a special treat with their rich, sweet flavorful flesh. They are personal sized squashes that need nothing more than to be cut in half and baked cut side down until tender. Season the squash with salt, pepper and a pat of butter and you’ll find they taste like pumpkin pie filling!

Butternut Squash

Kabocha Squash

Soon we’ll be delivering the more familiar butternut variety with buff colored skin followed later in the season by the multi-colored festival squash and red kuri squash. The red kuri squash is a small, round, bright orange squash with dark orange flesh resembling a kabocha squash (a variety we’ve grown in previous years). These three varieties are amongst the varieties that are best for storing. But wait…there’s one more variety! We recently discovered a variety called Winter Sweet. It has a dusky blue-gray skin with a dense, dry yellow flesh. The beauty of this squash is its amazing ability to store well into the winter, and thus this will be the last one we send your way.

Winter Sweet Squash

Winter squash pairs well with a wide variety of other ingredients. You will often see it prepared with fruits including apples, pears, pomegranate, citrus and coconut. It is often flavored with herbs and spices including sage, rosemary, thyme, curry, cumin, coriander and chile powder. As we transition from summer to winter, we find ways to prepare squash alongside summer vegetables including sweet and hot peppers and tomatoes. As we venture deeper into the winter, squash finds its way into dishes alongside other root vegetables, onions, leeks, garlic, dried chiles and dried beans. You’ll find recipes for winter squash from cuisines from all around the world including many Asian countries, Europe and the Americas.

The simplest way to prepare any winter squash is to cut it in half, scoop out the seed cavity, and bake them cut-side down in a baking dish with a little water until they are tender. Remove them from the oven and turn the squash over to cool. When cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh out of the shell using a spoon. The flesh can be mashed or pureed and eaten simply with salt, pepper and butter, or use the puree for other preparations. Squash can also be peeled and sauteed, pan-fried, steamed or roasted. It is often used in soups, stews and curry dishes. It can become a filling for tarts, quiche, turnovers, and ravioli. It pairs well with grains and can be used to make risotto or even incorporated into warm or cold grain salads, such as wild rice, barley or quinoa. For a more sweet approach, incorporate squash into baked goods such as pie, quick breads, bread pudding, custards and even cheesecake. You can substitute squash puree in any recipe that calls for pumpkin puree. As you can see, there are a lot of different ways to enjoy squash! If you find yourself growing tired of eating squash in the middle of the long winter, look around for some new recipes and try a different approach to how you prepare it.

An added bonus with several of the squash varieties is that the seeds are edible. Generally the seeds from the delicata, sugar dumpling and festival squash are tender enough to eat. Sometimes the butternut and orange kuri squash seeds are also tender enough to eat. After you remove them from the squash, rinse the seeds in a colander to remove any squash flesh. Dry them out a little bit by spreading them on a cookie sheet and put them in a dry location overnight or in a low temp oven. Once the seeds are dry, toss them with oil, salt, pepper and any seasonings you might desire. Spread the seasoned seeds on a cookie sheet and toast them in a 350°F oven until they are golden and crispy.

If you want to store your squash for a longer period, it is best to store it in a cool, dry environment between 45-55°F. If you just have a few squash in your collection, you might want to adorn your tables or countertops with their beauty until you’re ready to eat them. Check them frequently and if you see any spots starting to form, that’s your cue that it’s time to cook them.

Corsican Turnovers with Winter Squash

Recipe borrowed from The French Market Cookbook by Clotilde Dusoulier.

Serves 4
Winter Squash Filling
1 Tbsp olive oil for cooking
3 small red onions, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt, to taste
1 small kuri, butternut or kabocha squash, peeled, seeded and diced
2 tsp dried rosemary, finely chopped
Freshly ground black pepper

Olive Oil Tart Dough

¼ cup olive oil for cooking, plus more for the pan

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1 tsp fine sea salt

1 large egg

1 large egg white

1. First, prepare the filling. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, and ½ tsp salt and cook, stirring often to prevent coloring, until soft, about 10 minutes.

2. Add the squash, rosemary, and ¾ tsp salt. Cover and cook, stirring often, until the squash is soft, 15 to 20 minutes. If the squash has released juices—this will depend on the variety—turn the heat up to high and cook for a few minutes longer, uncovered, until the juices have evaporated. Sprinkle with black pepper, then taste and adjust the seasoning. Set aside to cool.

3. Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

4. Now prepare the dough. In a medium bowl, combine the flour and salt. Add the oil, egg, and ¼ cup cold water and mix them in with a fork until absorbed. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead lightly until it comes together into a ball. Add a little more water or flour as necessary.

5. Dust the ball of dough and a rolling pin with flour. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one of the pieces into an 8-inch square. Scoop one-fourth of the squash mixture onto the middle of the square. Bring two opposite corners of the dough into the center of the square and pinch them together. Lift the two remaining corners up to the center, matching the seams so they meet to form raised ridges. Crimp to seal. You’ll get a square turnover, with ridges forming an “X” on top. Lift carefully with a spatula and transfer to the prepared baking sheet.

6. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling to form 3 more turnovers.

7. Brush each turnover with egg white.

8. Bake, rotating the sheet in the oven halfway through cooking for even coloring, until golden, about 30 minutes. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving

Winter Squash and Leeks Baked in Parchment

Recipe borrowed from The Greens Cookbook by Deborah Madison. 

Serves 4

2 cups winter squash, peeled, seeded and cut into ¼-inch cubes

¾ cup leeks, chopped into ½–inch squares

1 tsp garlic, finely chopped

¼ cup olive oil

Salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

4 pieces parchment paper, cut to about 12” x 15” 

1-2 Tbsp butter

8 fresh sage leaves

1. Toss the squash, leeks, garlic, and olive oil together, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. 

2. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Fold the parchment papers in half to make a crease. Open them up and generously butter the bottom half, covering all but an inch from the edge. It is important to coat the surface thoroughly, or the sugars in the squash will stick to the paper and burn. 

3. Divide the vegetables evenly amongst the 4 papers, heaping them into the center of the buttered area. Tuck 2 sage leaves into each one. Lay a few small pieces of butter on top of the vegetables. Fold the top half of the paper down and tightly roll the edges over onto themselves to make a half circle. Give the paper a good twist at the end to hold the packet firmly closed. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and open carefully to allow the steam to escape.