Fall in Love with Winter Squash
By Sidonie Maroon, The Food Co-op Culinary Educator, abluedotkitchen.com
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I hear rain on the roof, my zinnias outside the kitchen door are soggy and the cherry tomatoes are mush on the vine; but I’m cozy making a cream of chard soup. It’s bright green and simmering away. Clara Schumann plays as I chop, stir and taste.
I like to use everything I can from the food we eat. Nothing goes to waste at my house— we render fat from the chicken skin; the bones release their collagen; the pumpkin seeds and peels are full of nutrition. A chicken makes us three meals, plus two quarts of stock, not bad for fifteen dollars. A pie pumpkin will make a soup, a pie or some bread plus roasted seeds or broth.
My chard soup began yesterday with a baked pumpkin for my spice bread recipe, and a poached chicken for dinner. Into the Instant Pot went the chicken carcass, the bones, pumpkin seeds, pulp and four or five cloves of garlic. I let it cook for 2 hours on high pressure with a natural release to make an Autumn orange stock. Once strained and cooled it was thick, gelatinous, and flavorful. I skimmed off the schmaltz (I always save the chicken fat), it’s full of goodness and a key savory ingredient.
Pumpkins are easy to prepare, I’ve learned that the lazy way is best for winter squash. I don’t enjoy getting my knife stuck or breaking them open with a cleaver. Instead, I choose smaller squashes, pierce them twice like a baked potato and cook them whole. A 2 ½ pound pumpkin fits in an 8-quart slow cooker, add three cups of water to the bottom and cook on high for four hours. In the Instant Pot, add two cups of water to the bottom, and cook on high pressure for 30 minutes with a natural release. I suppose the same technique would work in the oven in a covered baking dish with water at the bottom.
Once the pumpkin is soft, let it cool, and scrape out the seeds, puree the flesh and skin in a Vitamix until it’s velvet smooth. If you want delicious squash purees all Winter long, freeze them in paper cups, and package the frozen cups in quart ziplocks.
We love squash puddings, custards, soups, dal, bread and, of course, pies and plan to puree and freeze an assortment of squash types this year.
Try this easy dinner using your pureed pumpkin or squash:
Roast onions and leeks using a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper at 425F for about 30 minutes, lower the heat to 350F. Pour a puree of squash, eggs and milk (the proportions are the same as for a quiche or cream pie) with salt, herbs and spices, and bake until firm. It makes a wonderful dinner with little fuss.
Squash Friends (complimentary herbs)
Herbs: sage, thyme, rosemary, parsley
Pumpkin Spice Blend (for savory or sweet squash dishes)
4 teaspoons white peppercorns
2 teaspoons whole allspice berries
4 (4 inch) cinnamon sticks
2 teaspoons whole cloves
2 whole nutmegs.
2 tablespoons dried ginger root
Pumpkin Casserole with Colby Cheese and Sliced Green Olives
Makes a large 9x13 inch rectangular casserole
Ingredients
Roasting
1 large onion, chopped
2 large sweet red peppers, chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced into long thin sticks and chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons dried sage
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Custard
2 ⅓ cups mashed pumpkin, skin included if using a Vitamix, from a pie pumpkin
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
4 large eggs
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon maple syrup or runny honey
Topping
2 cups grated Colby cheese
½ cup sliced, pimento stuffed, green olives
Directions
1. Toss roasting ingredients with olive oil, salt and herbs. Roast at 425F on a parchment paper lined baking sheet for 30 minutes.
2. Puree custard ingredients together until smooth. Grate cheese and slice olives. Oil a large casserole dish. I line the bottom with parchment paper for easy clean-up.
3. Put roasted veggies in the casserole's bottom, pour the custard over and smooth, poking the custard down into the veggies. Top with the cheese and olives. Cover and bake at 350 F for 30 minutes. Uncover, turn the heat up to 400F for another 15 minutes or until the custard is firm. Serve warm.
Round Pumpkin Spice Bread with Maple Butter
Makes 9-inch round bread
Flour Ingredients
½ cup raw buckwheat groats
½ cup raw chickpeas
¼ cup flax meal
2 tablespoons psyllium seed husk powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons powdered cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon whole allspice berries
3 whole cloves
¼ teaspoon decorated cardamom (seeds in cardamom pods)
¼ teaspoon whole peppercorns
1 teaspoon anise seed
2 teaspoons powdered ginger
1 teaspoon mustard powder
Additions
1 cup pecans
1 cup pitted whole dates
Wet Ingredients
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
½ cup unsalted butter, melted
1 ¾ cup pumpkin puree
Whipped Maple Butter
¼ cup real maple syrup
½ cup (1 stick) soft unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Pinch sea salt
Directions
Read through the recipe and assemble the ingredients
1. Using a Vitamix, on high speed, grind the dry ingredients into a flour, for 1 minute, into a flour and sift into a large mixing bowl. Regrind any large fines. Alternatively, in small batches, use a coffee mill to grind the flour.
2. Using the Vitamix, or a food processor, grind the dates and pecans together into a rough meal and add to the flour.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper and grease.
4. Mix wet ingredients together and stir into dry. Smooth into the cake pan.
5. Bake for 25 minutes. Make maple butter while waiting: In a food processor whip butter pieces into maple syrup and salt. Serve soft. Keep refrigerated.
6. When the bread’s done, eat it warm slathered with whipped maple butter.
Pumpkin and Apple Curry
Makes 5 ½ cups
30 minutes
The golden yellow alone makes this dish, but you won’t want to pass up the velvety squash, chunky tart apples, cashews and curry spicing. Serve alone or as a side to naan, poultry or red lentil dal.
Ingredients
¼ cup unsalted butter, or oil of choice
1 large onion, cut into a medium dice
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely minced or paste
2 large baking apples, quartered with each quarter cut into 4 chunks
1 cup unsalted raw cashews
2 cups pumpkin puree
14-ounce can full fat coconut milk, or cream
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons maple syrup
Spices
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon black peppercorns
1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
2 green cardamom pods opened or ¼ teaspoon decorticated cardamom
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
Directions
1. Instant Pot Whole Squash: Pierce pumpkin in several places. Add 2 cups of water to the bottom of the pot. Set to high pressure for 30 minutes with a natural release. Allow the squash to cool. Open it up, scrap the seeds aside and scoop the flesh out and puree. Use all the seeds, guts and skin to make stock in the Instant Pot: Add squash remains with 1 quart of water and any other peelings to the inner pot. Check the Instant Pot seal and put the lid on. Set to the broth cycle with a natural release.
2. In a large saute pan, using a medium-high heat, melt the butter and add the onions and ginger. Saute them for 10 minutes.
3. Add the apples and saute for another 5 minutes. Add the cashews and continue to saute for another 5 minutes. The apples should be bite tender but not falling apart. The cashews will soften.
4. While the onions and apples are sauteing: using a coffee or spice grinder, measure the spices and grind into a powder.
5. Add the salt and syrup to the saute with the spices.
6. Mix the puree and coconut milk together. Add to the saute and gently fold in.
7. Serve hot.
Apple Onion and Buckwheat Casserole
Makes 1 large casserole (15x10)
1 ½ hours, including baking time
Sour, sweet, creamy with Eastern European spices, an unusual casserole, but delicious and addicting. Serve alone or as a side dish, it’s a fabulous savory potluck dish for the Autumn apple season.
Ingredients
Roasting
4 cups tart baking apples, diced (about 4 medium apples)
2 onions, diced (3 cups)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)
1 teaspoon sea salt
Herbs and spices
1 teaspoon caraway seed
2 teaspoons fennel seed
¼ teaspoon white peppercorns
2 teaspoons dried sage
Buckwheat Groats
1 ½ cups buckwheat groats
3 cups water
½ teaspoon sea salt
Sauce
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon horseradish sauce
¼ cup dehydrated onion flakes
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon sea salt
Topping and Finishing
3 cups sharp aged cheddar, grated
⅓ cup maple syrup (trust me)
Directions
1. Assemble your ingredients. You’ll start the buckwheat on the stovetop, then grind the spices for roasting, then prepare apples and onions to roast. While they’re cooking, make the sauce and grate the cheese. Then you’ll be ready to assemble the casserole and bake.
2. Buckwheat: In a lidded medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add the salt and buckwheat; turn to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow the grains to finish cooking in the lidded saucepan for 20 minutes more.
3. Apples and onions: Preheat the oven to 425 F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Grind herbs, spices and salt together using a spice grinder or coffee mill. Massage apples and onions with olive oil, spice mix and liquid smoke if using. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes.
4. While waiting, combine the sauce ingredients together in a bowl and grate the cheese.
5. Assemble the casserole: Mix the sauce into the buckwheat groats, Drizzle the maple syrup onto the roasted apples and onions. Spread the groats into the bottom of the casserole, layer the apples and onions over, and top with the cheese. Cover with a baking sheet and bake at 350 F for 30 minutes.
6. Serve warm. It’s even better after it’s had time to meld the flavors.
