"butternutsquash" news and stories

Photo: Amazon.com.

'Cooking With Pumpkins and Squash'
By Brian Glover
Photography by Peter Cassidy
Ryland Peteres & Small -- 2008
Buy it on Amazon

Despite early fall's T-shirt weather and last-summer's-hurrah barbecues, Brian Glover's "Cooking With Pumpkins and Squash" beckoned. Although it largely consists of hot autumn colors and warming recipes, this exquisite cold-weather cookbook could not sit one week in the kitchen before we cracked.

We blame Glover's seductive prose: "Some flavors stand out as having a real affinity with squashes and pumpkins of all shapes and sizes; their nutty sweetness works well with salty tastes such as goat cheese, feta and olives..." His understanding of squash's potential as an adaptable base -- to be spiked with other bold ingredients and not merely to be devoured on its own -- intrigued us.

Though many niche cookbooks devoted to a particular ingredient can be characterized as too centric toward their subject, "Cooking With Pumpkins and Squash" reveals refreshingly complex recipes with unexpected flavors. "Light bites" recipes like Grilled Zucchini, Halloumi and Fava Beans with Tomato and Mint Dressing expertly showcase and complement the light, springy flavor of summer squash, while heartier entrées like the Pumpkin Risotto with Pancetta and Sage suit the rich, silky texture of pumpkin and butternut squash.

See what we tested and find out whether the book's worth buying after the jump.

At the first hint of a chill in the air this past October, I seized the opportunity to cook that month's Bon Appétit cover recipe: Texas Beef Brisket Chili, a beyond-hearty stew of melt-y beef, earthy dried chilies, and, surprisingly to me, butternut squash. The mild sweetness of the squash resonated beautifully with the spicy and fruity (due to the dried chilies) components of the dish and also gripped the gravy nicely. I'd found a new carnivorous delight.

More recently, though, I discovered that the carnivorous part was, if welcome to a meat-lover like me, incidental to the success of the chili. Planning for the arrival of houseguests, one of whom is a vegetarian, I wanted something that could simmer in the slow-cooker while I visited with my friends. I thought of this chili, tossing the bacon and brisket and subbing in a mix of red and black beans. I also threw in a couple of julienned red bell peppers, which I browned with the onion to give the dish a bit more depth.

Success! The squash got tender before the beans did, but the squash still held its shape just fine. I now believe that butternut squash could jazz up any favorite chili recipe. Try it with yours!

While I can't really try this exact recipe for myself, since it includes nuts, I was completely charmed by the above recipe for Stuffed Quail with Pancetta, Butternut, and Leeks with Pistachio Pesto Sauce -- led by Executive Chef David McMillan. It not only looks and sound delicious, but there's also a lot of great tips and techniques inside the 11-minute video.

It outlines how to prep the stuffing, the ingredients (butternut squash and garlic), plus all the finer points of those tiny quail and how to whip up a single-serving pesto with a mortar and pestle.

The best recipes and videos are the ones that give you more information than merely a simple recipe -- extra tips, food intricacies, cooking techniques -- and this flick definitely delivers.

One of the best and most successful dishes I have ever made was Butternut Squash and Roasted Garlic Bisque, courtesy of Epicurious and Bon Appetit. It ripped me, and subsequently many others, out of the halls of squash dislike because rather than relying on the over-used habits of squash with sweetness, this soup revels in rich and savory flavors. To this day, it's the best squash soup I've ever had, and it's one that can be made with absolute ease.

With the chill in the air, and the last days of summer falling away in the blink of an eye, it's time to start thinking of fall foods. Squash are starting to overtake the stores in a pile of shapes and colors, and with that comes the big conundrum: When you're not just baking a butternut squash to eat, how in the heck should you remove the skin and seeds?

Marisa offered a long blanching option back in February, and now here's another technique, if waiting for the squash to cool doesn't sound appealing. Above, Roni at GreenLiteBItes shares her butternut chopping system. This allows for great, uniform strips for fries, but should work just as well for soup chunks and other uses.

Good luck, and if you have any other cutting techniques, share them below!