How To Cook Squash

By Polly Hamilton
How to cook squash:

There are two different types of squash: summer and winter, and they are such versatile vegetables you'd be crazy not to incorporate them into your family favorites! Below are some great tips about squash (fruits which are members of the gourd family) and a few scrumptious recipes. The line between winter and summer squash is very thin, and really harks back to the olden days. It refers to how long a squash will keep for. Winter squashes take longer to grow and ripen than summer varieties.

Tips for cooking squash:
For servings for cooking squash bear the following in mind:
- you need around 1/3 of a pound per person
- one pound of squash will equal around 2 cups of cooked and mashed squash

How to cook squash: in the oven:
To cook a squash in the oven is the simplest method (these are instructions to cook a 1 ½ pound squash). It is very difficult to cut a squash, unless it is cooked; they have tough, thick skins and are very bulky. Instead, pierce the squash with a fork and place in the oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Test that it is cooked by piercing new holes with a fork.
How to cook squash: Baked squash with blueberries:
Ingridients: 3 acorn squash, 1 ½ cups of fresh blueberries, ½ apple (peeled and diced), 6 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar, 6 teaspoons of butter
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut your squash into halves and remove all the seeds, etc. Mix all other ingredients in a bowl. Fill your squash halves with the mixture. Place into a casserole dish, filled with ½ a cup of water. Cover and bake for 60 minutes, then remove cover and brown. Remove from the oven and serve this delicious winter dessert immediately! (Each cooked squash half is one serving.)

How to cook squash: Curried butternut squash soup:
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 1 cup chopped onions, 4 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon curry powder, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, red (cayenne) pepper to taste, 2 ½ pounds butternut squash (peeled, seeded, halved lengthwise and sliced thinly), 3 cups chicken broth, 1 pound of apples
In a large pot, over a medium heat, heat oil. Saute onion until golden brown then add garlic, curry, cumin and cayenne. Cook for 30 seconds. Add squash and chicken broth with water and apples. Simmer for 30 minutes or until the squash is tender. Depending on how thick you like soup, you can blend all, some, or none of your soup and re heat.
Learning how to cook squash is very easy. It's not the type of food that you can muck up. As long as the squash was ripe to start with, you shouldn't have any trouble cooking it! There are many more interesting and delicious recipes out there. You just have to do a bit of searching! Don't be afraid to try new and different recipes. Squash is both a vegetable and a fruit, so it is very versatile. It works well with apples and is a great accompaniment to roast dinners!

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