Help with Squash Recipe Please.

[Emagggie]

I have some Futsu and Jaspee du Vendee squash but I'm not sure of the best way of cooking them. Can anyone help please?

[Emagggie]

[Doris_Pinks]

I love them peeled, cut into chunks, sprinkled with chopped garlic, drizzled with olive oil  and some sprigs of thyme, then roasted.
Or the firm favorite around here is
http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,12737.0.html

Great as soup too!

[Emagggie]

Thanks DP. Do I assume that all squash can be cooked this way? Only cooked b'nut squash and patty pans so far. Am going to do one with the Sunday roast tommorrow.

[Suzanne]

Good in a risotto too. Cut into small pieces and fry with pancetta and onion until slightly coloured. Add risotto rice - wine - stock and season in the normal way. Finish risotto with thingy of butter and parmesan to thicken and serve. Nice with a bit of torn basil for garnish and a side salad of spicy oriental salad leaves.

[Emagggie]

That sounds delicious Suzanne. Thankyou. :P

[Emagggie]

In the end I thought the futsu looked to fiddly to peel etc. so I speared it with a knife a few times and shoved it in the oven next to the meat.When it was soft and obviously cooked I scooped the flesh out and had a taste. It was sweet and beautiful :P. I mixed it with the swede and carrot mash. Lovely grub.

[Doris_Pinks]

Emaggie I made a batch of squash and roasted garlic soup this morning, it was easy to do and tasted fab! (also keeps the vampires away! ;) )
Can post the recipe if you are interested.

[Rob08]

The most common way that any and every squash/pumpkin was cooked up back home was simply boiled in very little water, then mashed with nutmeg or cinnamon added and a small amount of sugar too if it needed sweetening up.

My other preferred method of preparing squash/pumpkin is to cut it into wedges and roast it with either olive oil and chilli or with honey and sweet spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, etc).

[Emagggie]

Yes please DP :P, and I'm liking the sweet version Rob, that too is a goodie to try for this weekend (favoured guests).
Many thanks each. ;D  Really glad I grew them this time and deffo will again next season.

[Barnowl]

I sweat peeled chunks in butter with Onions and garlic, lemon grass ginger and kaffir lime leaves (chilli powder if you like it) until softish, then add water or  stock to roughly half cover and simmer until really soft; then remove the lemongrass and leaves, add coconut milk or ordinary milk to thin to your desired consistency, season to taste with salt and sugar and liquidise with whizzer stick for a rather nice soup.

[Emagggie]

OOOOh Barnowl, that sounds right up my street. Isn't it amazing what you can do with a squash.  ;D

[Jeannine]

Cut the small ones in half, scoop out the seeds, roast them to snack on of course, dab of butter in the centre of each half, and zap them in the microwave or bake . Chunks steam nicely if you want them natural. XX Jeannin e

[Trixiebelle]

I've got a couple of Mother Hubbard squash to roast .. I can't get through the skin 8) Think I'll have to get the hacksaw out!

[Emagggie]

Daughter 1 is weaning baby and a suggested 1st food is Butternut squash.
I'm taking that as any flavoursome squash. She got lucky ;D
Nice to hear from you gels, and I'm ashamed to say it didn't occur to me to roast the seeds Jeanine. I wont waste any more. :-[
Trixie, I learned from here that if you put squash in the microwave for a few mins it softens the skin. Failing that maybe yer chopper is called for. ;D

[Jeannine]

Old knife or cleaver positioned on squash and whack it with a hammer, feels great and works eveytime..Go for it Trixie XX Jeannine

[Sparkly]

make a cake? roast some chunks of squash and puree then substitute for carrot in a carrot cake-type recipe?

[Emagggie]

Now got half a Jaspee left from todays offerings (other half went into the lamb shanks pot). Not too much flavour though. Will see what daughter 2 thinks about cake sparkly, my baking is worse than awful  :-[