eristic squash

[tomatoada]

Eristic   in the picture of your squashes the one in front is like some I have grown from the dig-in free seeds.  I believe it is Hunter.  I have 13 ready to harvest and have no idea what to do with them.  Can you help me.  I presume they have to be peeled, but do they need to be de-seeded?  Can I use them now or do they have to be left to ripen.  Thanks.

[tomatoada]

[Eristic]

Well maybe yes and maybe no. If you are referring to the butternut type thingie then I have it labeled as butternut, really big which at 5kg is appropriate.

When it comes to cooking winter squash,  first get them open to manageable pieces. We've had a joke or two about that already but I am now of the opinion that a heavy blunt instrument will be better than sharp knives.

Once open you will find s pulpy mass full of seeds in the middle with solid flesh inside the shell. Scoop out the central pulp, save or discard the seeds then the remainder is cooked. I roast my pieces on a baking tray with a bit of oil till soft.

When cooked the pieces can be served as they are leaving the diner to take the meat off the shell or the cook can take it all off and redo it in more adventurous recipes.

Do not think of the outside as a skin as in courgette, but rather a shell as in a coconut. It's the hard shell that enables them to be stored for months.

[thifasmom]

just to add, i have found that the homegrown skins of the butternuts cook beautifully and as such we eat them along with the lovely dense flesh.

[grannyjanny]

One of the cookery programmes a while ago said there was no need to peel BNS. Just come to me it was Jamie Ollier. Tried it & it was lovely.

[cheerfulness]

I've also just tried chopping up and eating without discarding the skin from my home grown and they were fine.

I cooked mine briefly in the same way as eristic and then layered it into a moussaka (run out of aubergine) with courgettes and the family loved it.

[reddyreddy]

I give mine a good wash, cut in half, scoop out seeds and pulp, cut into chunks and roast with olive oil, chilli & s&P, have also used in risotto and lasagne. It is the only squash whose skin I would eat though. Enjoy!  :P