Roasting Squash

[bluecar]

Hello all.

Following on from Jayb and Goodlife's posts.

I'm new to growing squash and this year have a reasonable number of squash to harvest this weekend - bon-bon, autumn crown and uchiki kuri.

To start with I'm looking for a simple recipe as to how best to roast them - additives, cutting size cooking times etc.

I look forward to your suggestions.

Regards

Bluecar

[bluecar]

[goodlife]

Easiest way to roast it..chop them into size you fancy...little brush with oil or butter and bang it into oven until soft and it has little colour. That is all to it..now when you get fed up with 'plain' roasting..sprinkle with some spice mix (ready made from shop or make your own..like tex mex or Cajun) or just simple black pepper and salt and flavour of squash get bit more interesting...some garlic and/or chilli works well too.
Or..if you have some left over meats..sausage..salami etc..chop it up and drop in the middle of small half squash with seed removed..bake it until half done..sprinkle some cheese over and back to oven for few minutes to brown the cheese.
Complete meal with little washing to do 

[Digeroo]

I like mixed roast veg. Potatoes, beetroot, squash, carrots etc.  Or without the potato and then added to a jacket potato with some parmesan or ordinary cheese.  Herbs onions etc to vary the taste.

I like squash chopped into small pieces and then fried slowly in a pan with a mixture of butter and olive oil.

[Jeannine]

Hi, not a recipe just a bit of advice if you are new to squash.

Don't eat them till a few weeks  after harvest, they need sometime to develop the sugary taste which isn't present much when first harvested, which is why folks often post that the squash they grew was not so good. Just give it a bot of time and it will be much better.

XX Jeannine

[bluecar]

Thanks.

Jeannine, that explains why our bob-bon probably didn't turn out as I was expecting as we cooked it on the day it was harvested!

I'm still interested on how big to cut the squash and how long to roast it.

Regards

Bluecar

[galina]

Bluecar,  A squash the size of Bonbon I would quarter, scoop out seeds and put in the oven alongside a roast or a chicken for the last 30-40 minutes of cooking time.  It is not critical as you leave the skin on which prevents any falling apart - skin side down.  Baste with the roasting juices.  That's how I cook them.

With Bonbon you can also cut off the 'button' at the flower end, scoop the seeds, stuff with a savoury mince meat filling or sausage meat etc and bake in the oven with a little bit of liquid in the roasting pan.  This will take longer to cook, just over an hour, but it depends on the size.  You can certainly speed up the process by cooking it first in the microwave for 10 minutes, then finishing off in the oven.  The skin should pierce easily and the flesh should be soft when it is ready.

The nice thing about Bonbon and many similar squashes is that the skin can be eaten too because it stays soft.  Only the hard bits around the stem need to be cut off, the rest cooks soft.  Buttercups and Crown Prince and Uchiki Kuri have soft skin,  Hubbard squashes generally have hard skin that needs to be removed.  Not sure about Autumn Crown, but the others need minimum preparation, whichever way you cook them.

I also love the method of chopping them into small pieces and frying in a pan with garlic, olive oil and something like pizza herbs and onion rings.  But herbs and spices can be literally anything as Goodlife said.

In the USA winter squash is often baked with added extra sweetness, for example honey.  I have never done this, just mention it for an idea if you fancy to try that.  Yes, all winter squash flavour improves a lot with storage like Jeannine said.  If you eat your Bonbons around Christmas time, they should be far more yummy.

[goodlife]

For 'how long to cook'..there is no definite answer to that. Some prefer them very well done..some still with 'bite' and you can even eat them raw So there is no worry it being under done...and squash is forgiving if it stays quite long in oven too.
If poke the piece and it feel soft...it is definitely 'done'.

[Digeroo]

I tend to throw everything at the same time as the roast, so when the meat is ready the squash will be as well.   If I do that I wrap in foil having added a thingy of butter and a drizzle of oil.    (Maybe the meat goes in first and then I sort out the veg.)   

I particularly like the herb de provence from Lidl it gets thrown in with all sorts.  But I also use my own thyme, rosemary, bay and sage which I grow close to my front door.   When you open the foil bag the smell of the squash and the herbs is superb.  Other times I use ginger instead.   I do not like onions but if you do they can go in as well either chopped up or whole small ones.

Thanks for reminding me, I have some damaged squashes thanks to the voles which will not keep so I think I will do it today.

But in general I am still eating courgettes, the squashes will hopefully keep.

[goodlife]

I am still eating courgettes

'Still'!..not fed up with them yet then. I have given up long time ago, though I've just picked last few from the plants and that's it...no more and I doubt I will be missing them for few months.

[Digeroo]

I certainly do not buy courgettes in the winter.   I did have a little break but the plants seem to have started producing a small number of very small ones and they seem to have quite a nice flavour.   

I wrap in foil having added a thingy of butter and a drizzle of oil.

Seems I am not allowed a k-nob of butter.  What about a door k-nob?  To me a thingy sounds worse.

[bluecar]

Thanks for all of the suggestions.

Regards

Bluecar