A welcome glut of seasonal variety and bounty of flavour.
A little after shorts banished to the cupboard and jeans burst free to once again claim dominion over the everyday legwear, a certain breed of squash reach fruition. Winter Squash. Having spent the final couple of months of summer making the most of warm soil and what rain late summer, the winter squash plants are ready to release their energy and fruit, making the most of what rainfall early Autumn has to offer. Preferring a later harvest, compared to their summer cousins, once the fruits have fully matured, allows the seeds to fully develop and the skin toughen. This gives them the ability to store well, which is just as well as neither the plant nor fruit can tolerate a hard frost, preserving the last of the season’s warmth for the coming colder months.
Winter squash are a unique ingredient in the kitchen, mainly because of the qualities their growing season has bestowed upon them. They are predominantly water with what’s left being made up of some fibre but mainly sugars, coupled with their robust skin this makes them a versatile ingredient.
Being visually exhilarating is only a small part of the joy winter squash bring into the kitchen, their flavour and texture is a playground for the culinary adventurous and tentative cook alike. Their flavour can stand up to bold and robust seasoning, almost moulding to any flavour profile the cook decides to venture into. Then there is the texture, this is where winter squash truly shine and stand apart from many other ingredients that make their way into. the kitchen. I assume this comes from the ratio of water to fibre and sugar, but not being well versed in the science behind it this is more an educated guess.
Sitting somewhere between sweet potatoes and courgettes in mannerisms, this group of squash are endlessly adaptable to most cooking methods. From gentle steaming, fierce roasting, boiling, sautéing and frying winter squash can cope with it all, and more besides. They are also quite stunning when surrounded by the glowing embers or a warm blanket of cinders from a fire.
Despite sharing general characteristics, not all winter squash are the same. Some delicate adjustment and minor tweaking brings out the best each variety has to offer, and there is no shortage of variety!
Jack Be Little
A delightful little pumpkin squash with so much more to offer than just sitting pretty in a festive display, as is so often the case with this variety sadly. As its size would suggest, there is not a huge amount of flesh, especially once the seeds have been scooped out, however what it lacks in quantity it makes up for in quality. A delicate skin that takes very little cooking is its hidden quality. No need to peel! Unlike most winter squash, Jack Be Little has a flavourful skin that is tender enough to eat. Simply slice and roast for a simple approach or take a little time and make it the main event.
Cut off the top and scoop out the seeds, then add a creamy chard filling before topping with a walnut crumble. Roast in a hot oven until tender and serve. Alternatively steam for a few minutes before filling with a cous cous or pearl barley risotto.
Red Kuri or Onion
This is one of the more awkward of the winter squash, not because of its flavour but due to the texture. The red kuri has a very dense and relatively dry flesh that really benefits from a moist environment. Perfect perhaps that it has a rich sweet chestnut flavour that goes very well in stews, casseroles and soups. A word of caution when it comes to soup, this squash goes a very long way! Where the red kuri really shines is as a filling. the dense and flavourful nature makes this an obvious choice for filled pasta or adding as a puree to baking for example.
Crown Prince
This truly is regal when it comes to squash, the crown prince not only has a sublime flavour but its texture is perhaps the most adaptable and versatile among all the squash… even when compared to the celebrity that is butternut. Roast, stew, puree, soup, BBQ, this squash can do it all. Don’t be shy, just have a go with any recipe that include a squash of any kind and the crown prince will deliver!
Acorn
Similar to a gem squash, the acorn has a very tough and unforgiving skin with a large seed to flesh ratio, making cooking with this squash not as varied as other squash. It does however, have the most delightful nutty flavour and creamy texture with a quick cooking flesh… once you can get to it. Acorn squash are perfect for stuffing then roasting with rich hearty fillings and lots of cheese. My favourite recipe for this squash is a risotto. Cut them in half, scoop out the seeds and roast with butter and seasonings in a hot oven for about half an hour. Then mash in the skins with a fork before adding to a risotto with a creamy blue cheese and lots of herbs.
Spaghetti
Without question this is the surprise of the group, having been given its name for good reason. Once cooked, which takes very little time indeed, the flesh easily pulls away in long spaghetti like strands. So much so that it is very easy to use as an alternative to pasta, not quite as robust but as close as a product that doesn’t contain any flour will get. Simply cut in half, scoop out the seeds, drizzle with a little oil and seasoning, then cover with foil before baking in a hot oven until tender. Then scoop out the flesh and sauté with a light pesto or chard and toasted nuts. With its soft skin and giving flesh, steaming is also a lovely way to cook this squash.
Sweet Dumpling, Harlequin & Carnival
These three winter squash share characteristics far more closely that the other winter squash. All three are delicate and sweet with a giving flesh that has a higher water content than their cousins. Soft thin skins and large seeds held in a moderate cavity. These qualities make cooking with them very similar and all together straightforward. These are my go to squash for hearty winter salads, needing very little preparation other than slicing up, drizzling with a little oil and seasoning... no need to peel as the skins are delicious once cooked. This method gives a large surface are to season, allowing flavour to infuse right to the core. The thin strips then roast or pan fry very quickly. Where these quash really shine in my opinion is outside in a fire, or more precisely in the dying embers and cinders of a fire. Place the whole squash on the margins of a fire and as the embers die down, rake them around the squash to almost cover in as if snuggled down in a duvet. An hour later and the result is simply stunning. Delicately smoked and soft. Cut open and dig in.
Balancing flavour with seasoning brings individuality to a dish or meal, it is the culinary fingerprint that distinguishes each and every cook. While squash are incredibly adaptable, there are a few choice seasonings and pairings that work particularly well… or at least I really like them.
Cinnamon, dried chilli & peppercorns
Cinnamon is a spice that enhances sweet rather than actually being sweet its self, with woody notes and a faint floral background. Chilli has a hidden floral aromatic nature with earthy tones, both hidden by a punch heat. Black pepper is similar with its woody aromatic heat, but with a citrus nature hiding behind the spicy punch. The squash mellows the heat and releases the aromatic qualities while the cinnamon highlights any natural sugars. A great pairing.
Cardamom and nutmeg
A delicious pairing that leans into floral citrus aromas, gently sitting in the background used in moderation. While cardamom stands up well to heat, nutmeg fades quickly. Seasoning with nutmeg after the cooking shows its true character.
Garlic and rosemary
A bit of a classic, but it’s a classic for a reason. Both complement each other so well it is easy to see why they are joined in culinary matrimony the world over. The rich oils of rosemary penetrate deep into any ingredient, especially those with a high water content and fibrous nature. Garlic brings the much needed sweetness and a little heat for balance. The longer garlic is subjected to heat the more its fire dissipates so choose when you add it carefully to achieve the flavour you want.
Thyme, fennel seed and coriander seed
This is another aromatic combination, this time with a citrus and aniseed tone, both made fragrant by thyme. A powerful combination that sits in the background, almost unnoticed. I often notice this as being one of those seasonings that you notice by its absence, stirring comments such as “that’s delicious, what is that”?
Clove, star anise and all spice berries
This is not a subtle combination by any means, all of these spices being very dominant in their own right so tread carefully. In just the right amounts they are a simply stunning combination, pairing with the earthy sweetness of any squash effortlessly.
There are of course many more combinations that are delicious aside from my favourites, in fact it is easy to get carried away.
Aside from spices, winter squash play very well with other vegetables in the kitchen playground. From roots and tubers right through to kales and brassicas, squash will happily sit side by side. The same can also be said to meats, games and seafood, the latter often neglected when thinking about squash. Delicate seafood such as scallops and crab both enjoy the company of a spaghetti, sweet dumpling or crown prince squash to name just three of my favourites. Pulses are another cheerful playmate. Often known for draining the flavour right out of pretty much anything, pulses respond very well to squash. Again the high water content and natural sugars work a magic on the texture while being a flavour carrier to combat that slightly flat flavour quality so many pulses can have.
One final contribution these delightful fruits have to. offer the culinary world are their seeds! All winter squash seeds are edible once roasted, simply give them a rub with a little oil, season with salt and any other spice you fancy, then pop in a hot oven until crisp. The same can be said for the skins, treated in a similar way they make for a delicious alternative to crisps… careful not to overcook as your dentist will be on the list of chores for the coming days.
With such a wide variety, winter squash are perhaps the most varied and versatile of any seasonal glut, there is simply no chance of becoming bored or running out of ideas.
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