Whole Winter Squash, Cooked Three Ways
Instructions:
These are the easiest ways to cook and extract the flesh
from any winter squash, even the large, thick-skinned
varieties like Hubbard and pumpkin. If the process of
cutting apart a raw squash has ever seemed daunting (or
scary, given the knife or cleaver required), then the first
two techniques—oven roasting and steaming whole
squash—will spare you that chore. The second variation
describes the more traditional cut-seed-and-roast
method. Each method will give you a squash that is soft
and silky, perfect for purées, soups, or desserts.
Other vegetables you can use: eggplant, but it will
take a lot less time.
1 or more whole winter squash (1 to 8 pounds)
MAKES: 4 to 10 servings, depending on the size of the
squash
TIME: 1 to 2 hours, depending on size, completely
unattended
- Heat the oven to 375 F. Rinse off the squash (or squashes). Use a thin sharp knife, an ice pick, or a longtined fork to poke several holes in the top of the squash around the stem.
- Put the squash on a rimmed baking sheet or shallow roasting pan. Roast the squash, undisturbed, for at least 30 minutes. When the sides start to soften and collapse, move it around or turn it over to promote even cooking. Continue roasting until deeply colored and quite soft. Small squashes will take 45 minutes or so, large ones up to 11/2 hours.
- Remove the squash from the oven and set it aside to cool almost completely before handling. Cut in half and scoop out the seeds and stringy fiber. Then scoop out the flesh. Use immediately or store, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for several months.
- Whole Winter Squash, Steamed.
- Best for soups or other dishes where the added moisture can be beneficial: Prepare the squash(es) as described in Step 1.
- Rig a steamer . Pour in enough water to cover the bottom of the pot, but leave the insert dry and put the squash on top, stem side up. Cover the pot and bring to a boil, then lower the heat so the water bubbles vigorously.
- Check the pot every so often to make sure there’s still water in the bottom; after a half hour or so, turn the squash over (unless it’s too big to do so, in which case don’t bother). Cooking time will be about the same as for roasting. When the squash is done, put the squash on a plate to cook and proceed with the recipe from Step 3.
- Roasted Squash Pieces in the Shell.
- Slightly faster, with most of your time spent preparing the squash: Heat the oven to 400°F. Cover a rimmed baking sheet or shallow roasting pan with foil. Cut and seed the squash(es)
- . You should be left with squash halves or large pieces. Put the squash in the pan, cut side down, and roast until starting to get tender, 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the variety. Turn the pieces over and roast until done, another 20 minutes or so. Cool a bit, then scoop out the flesh.