What can’t you do with winter squash? It’s wonderful roasted, then stuffed, boiled and pureed for soup or incorporated into risotto, curried, stir-fried, gratineed, braised, used as a filling for ravioli, included in salads…and of course, you can roast the seeds. You can also freeze raw squash for up to 6 months cube first, then freeze in a single layer on a rimmed sheet tray and transfer to a freezer-safe container once frozen. Store cut squash in a tightly covered container and refrigerate for up to five days. The best way to store winter squash is in a cool, dark and dry spot, where it will hold up for at least a month, even longer depending on the variety and if your storage space is well ventilated. Eating Winter Squash Storing Winter Squash The US imports the most squash of any country in the world, with Mexico supplying 90 percent of the country’s squash imports. Winter Squash and GeographyĬalifornia leads the nation in squash production followed by Florida, Georgia and Michigan. At year-round farmers’ markets, it will likely share the spotlight with hardy cruciferous vegetables and frost-resistant greens like kale and collards in the winter months. In the four-season parts of the country, winter squash has its heyday in the late summer through the end of fall. When most people had root cellars, they would harvest the squash in the fall and store it through the cold season, hence the name. We recommend that you buy organic whenever possible and shop locally so you can ask questions about how the squash was grown.īut when grown in the right way, using regenerative practices, some cultivars, including an heirloom cousin of the butternut, the honeynut squash, can be beneficial when used in crop rotation.ĭon’t let the word “winter” fool you: Winter squash is harvested in autumn before a hard frost and stored for later. Winter squash ranks 24 on the 2019 Environmental Working Group’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce, which means it’s got a relatively high pesticide load. Why spaghetti? When you rake over the cooked flesh with a fork, the resulting strands resemble pasta. Spaghetti: Also known as “vegetable spaghetti,” this light-yellow cultivar looks like a football and is lovely roasted whole.The all-purpose squash has a thinner skin than many other cultivars, making it relatively easy to cut through, and can be baked, sauteed or use in a number of other ways. Butternut: The classic bulb-shaped, tan-skinned butternut squash are much loved for their versatility.However, if you put in the effort of cooking it, you’re in for a treat the flesh is like velvet. It’s often sold in cut-up hunks at markets because of its very tough exterior and large size. Kabocha: This is the generic word in Japanese for winter squash, making it tricky because there are several kinds to choose from (including Kuri squash), but you’ll typically find green or gray-green-skinned kabocha.But they can also be cooked in a variety of ways, including baking, grilling and steaming. Dumpling Squash: Also known as Carnival squash, these cute little squash come in a variety of shapes and colors - white, orange and green, with and without stripes - and are often sold as decorative squash.It’s also one of the most thin-skinned winter varieties (you don’t need to bother peeling these!), which makes cutting and cooking a snap. Delicata: An oblong, mini football-looking cultivar - yellow or orange and sometimes with stripes - which tastes like a cross between sweet potato, corn and squash.After baking, their buttery-sweet flesh is great for mashing. Buttercup Squash: You’re most likely to find these green-skinned, turban-shaped squash at farmers’ markets.The sweet tender flesh is a favorite for stuffing or baking. Acorn: Named for its nut-like shape, you’ll find this smaller squash in orange, yellow and green varieties, sometimes with stripes or splotches of color along its ridges. Here are some of the varieties you may see at the market: There are dozens of cultivars of winter squash to choose from, and as cooks and eaters become more interested in local produce, there are more on offer at farmers’ markets and through CSAs, and even at your local grocery store, every year. If the stem is still attached, it should be firm and intact. The squash should make a hollow sound when tapped. When shopping for winter squash, look for those with no blemishes or soft spots - both are signs that rotting is underway. What to Look for When Buying Winter Squash
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