Good-bye Butternut: Cutting Winter Squash
Ah, March. A little bit closer to spring here in the Northeast. That’s spring as in asparagus season! But for now, we’ve still got quite a bit of snow cover and it’s at least 10 degrees below the freezing mark as I write this. So while those little asparagus shoots are still snug in their well-mulched beds, what shall we eat?
Well, on my kitchen counter rests a good-sized butternut squash. This squash has been sitting in my kitchen since sometime this fall, a passive observer to the changing of the seasons. It has witnessed scores of school lunches packed, been wiped clean of Christmas cookie batter flung from emerging beaters, and overseen the Valentine’s Day production of pot after pot of honey-lemon tea for bronchitis-suffering members of the household.
And now, it’s practically begging to be eaten, spared the indignity of counter sitting still at the cusp of spring, this beautiful winter squash. Why hasn’t it been eaten before now? Sentimental reasons. It makes me think of summer. How clearly I remember when this 5-pound squash was just a blossom, then a hard little bud, then a baby-fist-sized squash. I can still recall picking stink bugs off its tender vines. All those fond warm-weather memories encapsulated in this tough, tough shell.
And there’s that. I do kind of dread breaching the shell. (I can’t help but wonder how many squash-related casualties end up in the emergency room each autumn.) But actually, I’ve devised a pretty reliable method for butchering winter squash, so I’m thinking that today’s the day we clear some counter space and say good-bye to Butternut.
Directions for Cutting Winter Squash
To cut a thick-skinned winter squash in half, place it on a cutting board on a flat counter or sturdy table. Allow the squash to come to its flattest surface. If your squash fails to cooperate, you can fold a thin dish towel in half and place it underneath the squash.
Lay the blade edge of the knife vertically against the skin to score it, making a shallow groove. Then, resting the knife blade in this groove, carefully tap the back of the blade with a rubber mallet (the hardware-store kind). The blade should penetrate the squash evenly.
Set aside the mallet and hold the palm of one hand over the back of the blade, keeping your fingers up and well away from the cutting surface. Carefully rock the knife forward to back in a controlled fashion, cutting through the rest of the squash.
Alternatively, instead of cutting and peeling a butternut squash, roast the entire thing whole. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Prick the skin of the squash in several places with a fork and place it on a baking sheet. Roast the squash for 35 to 45 minutes, until it is tender; remove from oven and let cool. When the squash is cool enough to handle, cut it in half lengthwise, remove seeds and fiber, and peel. Use the flesh in any recipe you’d like, or eat as is, with butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, or cinnamon.
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I made a winter squash soup last night and, as delicious as it was, I had this nagging feeling of being out of sync with the seasons. There are no spring-time vegetables yet, I know this, but still I dream.
I know what you mean, Gillian. I’m working on using up all those frozen winter stores now (see my latest post for the cranberries from Thanksgiving); a kind of spring cleaning for the freezer.
Cheers, and thanks for reading/posting!
Sandy
http://www.LocalFoodBlog.com