One of the loveliest autumn sights is a local farmstand stashed with boxes bulging with squash ranging range from plain beige butternut and grooved green acorn to wavy-edged pattypans and stripy turban squash that look like someone sat on them. Mountains of blue-green Hubbards and bright orange pumpkins complete the scene.
Unlike summer squashes, these have hard skins. They store well in a dry place for weeks, making them a traditional winter resource, especially since they are good in both savory and sweet dishes. This usefulness allied to the sheer exuberance of their colors and shapes makes them hard not to love.
At the top of the heap is the pumpkin, which is essential for Halloween jack-o-lanterns and Thanksgiving pies. In both these holiday roles, pumpkin supplanted European crops. The lanterns of the Celtic Halloween were turnips, but when immigrants brought Halloween celebrations to America, they saw that the country’s pumpkins could do a better job of scaring the wandering spirits of the night. For pies the first Europeans in America found no apples or other familiar pie-filling fruits, so they turned to the versatile pumpkin instead.
Versatility is a hallmark of the winter squashes. While their outward appearance varies, they taste similar, so they can often substitute for each other. Acorn, buttercup, butternut and sugar pumpkins work identically in baked goods. Buttercup can step in for acorn in recipes for stuffed squash, and so can the rounded end of a butternut.
While their taste accounts for the interchangeability of winter squashes, it’s not multilayered or dramatic. Indeed, it is slightly flat – not unpleasant but needing something to lift it. Traditionally cooks have added spices, usually a combination of cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg and ginger. Often called pumpkin pie spice, this mixture evokes the flavors of the holiday pies and breads. Its familiarity is comforting, but it hogs the limelight so that other possibilities are left in the shade. Teaming winter squash with different partners has winning results.
In baked goods switching from a mix of spices to using just one lets other ingredients shine – butter and flour and sugar as well as the squash. Cardamom is good in cakes and quick breads, for example. Another possibility is to head toward gingerbread flavors with a couple of teaspoons of ginger plus half a teaspoon of cinnamon. Cumin with a small pinch of red pepper flakes makes zesty savory dishes,
Another way of changing the taste profile of winter squash is to add acidity, which they lack. Tangy fruits such as apples or cranberries do the job in baked goods. Orange and lemon zest and juice are also good, and can be used in savory dishes, too. Vinegar also works well in savory dishes.
In the following recipe for Halloween Quesadillas, orange zest flavors the squash, giving it a liveliness that appeals especially to kids.
Mint teams with vinegar for zing in Marinated Squash Slices, while cranberries and cardamom add tartness and aroma to Pumpkin Cranberry Cake.
Cheddar brings umami notes to Squash and Cheddar Crisp, and almonds and butternut are an elegant dessert duo in Butternut Almond Tart.
Native Americans valued pumpkins and other squashes as one of the triad of plants that sustained them. The others are corn and beans. Planted together the cornstalks support the beans, while the big leaves of the rambling squashes cover the ground and keep it moist. Because they thrive together, they are like three sisters who help each other. The following quesadilla recipe uses them all to celebrate the season and its traditions.
Using black beans and a bright orange winter squash such as acorn, butternut or sugar pumpkin gives these quesadillas the Halloween colors visible as stripes when they are cut in quarters.
They are fun for kids and good at times other than Halloween, when other beans such as cannellini, navy, or chickpeas can be used if you prefer.
Making quesadillas is an assembly job so have the squash, beans, corn, salsa, cilantro and any other fillings at hand when you begin heating the tortillas. It’s also useful to have a helper, and since kids generally like quesadillas they are often willing assistants.
2 cups black beans (canned or home-cooked)
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Pinch red pepper flakes
Salt to taste
3 cups cooked mashed squash (butternut, acorn, sugar pumpkin for example)
1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
2 teaspoons orange juice
½ teaspoon cinnamon or pinch freshly grated nutmeg
1 tablespoon olive or canola oil
8 flour tortillas
1 cup corn kernels, fresh or canned
2 cups grated Monterey Jack or sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup medium or hot salsa (homemade or purchased)
2-3 tablespoons roughly chopped cilantro
Optional extras: mashed or sliced avocado, chopped lettuce, thin strips red pepper
For serving: 1 cup sour cream or guacamole
Drain the beans of any liquid and reserve it in case you need it later.
Mash the beans with the cumin, thyme, pepper flakes, and salt to taste. Set aside. (They tend to stiffen if made ahead; if so, return them to a spreadable consistency by adding a little of the reserved liquid.)
In a bowl, mix the squash with the orange zest and juice, and either cinnamon or nutmeg. Set aside.
To make the quesadillas line up the bowls of beans and squash, corn, cheese, salsa, and cilantro on a convenient point on the counter. Grease 2 frying pans with a little of the oil. Place the pans over moderate heat and put a tortilla in each. Working with one of the tortillas only, spread on it a quarter of the beans, followed by a quarter of the corn, a tablespoon or so of cheese, a quarter of the squash followed by any additional ingredients (such as avocado or pepper strips) you want to use. Finish with another tablespoon of grated cheese, a spoonful of salsa and a sprinkle of cilantro.
Take the unfilled tortilla from the other pan and place it on top, pressing down a bit with a spatula. Let it cook for another half minute then lift it onto a cutting board and cut into 4 pieces for serving. Keep warm while you make more (or eat these then make 3 others.)
You can serve these squash slices from southern Italy as an appetizer at any fall festivity or as a relish or side dish.
Butternut squash sliced and cut in semicircles or wedges and sugar pumpkin sliced in crescent-shaped slices both work well.
1 medium butternut or a sugar pumpkin, peeled and seeded
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, halved
1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch cinnamon
Several grinds black pepper
½ cup white wine or cider vinegar
16 small mint leaves
Black olives for serving
If using butternut reserve the round end for another use. Cut the straight part into ½-inch slices or a little less, then halve these across the middle.
Cut the pumpkin into ½ -inch slices, cutting as you would a melon.
Heat the olive oil and the garlic pieces gently for 2 minutes, removing the garlic to a plate as soon as it begins to look golden. Add the squash or pumpkin pieces, a few at a time and fry until they are tender enough to be pierced easily with a fork. Set them aside on the plate with the garlic, and continue cooking until all are done, adding more oil if it is needed.
At the end of the cooking, turn off the heat, drain any excess oil from the pan and return all the slices and the garlic to it. Sprinkle with the sugar and a little cinnamon, grind on the pepper, tear half the mint leaves into bits and scatter them on top, and finally, pour on the vinegar.
Leave for about 20 minutes, turning the pumpkin in the mixture after about 10 minutes. Serve as an appetizer or side, slightly warm or chilled, with a small bowl of black olives and the remaining mint leaves. Discard the garlic pieces before serving.
Butternut is a particularly useful winter squash because it is easy to peel, its long cylindrical section can be cut in slices or cubes for serving, and its rounded end makes a good vessel for a tasty stuffing.
The bright orange flesh is perfect for this recipe, though you could substitute acorn, buttercup, turban or Hubbard squash.
Serve this savory dish with other vegetables or as a side dish with chicken or casseroles. Be sure to choose an extra-sharp Cheddar so that you have a vigorous cheese flavor, and enjoy the way the smooth squash plays off the buttery topping.
1 butternut or other winter squash weighing about 2½-3 pounds
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons sherry (optional)
½ cup all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons butter
½ cup rolled oats
1½ cups coarsely grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
cup chopped walnuts
Preheat the oven to 400. degrees Cut the butternut squash in half and discard the seeds and fibers.
Place the pieces cut side down on a lightly greased baking dish and bake until tender, which takes roughly 40 minutes. (If you have something else to bake at a different temperature you can put the squash in the oven at the same time, though the butternut will take longer or shorter to bake depending on whether the temperature is lower or higher.) Test for doneness by poking it with a skewer. It should be tender and the skin should be wrinkly.
Reduce the oven temperature to 375. Let the butternut cool for a few minutes then scoop the flesh from the skin and mash it with salt, black pepper, the sherry (if using) and one tablespoon of the butter. Put it in a greased 8-inch deep-pie dish or any other dish of similar capacity.
To make the topping, put the flour in a bowl and rub the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter into it. Stir in the oats and then the grated Cheddar. Sprinkle on top of the butternut. Place the dish in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top is set and golden. Scatter on the chopped walnuts during the last 4-5 minutes of cooking. (If you add them sooner they could scorch.)
Serve hot. It’s also good at room temperature.
Here’s a tart that does not call for pastry. Instead a mixture of nuts and crumbs forms an edging. The lack of pasty makes it a lighter choice for serving after a big meal such as Thanksgiving dinner, and the almond flavoring is a change of pace from pumpkin pie spice.
Other winter squashes including pumpkin could be used here.
1-2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
cup sliced almonds
¼ cup panko or dried unflavored breadcrumbs
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 cups cooked and mashed butternut squash
½ cup sugar
1¼ cups (4 ounces) ground almonds
1½ cups whole milk
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
1-2 teaspoons (to taste) almond extract
1-2 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar for serving
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch deep pie dish liberally with the butter. Mix ¼ cup of the sliced almonds with the panko or breadcrumbs then add to the buttered dish pie and tilt it so that they stick to the butter and form a coating, making sure the sides are especially well coated. Set aside.
In a large bowl combine the mashed butternut with the sugar and ground almonds. In another bowl (or a blender) whisk the milk, eggs, vanilla and almond extracts together. Stir the milk mixture thoroughly into the butternut mixture, then pour it into the prepared pie dish. Scatter the remaining sliced flaked almonds on top.
Bake for about 40-50 minutes or until set. To test, insert a knife blade into the center. It will come out clean when the pie is ready. Serve warm or at room temperature dusted lightly with sieved confectioner’s sugar or with whipped cream.
Baked goods made from pumpkin often taste of little other than pumpkin pie spice. Using different spices lets the natural flavors of pumpkin, butter and eggs shine.
This cake has the haunting notes of cardamom, nutmeg and a tiny amount of cinnamon, while the cranberries and apple jazz it with a tart zing usually lacking in pumpkin cakes and breads. You can substitute puréed winter squash such as acorn, buttercup or butternut in this recipe.
¾ cup whole cranberries
2-3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon powdered cardamom
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1½ sticks (6 ounces) room temperature butter
1½ cups white sugar
3 eggs
1 cup mashed cooked butternut squash
½ cup grated peeled apple
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line the base of a 9-inch square pan with baking parchment and grease the sides.
Toss the cranberries with 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar and let stand for 2-3 minutes, then halve or coarsely crush them. Let them stand while you proceed with the cake.
In a medium bowl mix the flour with the baking powder, baking soda, cardamom, nutmeg and cinnamon and set aside.
In a large bowl beat the softened butter with the sugar until it looks fluffy and pale. (Use an electric mixer to do this if available.) Add one egg and a couple of tablespoons of the flour mixture and beat until it is completely incorporated. Repeat this step twice more, using a couple of tablespoons of flour with each egg.
Now mix in the butternut squash and the grated apple until thoroughly combined. Beat in the rest of the flour mixture and finally stir in the sugared cranberries.
Tip the mixture into the prepared pan; smooth the surface and bake for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer or cocktail stick poked into the center comes out clean.
Cool on a wire rack for 25-30 minutes then turn out of the pan and continue cooling to room temperature.
For serving sift the remaining 2 tablespoons of confectioners’ sugar over it.