How to peel and seed a butternut squash
How to peel and seed a butternut squash
The bright orange flesh of a butternut squash is firm and the skin is tough and thick, like a hard plastic. We've had some success using a sturdy vegetable peeler, but if you have a sharp knife and a plan, butternut squash prep can be pretty easy.
To start, cut off and discard the stem end.
Cut the butternut squash in two at the intersection of the cylindrical neck and the round base.
Peel the skin from the neck: If the skin is too thick to peel with a vegetable peeler, try standing the neck on a flat end and slicing downward around the squash with a paring knife. (If the neck is really long, cut into two shorter pieces before doing this.)
Peel the round base in the same way.
When you've peeled the base, split it in half or into quarters lengthwise.
Using a spoon, scrape to remove the seeds and fibrous flesh.
Now you can cut the peeled and seeded squash into whatever size pieces you need.
Storing fresh herbs is a battle against the inevitable, but here are a few tips for keeping them alive in time for you to eat them up:
1 Set a bushy herb like parsley, cilantro, chervil, or mint in a shallow glass of water and keep it on the counter or in the refrigerator for several days, just like a bouquet.
2 Or, rinse it, wrap it loosely in a paper or dish towel while still damp, and place it (with or without a plastic bag covering) in the crisper or at the bottom of the fridge.
3 Sturdy herbs such as rosemary or thyme can be stored in paper or loose plastic (either keep it loose or puncture some air holes to let out moisture). Or you can simply hang them upside down in the kitchen, where they will dry slowly.
4 Do not manhandle delicate herbs like chives, tarragon or basil. Rinse lightly, wrap loosely in paper and place in a plastic bag in the crisper.
5 Fresh herbs should last about a week if stored properly. If you're at the end of your garden's season and you have a tons of herbs left unused, you can most herbs to have later in the year. Kalyn's Kitchen breaks down the best way to freeze basil, rosemary and thyme.
Reference: Marjoram vs. oregano (Cookthink)
Reference: How to make pesto (Cookthink)
Sage is one of the stronger herbs. Its flavor ranges from mild, warm and spicy to musky, heady and astringent. We commonly cook with it in the cooler months since it pairs well with rich dishes.
Sage’s best match might be with brown butter as a pasta sauce. But it also contrasts the fattiness of pork and sausage, makes roasted chicken more succulent, and complements heartier vegetables like sweet potatoes, squash and zucchini.
Large pieces of uncooked sage leaf and stem aren’t the most pleasant things to chew. You can finely chop them for quick-cooking or last minute appearances. Long cooking and higher heat (like with sage butter) softens the leaves.
To make clean even slices, roughly stack the leaves, roll them up like a cigar and hold them in place on the cutting board.
Then just slice the cigar crosswise into thin strips.
To coarsely chop the leaves for longer cooking dishes, run the knife back and forth across them a couple of times.
For quick-cooking dishes, keep going with the knife until the leaves are finely chopped.
what you should know
You've got your tender summer squashes -- zucchini and yellow squash among them -- which are eaten skin-and-all well before they're fully grown.
And then you've got your doorstop winter squashes -- most notably the pear-shaped butternut -- which are fully matured and have a hard, thick (and, as far as we're concerned, inedible) shell.
squash picking Look for a butternut that is heavy for its size and free of any cuts or scars. The skin coloring should be similarly pale all over.
wolverines! In many places, butternut squash is now available year-round. But if you suddenly find yourself a guerrilla fighter in the Colorado mountains who has to scrounge for and ration food, you can store one in a cool, dry place for weeks.
butternut cracked There's no easy way to prep a butternut squash. You just have to get in there and hack away at it. When prepping one, we find it helpful to think of it as two separate objects, the narrow neck and the bulbous, seedy end.
oh gourd part III Squashes date back thousands of years. Along with beans and corn, the squash is one of the "Three Sisters," the cornerstones of Native American cuisine.
what you need
Earlier this spring, Claire investigated the pros and cons of Y and straight peelers, which some find helpful in dealing with butternuts.
We usually find a large paring knife to be the most effective way to remove the tough skin of a butternut (even if it means losing a little of the squash's flesh).
With Amy Goldman's The Compleat Squash in hand, there is nothing about butternut squash that you will not know. (No joke.)
For the (really, really good) butternut-banana puree below, try using Jameson or Tullamore Dew.
what you do
Make this butternut squash and sausage casserole with sage for breakfast, then have the leftovers with dinner.
If you like sweet potato fries, you'll love butternut squash tempura with soy-lime dipping sauce
Everyone who starts a food blog has to take a blood oath to post, at some point, on butternut squash risotto.
For a peppery take on a tired old stand-by, try this curried butternut squash soup.
Dessert or Thanksgiving side: butternut squash and banana puree with whiskey and pecans.
