Butternut squash is an edible member of the gourd family whose roots have been traced back to Mexico in 5500 B.C. (Along with beans and corn, squash is one of the "Three Sisters," the cornerstones of Native American cuisine.)
A mature winter squash, it grows on a vine, and has a giant pear-shaped body, tough skin, rich-tasting, vivid yellow-orange flesh and a sweet flavor. (It can often substitute well for the sweet potato.) Butternut squash can be baked, steamed, puréed or simmered, and is often referred to by cooks as a "workhorse" because of its versatility. Once cooked, its dry flesh has a glossy and silky texture that makes it a favorite in soups, curries and other dishes.
Reference: How to peel and seed a butternut squash?
Recipe: Butternut Squash Tempura With Soy-Lime Dipping Sauce
Recipe: Butternut Squash And Banana Puree With Whiskey And Pecans
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.
Panko is a type of breadcrumb that is most often used for frying in Japanese cooking. It's made from traditional Japanese wheat bread that has been dried and shredded into flakes. The process produces breadcrumbs that are larger and flakier than ordinary breadcrumbs.
We like panko because it doesn't get soggy or fall off when baked or fried. Plus, it maintains a bit of a crunch when regular breadcrumbs tend to turn soggy.
Many large grocers carry panko in the international food section, and you're sure to find panko at an Asian market. In a pinch, you can substitute crushed saltines (or some other light cracker) for panko.
Recipe: Butternut Squash Tempura With Soy-Lime Dipping Sauce (Cookthink)
Recipe: Oven-Fried Chicken (Cookthink)
Reference: What is an oil's smoke point? (Cookthink)
How to choose a butternut squash
How to choose a butternut squash
Mature winter squashes like the butternut have tough skin that protects their firm, yellow-orange flesh and allows them to last longer than their fleeting summer squash relatives.
A butternut is so self-reliant that it doesn't even need to be refrigerated, and can be stored in a cool dark place for several weeks. So how do you choose a good one? First, pick it up. It should be heavy for its size. Look it over and make sure its skin is firm and free of bruises. Check for brown frostbite scars, which can affect the squash's texture and longevity, and punctures or cuts, which can let bacteria in and cause mold.
Reference: What is butternut squash?
Reference: How to peel and seed a butternut squash?
Recipe: Curried Butternut Squash Soup
Recipe: Pork Roast And Butternut Squash Salad (Gluten-free Girl)
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.
Unlike their summer squash cousins, which are harvested when thin-skinned and immature, winter squash are left to mature late into the growing season (pumpkins are picked after the first frost).
With fully developed seeds (that must be scraped out before cooking) and tough, rind-like yet edible skin, winter squash can last for months if kept cool and dry.
Some winter squash varieties to look for are butternut, buttercup, delicata, spaghetti squash and pumpkin.
