The Versatile Pumpkin and Winter Squash

The wonderful thing about the transition from the heat of summer to the cool evenings of fall are the late harvests of zucchini, corn and green beans with the addition of pumpkins and various other squashes.

Pumpkins big and small, butternut, acorn and spaghetti squashes are filling bins and lining hay stacks in and in Town and Country and , and in Manchester. Pumpkins and winter squash store well and are available through fall and winter. At room temperature, they last at least one month. Squash is also very affordable, which makes it easy to use for pies, soups, muffins, bread, cakes and unique side dishes.

If baking a pumpkin pie doesn't fit into your busy schedule, has pumpkin pies (21-ounce pies) on sale for $4.99 each until Tuesday. The bakers use freshly puréed pumpkin with a dash of nutmeg and cinnamon in buttery crust.

Most of these winter squashes have an underlying sweet flavor similar to carrots and sweet potatoes. Most varieties of cooked squash are interchangeable in pies and muffins. However, the flavor profile of acorn squash is geared more toward a savory dish—mashed, such as mashed potatoe or acorn squash soup, puree.

The mashed acorn squash has less carbohydrates than potatoes and tastes quite good when cooked with garlic and onions. Sugar pumpkins, the smaller, deeper orange variety, and butternut squashes are great for pies. It is important to pick the right type of pumpkin for your purpose. The larger field pumpkins usually used for carving jack-o'-lanterns are not great for eating because the flesh has a stringy and watery texture.

Whether you are making a pie, muffins or soup with pumpkin, squash or sweet potatoes, they all begin with oven roasting. Gentle roasting sweetens and concentrates their flavors. It also makes it easier to use. Pumpkins and winter squash have a tough outer rind that is hard to peel or even cut through.

Roasting Pumpkins and Squash

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Bake the pumpkins or squash until a knife easily pierces the outer rind and the flesh, depending on the size, this usually takes 30 to 50 minutes. To accelerate cooking, you can cut the pumpkins or squash in half prior to roasting, oil them and place them cut side down in your pan.
3. Let the pumpkin cool and then scoop the flesh out of the spoon with a spoon.

At this point, the flesh is ready to be pureed (in a blender or food processor) and to be used in pies, muffins, a mash or soups.

Apple and Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients

 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
 1 large onion, diced
 3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
 1 large butternut squash, roasted, flesh scooped and cooled
 3 apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock, more as needed
 coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
 Sour cream, for garnish (optional)

Method:

1. Melt butter over medium heat, add onion and cook until almost translucent, about 5 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
2. When the onions are almost cooked through, add the garlic, ground ginger and apples and cook until softened.
3. Add squash and stock, stirring together.
4. Puree the soup with an immersion blender or in batches in a regular blender.
5. When the soup is pureed (and back in the pot if a regular blender was used), season with salt and pepper. Adjust the consistency to your liking with more stock if needed. For a thicker soup, let it simmer longer.
6. Garnish with sour cream.

Note: A generous amount of pepper contrasts well against the sweet and savory flavor of the soup.