The Squash Diaries 2: Butternut
What you see here is a picture of a butternut squash I made the mistake of trying to peel.
Well, I don’t care what Ina G. says. Don’t attempt to peel a butternut squash before it’s cooked. As a friend of mine said, it’s like wrestling with a rock. The upper body exercise is such that you will require physical therapy afterwards. Just cut the damn thing into chunks and roast ‘em, THEN peel ‘em and proceed with your recipe.
Partly because I’m a lazy-ass, and partly because I like it this way, I roasted the butternut squash, pureed it and ate it, perfectly simple, just like that, as a side dish. I hoarded the leftovers for soup. (Nothing like getting two side dishes for the aggravation of one!) Here’s the not-so-challenging recipe for roasting:
Roasted Butternut Squash
2 butternut squashes, about 2 1/2 to 3 pounds each
Olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper
Yield: About 4-5 cups when pureed.
1. Preheat the oven to 400º F.
2. Cut one squash in half crosswise. Cut the half that contains the seeds in half and scopp out all the seeds and other junk that’s in there. Cut the other half of the squash into quarters lengthwise. Repeat with the other squash.
3. Place the squash pieces on a baking sheet lined with foil. Drizzle the pieces with 2-3 tablespoons of the olive oil, and use your hands to rub the oil over all sides of the squash. Sprinkle the squash lightly with salt and pepper. Roast it until it’s tender, about 35-40 minutes.
4. When the squash has cooled slightly, you can peel it, puree it in the food processor (adding a little chicken broth or cream to thin it if you want), eat it warm as a side dish (reheating it in a double boiler if you need to), and use the leftovers for soup.
Curried Butternut Squash Soup
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 leeks, white and light green parts only, rinsed and finely chopped
1-2 teaspoons curry powder
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger root
3-4 cups low sodium chicken stock
2 cups roasted, pureed butternut squash
¼ cup coconut milk
Yield: About 5-6 cups
1. Heat the butter and oil in a heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium low heat. When the butter is melted, add the leeks, curry powder, salt and pepper and cook until the leeks are tender, about ten minutes. Add the ginger and cook for another minute.
2. Add the broth and squash to the pot and stir to combine. Raise the heat slightly and bring the soup to a simmer. Cook for about 20 minutes, until the flavors are well combined. Stir in the coconut milk.
3. Puree the soup in batches in your food processor. Taste the soup and correct the seasoning if necessary. Reheat the soup and serve hot.
P.S. Also see The Squash Diaries 1: Pumpkin.

Tags: butternut squash recipes, curryied butternut squash soup, roasted butternut squash
November 29th, 2010 at 6:52 pm
DO NOT PEEL THE UNCOOKED SQUASH. I feel that you post needed those capital letters. Poke it and steam it. Slash it and bake it. But for Pete’s sake, don’t peel it when it’s still hard.
Michael (my husband) has a *fantastic* recipe for butternut squash casserole that is more like a dessert than a side dish. No, really. It’s like *pudding*.
But you’ll have to eke it out of him because he doesn’t even share it with me. Luckily, he also subscribes to this feed…
November 30th, 2010 at 5:44 am
Ooooo, I WANT that recipe!!
December 1st, 2010 at 10:38 pm
Agreed, peel it after it is cooked, why oh why do people always try to peel everything with a skin on it, then try to cook it (Bananas need to be peeled of course). My mum always said “Steam that thing and slap some butter on it”
I would have loved to watch you try hacking that thing. After all of that I would have carved it into animal shapes and played it off like I planned it that way….
December 2nd, 2010 at 1:32 pm
You can see me hacking it up in my upcoming New Year’s Resolution video!
December 2nd, 2010 at 7:24 pm
LOL, I can’t wait to see that, you crack me up Jessica…
December 5th, 2010 at 9:05 pm
I made butternut squash soup fr Thanksgiving also. I cut it up , drizzled with bacon grease and roasted it. Added a bit of chopotle , cream,broth and nutmeg. Blended it and it was very good.
Cream of garlic is next.
December 5th, 2010 at 9:15 pm
Cream of garlic? Whoa. I wanna hear about that one…!
January 2nd, 2011 at 4:30 pm
EVERY vegetable tastes better roasted.
I am also a good, but lazy cook-so glad I stumbled onto your website.
I was feeling a little blue today
bronchitis, drizzly day in baltimore, pending divorce….
but your crabbiness really cheered me up !
thanks.