Squash for Adults
Sun ,13/11/2011When I was a child, any kind of winter squash was my enemy. My mother was fond of acorn squash, roasted in the oven until soft, and pureed with brown sugar and margarine (ugh). To me the uniform texture, midway between watery and gummy, held no appeal. And I associated the sweetness of squash with the gagging texture, which may be partly why I’ve always been a fan of savory foods over sweet ones.
My mind was set until a Thanksgiving at my grandmother’s house, where she served a squash dish that included onions and a breadcrumb topping. It made a difference – both the savoriness and the sweetness from only the natural sugars in the fruit. Moreover, there was a textural contrast that I loved.
Now, I like almost all winter squash. But when I prepare it, I like to marry differences in texture, PLUS invite the right balance between sweet and savory. Today I dreamed up a dish I call “Squash Three-way”, a naughty name you would never find on an insipid jar of over-processed baby food.
Essentially it’s a two layer dish with a favorite simple topping – roasted pepitas, which are the hulled seeds of certain varieties of pumpkins or squash. The first layer is a basic savory latke, replacing the potato with shredded winter squash. The second is a sweetened mash of winter squash, upon which rests the slightly crunchy pepitas.
Squash Three-way
Recipe for 3 servings (scale up as necessary, swingers!)
For the mash:
1 small to medium French variety winter squash (Sucrine Du Berry, Rouge D’Etampes, or Baby Golden Hubbard)
1/2 cup chicken stock (optional)
4-5 Tbsp butter
Pumpkin pie spice (nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, allspice blend)
2-3 Tbsp brown sugar
For the latkes:
1 medium (7-inch) Delicata squash
1 large shallot
1 extra large chicken egg, beaten
1 tsp baking powder
3-4 Tbsp All Purpose flour
Salt & Pepper to taste
Ground dried sage to taste
Ground dried oregano to taste
2 Tbsp corn or canola oil for frying
For the topping:
Handfuls of roasted, salted pepitas (available in Mexican or health food stores, and many Trader Joe’s)
Prepare mash:
Preheat oven to 350°. Halve French squash lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Roast cut side down in a pan with 1/2 cup stock or water for an hour or until soft (while roasting, prepare latkes as below). Let cool. Scoop pulp into bowl, discard skins. Add butter and spice. Mash with a fork to a smooth consistency. Keep warm.
Prepare latkes:
Halve Delicata squash lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Peel skin from flesh. Grate raw flesh with a box grater (better yet, one of these: http://www.germandeli.com/bohachgr.html). Thinly slice shallot and mix with grated squash. Add baking powder, flour, salt, pepper, herbs, and mix well. Add beaten egg and stir thoroughly. Heat oil over medium heat until hot. Drop mixture in 1/3-1/2 cupfuls into hot oil, pressing down slightly. Fry 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Drain and blot, keep warm.
Assemble by topping latke with mash, and sprinkle pepitas on top.
Enjoy, but be careful any photos don’t find their way onto the Internet!
Hope mom doesn't see this!
