If I had a cornucopia, I would want it to be full of squash.
Squash is one of my kitchen staples in the fall and winter months. Most varieties have a mild flavor that lends them to a multitude of recipes. Squash is filling and comforting on chilly nights in soups and steaming side dishes. And, you can store most squash basically forever, stretching your grocery budget.
This fall harvest season is overflowing with a bevy of squash varieties. I left my farmers market last week with a heavy bag full of butternut and dumpling squash. Butternut has always been a fall favorite of mine, but this dumpling squash was going to be an experiment.
I learned from the farmer that dumpling squash is slightly sweet, and roasting is her favorite way to prepare it. That’s another wonderful thing about squash — simple preparation is often all that is required. But, because I’m practicing for that all-important side show that is Thanksgiving, I wanted to take my dumpling squash a little further. This recipe blends a simple, creamy base of squash topped with a sweet and crunchy praline crust. The result was a lovely dish that blurred the line between dinner and dessert.
For my old friend the butternut, I felt it needed a little kick as well. A touch of bourbon in the glaze elevated this simple recipe. The cubed squash cooked quickly and soaked up the buttery bourbon sauce. This is a decadent dish for sure.
I hope you find some old and new favorite seasonal ingredients this fall to make your table the most bountiful it can be.
Butternut Squash with Bourbon Brown Sugar Sauce
Yields 4-6 servings. Recipe is by Teresa B. Day.
3-4 butternut squash
1 stick butter
1 small onion, chopped
½ cup brown sugar
1.5 ounces bourbon
3 tablespoons satsuma or orange juice
1 teaspoon salt
1. Peel and seed the butternut squash, then cut into cubes. You should have about 6 cups of cubed squash.
2. Sauté onion in butter in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Stir in sugar until melted.
4. Add bourbon and juice to deglaze the pan.
5. Return to a simmer and add squash.
6. Season with salt.
7. Reduce heat to medium then cook for 15-20 minutes or until squash is tender.
8. Serve warm.
Whipped Dumpling Squash with Praline Topping
Yields 4-6 servings. Recipe is by Teresa B. Day.
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 dumpling squash
1 cup heavy whipping cream
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon + 1 pinch salt
1 cup pecan pieces
½ cup brown sugar
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1. Preheat oven to 425 F. Grease a baking pan with olive oil.
2. Halve the dumpling squash and place flesh side down on the baking pan.
3. Roast squash for 30 minutes or until tender. Reduce oven temperature to 350 F.
4. Scoop out the flesh and discard the peel. You should have about 3-4 cups squash.
5. In a large mixing bowl, whip squash at medium speed. Reduce speed to low and slowly pour in cream.
6. Season with nutmeg and ginger and 1 teaspoon salt while mixing.
7. Once blended, spoon squash into a greased casserole dish and set aside.
8. In a small bowl, stir together pecans, brown sugar, melted butter and pinch of salt.
9. Spread pecan mixture on top of squash.
10. Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes or until the top is browned and bubbly.
11. Allow to sit for about 10 minutes before serving to crisp the topping.