       Earthbound Farm Recipes
Seasonal Food Spotlight  Why Choose Organic? Choose organic winter squash whenever possible. Commercial processors often apply petroleum-based fungicidal waxes to the skin of winter squash to extend shelf life. They’re extremely difficult to remove and are absorbed into the squash’s edible flesh. Choosing organic helps minimize your exposure to these chemicals. Organic is better for the environment, and we think it tastes better, too!
• Butternut and Chevre Tartlettes Winter squash come in a diverse array of rustic colors, shapes, and sizes, but all are uniquely attractive, and all are prized as seasonal ornamental accents as well as delicious additions to autumn and winter menus. “Winter squash” is a generic term for myriad varieties of sturdy, hard-skinned squash such as acorn, butternut, pumpkins, Kabocha, Hubbard, spaghetti, and Delicata. Although they’re commonly eaten as vegetables, squash are actually vining fruits. What is unique to all of them is a hard, indigestible outer skin that surrounds dense, golden-colored flesh peppered with numerous large, flat seeds. Winter squash belongs to the same family as melons, cucumbers, and summer squash — but unlike these soft-fleshed cousins, winter squash cannot be eaten raw. Across the globe, winter squashes are central to the cuisine of many cultures, because they are a rich source of nutrition and will keep for months without refrigeration.  Selecting Winter Squash
Despite their different sizes, shapes, and colors, winter squash generally have a very similar flavor — though their water content, sweetness, and texture will vary from one variety to the next. Although winter squash are available year-round, they’re often tasteless out of season; for best flavor and texture, enjoy them at their peak, from late September through November. Store winter squash in a dry, well-ventilated place, ideally at about 55 degrees F. Warmer temperatures will shorten their storage life but will not destroy their flavor. Once cut, wrap winter squash tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days (don’t refrigerate uncut winter squash). Cooked, puréed squash freezes well and can be frozen up to 3 months. Preparation generally involves peeling the tough skins, which can be an aerobic exercise in itself. If your specimen is very large and awkward to handle, use the microwave to help make cutting and peeling easier and safer. Deeply pierce the squash in several places with a sharp knife (so the squash doesn’t explode), then microwave for 2 to 8 minutes, until it’s just barely cuttable. Make sure you use a very sharp knife with a long enough blade to cut the squash in half or into wedges. Use a spoon or ice cream scoop to remove the seeds and clean out the fibrous strands that surround the seeds. Some recipes don’t require peeling or seeding until after cooking, which makes preparation much easier. Roasting is one of the best cooking methods for winter squash; it concentrates the sweetness of the flesh more than any other technique. Steaming is another option which adds moisture to the drier-fleshed varieties such as Kabocha. Avoid boiling, as it tends to yield waterlogged, bland, or tasteless flesh. As a general rule, it ‘s better to slightly overcook squash rather than undercook it, with the exception of spaghetti or Orangetti squash; overcooking those varieties makes their signature noodle-like strands gummy and mushy.
Delicious and Nutritious Baked or steamed, winter squash is satisfying and low in calories.
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