I followed a link from BornFamous to The World’s Healthiest Foods and found they were focusing on beets. Mmmmmmm – love beets, but hate to cook the fresh ones. I know, I know, but canned beets can’t be beat! Hot, cold you name it. Marinated – served on salad with some feta. mmmmmm
Anyway, I ended up here and thought this was really funny
Don’t let their size or hardness of their shell intimidate you. Here are a few tips in cooking with winter squash:
- Winter squash is easily prone to decay, so it is important to carefully inspect it before purchase. Choose ones that are firm, heavy for their size and have dull, not glossy, rinds. The rind should be hard, as soft rinds may indicate that the squash is watery and lacking in flavor. Avoid those with any signs of decay, which manifest as areas that are water-soaked areas or moldy.
- After washing winter squash, cut it in half and remove the seeds and fibrous material in the cavity. Depending upon the recipe preparation, you can either use it peeled or unpeeled.
But they didn’t tell you how to cut the big ones. So here’s my free, unsolicited advice: Don’t cut – drop. Wash off any mud from the outside of the squash and carry that sucker outside. Drop it from shoulder-height onto a sidewalk or driveway. Pick up the big pieces and go inside and cook something delish.
Although I like baked squash a lot, and am fond of a good squash bisque soup, I really really like mashed up squash and that’s super easy to do. Cut up your broken squash into hand-sized pieces and put into a steamer. Steam for 20-30 minutes or until the flesh of the squash is nice and tender. Scoop out of the shell and proceed – mash like potatoes or whatever. doesnt get any easier and it won’t be watery at all. I like to mash it with an old-fashioned masher, adding a little butter, salt and pepper.
Good and good for you!
