Squash – The Organic Food Guide

F.O.O.D. Focus on the Organic Difference
vol. 9 December 14, 2018

By Christy Bassett for The Organic Food Guide and NOFA/Mass

During the darkest weeks of the year, when the memories of tender greens and fresh harvests begin to fade, I always crave a heartier vegetable to take their place. This is good, because much of what we have to sustain us throughout the season is winter squash. Each year I seem to discover another variety of this versatile storage crop that I fall in love with. But I always come back to butternut. It is naturally sweet and aromatic, but solid and strong. It is the perfect stand-in veggie for almost any recipe.

This bisque includes an entire roasted hot pepper (I used a fully ripe ghost pepper), which makes for quite a spicy and savory flavor profile. But feel free omit the pepper all together or substitute a few red pepper flakes for a milder, sweeter dish that the whole family can enjoy.

Locally grown butternut has a bright orange hue and strikingly aromatic center.

Sweet and Spicy Butternut Bisque

Ingredients:

3 cups organic butternut squash (about 2 small-medium)

4 cups organic chicken stock

½ cup raw organic cream

1 head organic garlic

3 small organic yellow onions

1 organic hot pepper

Dash of cinnamon

Dash of nutmeg

3 Tbs organic butter

1 tsp organic extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp sea salt

Roasted vegetables create a deeper flavor profile when used in recipes.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut butternut squash in half, length-wise. Remove seeds and membrane. Place cut side down on a baking sheet, pierce skin to allow steam to escape and bake in preheated oven until tender, about 1 hour.
While squash is cooking, you can also roast the garlic, onion and hot pepper. Cut the top 1/4 inch off the head of garlic as well as the onion. Place these as well as the hot pepper on a square of aluminum foil. Drizzle each with olive oil and wrap with surrounding foil. Place in a small baking dish and cook in preheated oven for 45 minutes. After removing from the oven and cooling, gently separate garlic cloves from peel, onion from the skin and the hot pepper from the stem.
Once squash is roasted, remove from oven and allow to cool. Scoop pulp out of shell and place in a blender or food processor. Add chicken stock, garlic cloves, onion, hot pepper, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg and sea salt. Blend until smooth and fully combined. Add cream and blend again.
Heat on the stovetop until desired temperature is reached. Top with a drizzle of organic raw cream and swirl with a skewer for visual interest. Enjoy!

F.O.O.D. Focus on the Organic Difference
vol. 2 10/26/18

By Christy Bassett for The Organic Food Guide and NOFA/Mass

Spiced Squash Seeds

‘Tis the season for sitting by the fire while two halves of a homegrown winter squash bake in the oven. Harvesting the last of the field crops that sit speckled on the ground, after frost has touched and wilted their leaves, feels both heroic and dismal. These final trophies of a full season in the sun, battling uncooperative weather, ravenous rodents, persistent pests and strangling weeds, represent the end of a chapter in the short growing season of New England. Relief. Gratitude. Rest.

We cart the squashes to our root cellars, imagining the full bellies that they will bestow in the cold months ahead. Their sweet flesh is perfect comfort food as a part of family meals, festive gatherings and simple side dishes.

But don’t (you dare) forget about the seeds. Squash seeds are highly nutritious, packing plenty of protein, healthy fat, fiber, antioxidants, iron, zinc and magnesium. They are the perfect crunchy snack to take on a road trip, pack into a picnic lunch, or add as an enhancement to a wholesome soup or salad. And if they’re grown organically, and processed without artificial flavors or preservatives, they can be an extremely healthy replacement for commercial chips or convenience snacks. Try them with sweet or savory spices to compliment your mood.

Acorn squash have especially delicious seeds.

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups organic pumpkin or winter squash seeds

1 Tbs organic leaf lard, melted (or other cooking oil as desired)

1 Tbs organic spices of choice (variety suggestions below)

I used Hillside Herbals “Herb Mix for Dip” along with sea salt for a savory seasoning that really solved my snack cravings.

Flavor Varieties

Salted Herb:

¼ tsp parsley

¼ tsp thyme

½ tsp onion powder

½ tsp garlic powder

1 Tbs Sea Salt

Pumpkin Spice:

1 Tbs organic maple syrup

1 Tbs pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, ginger)

Better (and healthier) than crackers or croutons.

Directions:

Separate seeds from squash pulp and rinse through a strainer. Place clean seeds on a towel to dry overnight, or as long as is needed to remove excess moisture.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Once seeds are dry, place seeds into a large mixing bowl.
Melt leaf lard in a cast iron skillet over medium heat and pour over raw seeds, stirring quickly, as the lard will harden as it touches the cool seeds.
Sprinkle with desired seasoning and stir well to coat all seeds.
Spread seeds in an even layer on a baking sheet, lined with parchment paper.
Bake for 20-30 minutes or until seeds are well toasted, turning once or twice.
Remove from oven and allow to cool. Store in an air tight container.

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