What is your favorite way to eat Delicata Squash?

[nikkic]

I've been looking through some of Kevinpa's posts, but was wondering if any of you have a favorite recipe? I found some yesterday while at the store. Thanks!

[Ann Lytle]

I like to slice and fry in bacon grease with chopped onions like I used to do potatoes. Very good, Sometimes I add some fried bacon pieces. Ann

[Avocat]

Slice in half lengthwise, remove seeds, slice halves into 1/2" crescents, toss with EVOO until coated, spread in a single layer on a baking sheet, season with salt and pepper, bake at 350 until tender (at least 30 minutes depending on your oven).

[Charski]

Originally Posted by Ann Lytle

I like to slice and fry in bacon grease with chopped onions like I used to do potatoes. Very good, Sometimes I add some fried bacon pieces. Ann

Me too, except I dice it small like you would potatoes for hash browns - not shredded, just diced. Plenty of onion, plenty of bacon fat, some garlic salt, panfry til browning. It's so good this way.

I also like to halve lengthwise, scoop out the seeds (roast those, they taste like popcorn!), bake til tender at 375*, cut sides down, then put some butter in the cavity and eat it up.

[nikkic]

Thanks for the replies. Charski, I never knew you could eat the seeds. My husband has been mentioning wanting pop corn for days now. Maybe I can get him to try them. Well, if not, I sure will.

[Charski]

Oh they're really good, nikki. Remove the seeds, rinse, spread on a paper towel to dry. Preheat the oven to 375*. Toss the seeds with just a bit of oil - I like olive oil - and spread out in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with a little bit of salt - I prefer garlic salt, but whatever you like - and pop them in the oven. Check after about 7 or 8 minutes - they will burn quickly if you let them go too long! Stir around and pop back in til they're browned to your liking. Let them cool off or you'll burn your mouth!

Eat them just as they are, no need to remove the outer seed coat.

[dianafoot]

Wow, didn't know about the seeds, but it makes sense since you can eat pumpkin and other kinds of squash seeds. Makes me want to dig them out of last night's compost, lol! Delicata squash are only available here for about 3 weeks in the fall, so I watch for them and snatch them up for my yearly treat. We had them last night. I just split lengthwise, scooped out the seeds, and baked them face-down until soft. Then turned them face up, fluffed up the insides and stirred in some butter and baked a few more minutes until nice and caramelized. DH who isn't particularly wild about winter squash or skin on anything, ate his Delicata skin and all!

[Charski]

That's one of the nice things about that variety - you can eat the skin! I didn't know that at first and spent a horrid amount of time peeling the stupid things to make squash browns, then found out it was a waste of time, next time I just diced and cooked and it was great!

Definitely try those seeds - they're my favorites of all the squashes. I like acorn squash seeds too, even spaghetti squash seeds are yummy roasted up.

[nikkic]

Wow, I didn't know that about not having to peel them. I did last night and was, well, saying a few bad words. So, how do you keep them all year? I would guess freeze them after they are cooked? I really like them, the husband not so much because they are squash and I called it squash. I should have said it was Delecata and left it at that. I made them into a hash like you do Charski and I loved them. Thanks for all the advice everyone.

[Charski]

I haven't tried freezing them, I'd think they'd get pretty watery when defrosted, but it's worth a try!

LOL, yeah, I have to call some things differently so DH will at least try them - i.e., I have this great quiche recipe, but had to call it "cheesy green chile bake" and baked it in a square glass pan instead of a round pie plate, and he LOVED it! A little bit of creative naming goes a long way!

Glad you like the squash browns! I gotta get me some delicata and revisit that recipe.

[nikkic]

I bet your right about the squash being watery. Gosh, I'd sure like to have some later. Guess I'll just have to buy up what I can find.

Your right about the creative naming, lol. I asked him if he liked the squash and he said he could eat it, but wouldn't say it was good. At least there is that. Think I'll mash it next time and make it like loaded potatoes. Thank you for all the help.

[Charski]

The whole squash will last pretty well if you put it in a cool dark storage spot. I have a closet that is perfect for things like that. I usually wrap them very loosely in newspaper (absorbs any excess moisture in the air, which we have plenty of here) and just stick them down low in that closet. I make myself a reminder to check them every couple weeks to make sure they're still good and firm and not going soft on me!

Make sure there are no blemishes that go through the skin and you're good to go.

[nikkic]

Thanks Charski. We have a cold dank basement that is good for that. There's only one store in town that has them and they only have 6, so will pick them up next pay day, if they are still there.

[Heidinem]

We like them too and what a great idea not to peel them!

[Nigel]

Hi there Heidinem,
Long time no hear...lol...you have been missed. You may have been posting but my reading time is limited so I probably missed them...come see us in the veggie forum if you get a chance.

I only bought one delicata squash this year and half of it I roasted with other veggies in the oven and it came out good, but a little on the sweet side for me.
Then I took the other half and made hash browns out of it with some onion added....good, but still too sweet for my taste.

Is there such a thing as a non-sweet winter squash, do anyone know?

[Heidinem]

Nigel, perhaps spaghetti squash would qualify as non sweet. Aldi's is selling all kinds of squash for 39 cents a lb, best I have seen in a long time.

I am so glad to see you out and about again. The illness you recovered from was horrendous. We just don't know what is around the corner.

[nikkic]

Nigel, I was wondering about field pumpkin, not the canned kind, they some times blend other squash with field pumpkin to make it taste better/sweeter. Libby's has their own pumpkin that they developed and it's a sweeter one.

I hope your feeling better, didn't know you were ill, but I don't come to the boards like I use to.

[Nigel]

Originally Posted by nikkic

Nigel, I was wondering about field pumpkin, not the canned kind, they some times blend other squash with field pumpkin to make it taste better/sweeter. Libby's has their own pumpkin that they developed and it's a sweeter one.

I hope your feeling better, didn't know you were ill, but I don't come to the boards like I use to.

Thank you, nikkic.

[Nigel]

Originally Posted by Heidinem

Nigel, perhaps spaghetti squash would qualify as non sweet. Aldi's is selling all kinds of squash for 39 cents a lb, best I have seen in a long time.

I am so glad to see you out and about again. The illness you recovered from was horrendous. We just don't know what is around the corner.

Heidinem, thank you.

[girlscout103]

Hi, i am looking for a simple corned beef hash recipe - fingers crossed

[girlscout103]

Hi, i am looking for a simple corned beef hash recipe - fingers crossed

[rosethorns]

Originally Posted by girlscout103

Hi, i am looking for a simple corned beef hash recipe - fingers crossed

I made corned bee hash with delicate squash , corned beef ( there is a recipe online to cook your own corned beef ) 1/2 onion chopped , 1/2 bell pepper chopped , chopped celery 2 sticks , seasoning to taste . Yum so good .