Squash and soups - prepping and recipes

[sheryl]

SPAGHETTI SQUASH

 

How on earth do you bake spaghetti squash so it's not so wet and soggy?   Below came from a website (popularpaelo).  I already cut it in half and baked it.  Should have read this first.  So, how can I salvage it?  Maybe separate as best as possible the "spaghetti" and bake on low heat to DRYout?  Then, turn around and use it in a baked pasta dish?   This doesn't make a lot of sense though. I used this baking method once before, recently, and used it in baked pasta.  It can out so incredibly soggy (I added marinara sauce, meat, etc to the dish).

 

Remember that roasting means dry heat envelopes the food and is generally considered to be at a higher temperature like 400°F to 450°F as opposed to baking, which hovers around 325°F to 350°F.  As a rule of thumb, when you roast something you want to ensure that as much surface area of the food is exposed and has equal access to high-heat. Depending on what you roast, you may prefer to season the foods and oil them up for a beautiful brown crust to the exterior, though that won’t apply to spaghetti squash.  Here we need to focus on consistent, high-temp cooking.

 

 

BUTTERNUT SQUASH (winter and other squashes)

 

I have baked butternut ready to go into a blender to make soup tonight for dinner.

 

What is your best recipe?  

 

I was thinking, in addition to squash, the typical pepper.  Does nutmeg or cayenne work better?  Is salt needed?   Instead of cream cheese, I was thinking half and half (I have that).   What do you think?

 

[monstermama]

I made a copycat Panera squash soup over the weekend that was yummy!  She has a few others on there (including one with chipotle that looks good), also.

[cjzimmer1]

If you go into it thinking it will be like spaghetti you will always be disappointed.  It's a vegetable, it's going to have a lot of moisture, it will never have the al dente feel of pasta.  I grew up eating spaghetti squash so I can't say the extra moisture has every bothered me but I guess the best I can offer is drain the dish before serving if there is actual extra liquid pooling, or simply don't bake it till soft.  It will be harder to separate the strands but that is about the only way for it to be firmer and less watery.

[Carol in Cal.]

Butternut makes great soup.

I saute about half as much chopped white onion as squash until almost caramelized, all yellow with about half brown edges, and add a handful of fresh chopped sage and a large dollop of minced garlic, saute for about a minute, then blender with the squash, adding nonfat milk to the desired consistency.  Salt to taste.

 

Sometimes I start baking the squash with garlic cloves filling the 'wells' left by the pits, then mash the roasted garlic with the squash and cook as above.  That's even better. 

[sheryl]

I made a copycat Panera squash soup over the weekend that was yummy!  She has a few others on there (including one with chipotle that looks good), also.

This looks awesome and I'll try to recreate it here shortly.  I don't have pumpkin yet but have most of the ingredients.  Thanks!

[sheryl]

Really the butternut squash is a fruit that is used "like" a veggie.  Even though I don't prepare it often I have served it several times in the past.  The most recent time the recipe turned out soggy and I decided to spend the time, this time, to try to find a solution.  While it's true it's not pasta and won't "hold up" to "al dente" standard, I may try to extract the squash strands and try to bake it for a short time on a low heat to dry out.  Oh well, off to try....    :)  

[SamanthaCarter]

This is my preferred way of cooking spaghetti squash. I cook it, separate it out into strands (just scoop it out with your hands), and put it in a tub in the fridge. It lasts at least a week. I had it refrigerated 10 days last time before I used up the second half of it and it was fine. You can go from there with just about any recipe that involves using separated spaghetti squash. It's not overcooked, but still easy to separate into strands. 

 

http://writes4food.com/2012/09/best-way-to-cook-spaghetti-squash/?doing_wp_cron=1475002728.5702750682830810546875

 

 

 

 

I'd love to find a butternut squash soup that was not too sweet and overly rich with cream and/or cream cheese. Panera is not for me. :(

[redsquirrel]

This is my preferred way of cooking spaghetti squash. I cook it, separate it out into strands (just scoop it out with your hands), and put it in a tub in the fridge. It lasts at least a week. I had it refrigerated 10 days last time before I used up the second half of it and it was fine. You can go from there with just about any recipe that involves using separated spaghetti squash. It's not overcooked, but still easy to separate into strands. 

 

http://writes4food.com/2012/09/best-way-to-cook-spaghetti-squash/?doing_wp_cron=1475002728.5702750682830810546875

 

 

 

 

I'd love to find a butternut squash soup that was not too sweet and overly rich with cream and/or cream cheese. Panera is not for me. :(

 

How about this: sour cream or cheese optional toppers

 

http://cookedmoose.blogspot.com/2011/01/spicy-mexican-squash-stew.html

 

There are also any number of indian butternut or acorn squash soups that are not sweet, but they usually have coconut milk blended in to add some richness..you could leave it out.

 

 

And spaghetti squash doesn't really 'dry out'.  It's not pasta and is just a stringy squash. I love it baked and topped with butter, salt and pepper..but it is what it is. 

[sheryl]

Samantha and Red Squirrel,  thanks for the spaghetti tip.  Red S, that's it I think.  Adding sauce and onions make it too watery - high water content in both.  Maybe then baking and layering with butter, garlic and parmesan, for instance.  Top with a protein.  Is that it?

[Cinder]

I used a recipe that called for cutting the spaghetti squash into rings then coating it with oil before baking it. (It needed to be baked before adding it to the dish.) Well, it worked great ... once I actually got the squash cut. I don't have an electric knife, and I couldn't manage it myself; dh had to do it.

 

Found it--here. This method did make the squash chewier (I think it just dries out a little more) and the recipe was quite delicious.

[Cinder]

Here's a recipe we like for butternut squash:

 

Corn Lover's Vegetable Stew (Dr Ornish)

 

2.5 cups veg broth (we're not vegan so I use chicken broth)

1 onion, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 cups 1-inch cubed butternut squash (can sub other winter squash)

1 16-oz can diced tomatoes

1.25 cups fresh or thawed frozen corn  or 1 15-oz can corn, drained

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 14-oz can hominy (we usually omit this)

1 red or green bellpepper cut into 1" squares (we prefer red)

 

With 1/2 cup broth, cook onions and garlic until soft--about 5 min. Add squash, tomatoes, corn, thyme, salt/pepper & remaining broth. Bring to boil then cover and reduce to simmer for about 10 mins. Add hominy and bellpepper and return to simmer until squash and bellpepper are tender but not mushy, about 10 mins.

[sheryl]

cinder, thanks for the link in post 10.  I read it and am so thankful I did.   it looks like this is a MUCH BETTER method and will be to more of what I'm seeking.  thanks so much!

[Seasider]

I cube the butternut squash and cook it in chicken broth til soft, add some salt and maybe a tad milk or half n half, a shake of white pepper. Blend with stick blender and top each serving with a few little pieces of crystallized (candied) ginger.

 

Technically I guess it's chicken stock I use. It's light and clearish, not like a bone broth. I've also used vegetable stock.

Edited September 28, 2016 by Seasider

[Farrar]

I adore this Foster's Market butternut squash soup recipe:

http://www.fostersmarket.com/recipe/roasted-butternut-squash-soup-with-tomatoes-thyme-and-corn-bread-croutons/

 

But thanks for posting the Panera copycat, Monstermama. I looked for a recipe for one awhile back (maybe a year or so ago?) and didn't find one. I do like that Panera soup. It's super yum. I'm surprised it has curry - there's a good, balanced sweetness to it though, so I guess it makes sense there's a bit of spice for the balance.

[Bluegoat]

I don't find that I ever really like spagetti squash that much.  The best way I have had it I think it was cooked a second time.  And it was served as a veg side in small amounts.

 

I've occasionally had other squash that came out too wet when pureed. Some types are particularly prone though not usually butternut.   Cooking them down can help, or sometimes adding something - making a sort of casserole can work where you add parmesean or breadcrumbs.  In a soup, I might try adding mashed potato.

Edited September 28, 2016 by Bluegoat

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

You know I read that the Instant Pot can do squash! It may have on youtube videos too.