Welcome to FOOD & FELLOWSHIP: Old & New Recipes from the Green Acre Kitchen. Each week we will share three recipes, both old and new. When the day comes—and it will—that we can sit at a table and break bread together again, perhaps we will all have a few new dishes to share.
Delicata squash is a cultivar of the species Cucurbita pepo which includes acorn, pattypan, spaghetti and summer squashes as well as pumpkin and zucchini. Planted in the spring they are in season in Maine in September and October.
Delicata, as with other squashes, have ancient roots of cultivation in North and Central America. Previous delicata varieties proved susceptible to mildew diseases and almost vanished after the Depression only to recover in the early Twenty-first Century with the development of a disease resistant strain at Cornell University.
Delicata’s tender skin is edible unlike many other types of winter squashes. The seeds can also be eaten after toasting.
Creamy Delicata Squash Soup
Servings per Recipe: 8
This recipe comes from award winning chef Grant Achatz. It’s simplicity allows the delicata’s sweet and delicate flavors to shine. The optional addition of crème fraiche and shaved black truffle add elegance.
INGREDIENTS:
Three 1 lb. delicata squash, halved lengthwise and seeded.
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Salt and pepper to taste
1 small onion,chopped
1 small thyme sprig
1⅓ cups heavy cream
¼ cup crème fraiche (optional)
1 small black truffle, shaved (optional) or drizzle of truffle oil
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 300 F degrees.
Place squash, cut side up on a foil lined rimmed baking sheet. Add ⅛ teaspoon of butter to each squash and season with salt and pepper. Add ½ inch of water to the baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes.
In large saucepan, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and cook onion and thyme until onion is softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Scrape out flesh of squash into saucepan and add stock and heavy cream. Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced by ¼, about 20 minutes.
Puree the soup in batches in blender or food processor. Strain into clean saucepan and season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and garnish with crème fraiche and truffle.
Thai Delicata Squash Soup
Servings per Recipe: 2
Here’s an easy flavorful soup with a minimal number of ingredients.
INGREDIENTS:
1 delicata squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
½ red onion, chopped
1 inch of ginger, peeled and grated
2½ teaspoons green Thai curry paste
3 cups vegetable or chicken broth
3 tablespoons coconut milk
2 thin lime wedges
¼ cup cilantro leaves
Optional garnish: pepitas (toasted pumpkin seeds), crushed cashews, crushed peanuts
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350 F
Lightly oil the squash halves and place cut side down on a small lined roasting pan. Roast at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Check at 30 minutes to make sure it is browning but not burning. Test by piercing with knife to check for doneness. Knife should go into squash with no resistance. Let cool.
At medium heat sauté onions in saucepan in coconut oil until light brown, about 12 minutes. Add ginger and curry paste, cook and stir for 2 minutes, add broth.
Scoop the flesh from the squash and put into saucepan. Bring the contents to slow boil and stir until reduced by a quarter, about 10 minutes.
Allow soup to cool slightly and add to processor or blender. Blend until smooth. Process the soup in 2 batches to be safe, pouring blended soup back into rinsed saucepan and reheat to desired temperature.
Ladle soup into 2 bowls. Squeeze lime over soups, drizzle with coconut milk. Sprinkle on cilantro leaves and add garnish of your choosing.
Simple Roasted Delicata Squash
Servings per Recipe: 2
This is a very versatile recipe. Consider adding fresh herbs such as thyme, rosemary or sage, or toss with a teaspoon of maple syrup to sweeten things up.
INGREDIENTS:
1 delicata squash
2 teaspoons olive oil or coconut oil
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
DIRECTIONS:
Heat oven to 425 F
Scrub the outside of the squash and cut the ends off. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Cut the halves into 1/2-inch slices, trying to keep all the slices consistent in thickness. Toss the slices with olive oil. Spread onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet in a single layer and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Place in preheated oven and roast for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Gently turn the squash halfway through baking.