Kabocha Squash and Pork Stir Fry

Another recipe that ticked all the boxes for "sounds like I'd like this" (savory ground pork, sweet kabocha squash, Japanese style flavorings). I was a little worried the squash wouldn't get fully cooked but as long as you slice it thinly enough it shouldn't be a problem.

Verdict: I loved it (good sweet-salty-savory combination) and would definitely make it again.

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RECIPE: Kabocha Pork Stir-Fry (Namiko Chen, Just One Cookbook)

Squash Toasts with Ricotta and Apple Cider Vinegar

I wanted to try a new way of preparing winter squash and I also had a lot of ricotta cheese on hand, so I decided to make this, even despite my misgivings about cooking vinegar into it.

Notes:

• I used buttercup/kabocha squash.
• I only used 3 tablespoons of maple syrup because I greatly prefer savory preparations of winter squash to sweet ones.
  
• I didn't have any fresh mint so I skipped it.

Verdict: I did enjoy it (yes, even with the vinegar cooked in!) but I will make less next time if I'm the only one eating it. I was getting sick of it by the 4th round.

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RECIPE: Squash Toasts with Ricotta and Cider Vinegar (Smitten Kitchen)

Roasted Squash and Tofu with Ginger

This recipe drew my attention because I had all the ingredients already, and one of my favorite Thai dishes combines squash and tofu, so I really wanted to give this a try. We served it with rice.

Notes:

• I used dried powdered ginger (about 1/2 tsp) instead of fresh, and black sesame seeds instead of white, because it's what I had.
• Next time I want to make this with buttercup/kabocha squash (my favorite winter squash).
  

Verdict: The sauce burned a little (honey always seems to do this) and was a little difficult to clean up because it ran off my foil, but this tasted really good! I would definitely make this again.

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RECIPE: Roasted Squash and Tofu with Ginger (Smitten Kitchen)

Kabocha Squash Soup

Every time I make this soup I end up making it a different way because I can't remember which recipe I used. This time I went with the one from Just One Cookbook because I have liked pretty much every recipe of theirs that I've tried.

Notes:

• I felt like removing and roasting the seeds from the squash to garnish the soup. Remove as much of the pulp as you can from them (some rinses in water and rubbing with dry paper towels seems to help), then place on a foil lined baking sheet in a single layer, sprinkle salt on top, and roast for about 25-30 minutes, stirring once midway through cooking.
• You can make this soup vegetarian by using vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.
  

Verdict: While this was good, I think I prefer squash soup without milk and cream. The texture of kabocha/buttercup squash works nicely to make a creamy textured soup all on its own. That said, I do like the really clean and simple flavor. Leave it to a Japanese style recipe for that :)

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RECIPE: Kabocha Squash Soup

Acorn Squash with Herbs and Parmesan

I was recently introduced to Carnival squash, which is a lot like acorn squash but is a little sweeter and colored differently on the outside. But since I haven't eaten acorn squash much either, I went looking for recipes to make with it, and settled on this.

Notes:

• I used olive oil instead of ghee/butter.
  
• The second time I made it, the skin took on a really unappetizing texture (might depend on how fresh/large your squash is; this one was kind of big and had a more stringy texture compared to the one I used the first time). I peeled the cooked slices, threw away the skins and mashed the flesh to eat instead. Yum.
  

Verdict: I loved it and would absolutely make it again.

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RECIPE: Herb-Roasted Parmesan Acorn Squash

Winter Squash and Mushroom Goulash with Spaetzle

This recipe comes to me from Sophie, someone my husband and his band became acquainted with when they had a joint metal music and burlesque show in Vienna during their recent tour in Europe. She and her significant other put them up for the night and made them this really delicious dinner. I did not attend this particular show of theirs because I was not in Europe yet, but my husband raved about how good this meal was. She gave him a basic recipe, which did not include precise amounts for most things but she described the process in great detail so that I might be able to make something similar. It sounds like she makes this mostly by feel, which is a good sign. Sophie's recipe originally comes from her grandfather. :)

The below is what I have put together based on her description and looking at other goulash recipes.

Notes:

• The finished consistency should be like a cream soup. I ended up mixing about 1 tbsp all purpose flour with 1 tbsp water and then mixing that into the soup toward the end, letting it cook for about 5 minutes to cook away the flour taste.
• I recommend kabocha/buttercup squash because I like its flavor but you can also use butternut or red kuri squash.
• Hungarian hot paprika paste (Erős Pista) is a solidly medium-spicy red pepper paste. If you don't like spicy food, you can use Édes Anna (mild paprika paste) instead, or a mix of both. I used 1/2 tbsp of each because I had them both, and it was about as spicy as I would want it to be for my mild-end-of-medium spice tolerance.
• The spaetzle pictured above were the very first I ever made in my entire life and I realize now the "dough" should have been a little more like a batter (mine was thick enough to cut off individual distinct pieces). I have not personally tried the methods I write below but I plan to when I make spaetzle again.

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RECIPE:

Winter Squash and Mushroom Goulash with Spaetzle
adapted from Sophie and her grandfather, and methods from Frau Lutz and Food Wishes
Serves 4

Goulash
1.25 lb (575 g) kabocha or other winter squash (about 1/2 large squash, about 2 1/2 cups peeled and chopped)
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 tbsp butter
1 medium onion, chopped (about 6 oz/170 g)
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz (230 g) white button mushrooms, halved
1 bell pepper, any color you like, chopped
1 tbsp hot paprika paste (Erős Pista), or to taste
4 cups (1 L) vegetable stock
1 tbsp all-purpose flour mixed with 1 tbsp water (to thicken, if needed)
Sour cream, for serving

Spaetzle
250 g all-purpose flour
3 large eggs
50 ml water (or more as needed)

Prepare squash: Heat oven to 400°F. Cut squash in half and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Peel squash if desired and cut into 1-inch cubes. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl until well coated. Spread in a single layer onto a baking sheet lined with foil. Place in oven. Roast for about 25 minutes or until the pieces can easily be pierced with a fork and are beginning to brown. While squash is roasting, prepare goulash. When squash is done, remove from oven and set aside.

Make goulash: Heat butter in a saucepan or soup pot on medium heat. When butter melts and foams, add garlic and onion and saute until translucent. Add mushrooms and bell peppers, and continue to saute, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms and peppers have softened, about 7-10 minutes. Add stock and hot paprika paste, and mix until paprika paste has been incorporated. Raise heat to high and let the pot come to a boil. Reduce heat to low, add squash cubes to the pot and mix gently to combine. Simmer for at least 30 minutes (more time will not hurt) uncovered over low to medium heat. While goulash simmers, prepare spaetzle. If needed, add flour mixed with water to thicken and let simmer for several minutes after adding.

Make spaetzle: Fill a wide pot with about 3 inches of water and place on the stove over high heat to boil. Put flour in a medium bowl. Make a well in the center and add eggs and water. Mix with a whisk or fork until all the flour is incorporated and smooth. It will be a thick batter. If you have a spaetzle press and know what to do with it this would be a great time to use it, but if not you can use a cutting board and knife, or a grater with 1/4 inch holes and a large spoon. If you're using a board and knife, it should be able to pile and hold its shape for a short time. If you're using a grater, the batter should be thick enough to not drip through the holes until you push it through. Boil until the spaetzle float to the top, then scoop them out with a slotted spoon to drain off the water, and place in a dry bowl.

To serve: Place your desired amount of spaetzle into a soup bowl and ladle the goulash onto the top.

Sweet and Savory Simmered Kabocha Squash

This is a recipe I first ate in Japan and squash is one of my favorite vegetables in nimono (simmered) dishes. In this one, squash is simmered in a sweet and savory dashi-soy sauce broth and it works really wonderfully with the squash's sweet flavor and soft, smooth texture.

I have tried to make this dish several times since coming home from studying abroad and it's never turned out quite as good as my host mom's. One time I translated a recipe from a Japanese cookbook and that went OK but not great. I tried Amy Kaneko's recipe from her book Let's Cook Japanese Food! and that had good results if I remember right (it's her Japanese father-in-law's recipe!) but I thought I'd give Just One Cookbook's recipe a try as well since I've had good luck with her recipes.

Notes:

• I think leaving the skin on is the way to go. The squash gets quite soft during the cooking process and the skin helps hold it together and prevent it from completely disintegrating. I've peeled the squash completely before and the pieces stayed much more intact.
• I do not have a proper otoshibuta (drop lid) and my foil ones in the past haven't turned out quite right. I used a clean regular pot lid that fit just inside the cooking pan and rested it on the surface of the food as it cooked. This didn't work well and I don't recommend it (see below).

Verdict: It was kind of bland but I think that's because I didn't cook it right. Overall I'm not sure I did the drop-lid thing right and less liquid evaporated during cooking than was supposed to, and that's why it turned out kind of bland. After it was done cooking and I realized it was too watery, I removed the squash from the pan and reduced the cooking liquid, and once cooled poured it over the squash and let it sit overnight in the fridge. It was not quite as good as if I had cooked it correctly, but it was much more enjoyable to eat than right after it was cooked.

RECIPE: Simmered Kabocha Squash

Winter Squash Galette with Caramelized Onions and Feta

This recipe, like a number of the ones on this site and in my regular rotation, comes from Smitten Kitchen (Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Galette) and to me via my friend Sarah. This is another thing that often pops up in tae kwon do dinners because it is vegetarian and it's easy to scale up to feed a crowd.

Though it is a bit time consuming and labor intensive, the result is well worth the effort. Any recipe that gets my husband to help me eat a winter squash is double good because they're pretty big for just one person. :)

Substitutions/variations

I have made it on my own maybe 3 or 4 times now.

• The recipe originally calls for butternut squash. I vastly prefer kabocha squash (also known as buttercup squash) so I use that instead. It is less stringy and has less of that weird cloying squashy flavor and a little more sweetness. I think I used red kuri squash once and that was also tasty.
• While a nice melty cheese in the filling is good, I think I like the saltiness of feta. A good mozzarella cheese would probably give the best of both worlds. I used hunks of goat cheese once, which was also good.
• I add some shredded Parmesan to keep some of the "stinky cheese" vibe Deb wanted to imbue.
• Plain Greek yogurt works really well in the crust.
• I don't chill the bowls for the crust for an hour. Just make sure your butter is really cold and you're fine. Pretty sure this was written before she had children when she had 3 hours to make pie dough.
• I also put the dough in the freezer to chill it faster if I'm in a hurry. Just don't leave it in there for too long or it will get too hard. I happen to have the world's largest home microwave and it has a gentle "soften" setting to defrost this dough without wrecking it, but if your microwave is more ham-handed with defrosting foods, you may just need to wait it out at room temperature if it gets too cold.

RECIPE: Squash and Caramelized Onion Galette