http://www.care2.com/greenliving/winter-squash-and-pumpkins-part-of-the-gourd-family.html
Winter Squash and Pumpkin: Part of the Gourd Family
With Halloween around the corner, it’s time for pumpkins and winter varieties of squash. Both the pumpkin and the squash are members of the gourd family or the Cucurbitaceae family.
While we often hear a lot about cooking with winter squash and pumpkins; this isn’t true of gourds. Gourds are not usually used in cooking or for eating. However, dried gourds are often used for crafting; their hard, durable shells make them great to use as decorations, ornaments, storage containers, or bowls.
Unlike gourds, winter or “hard-shelled” squash, are often used for cooking. They have hard, thick skins and seeds, and are an excellent source of iron and vitamins A and C. Winter squash may be stored for winter consumption, hence the name.
When ripe, winter squash is most commonly used as a table vegetable or in pies. This is because its flesh is usually fine-grained with a mild flavor, and is good for baking. Winter squash varieties range in color from orange to deep yellow and are firmer than summer varieties, which means they have to be cooked longer.
Popular varieties include:
- Acorn squash - (fibrous texture, golden color and sweet taste)
- Butternut squash - (dark golden flesh, creamy texture, and sweet, nutty flavor)
- Hubbard squash - (sweet flavor, grainy texture and golden flesh)
- Spaghetti squash - (separates into strands just like pasta)
Once the seeds are removed, winter squash can be baked, steamed or simmered. Butternut squash is great roasted and pureed for soups, and spaghetti squash is great baked and served like pasta.
When looking for winter squash, choose those that are heavy for their size and have a hard, deep-colored rind and unbroken skin. The hard skin of the squash allows for longer storage so refrigeration is not required. Simply keep the squash in a cool, dark place.
Unlike squash, pumpkins are not usually served as a baked vegetable because its flesh is somewhat coarse and/or strongly flavored. As we all know, they are used mainly as pie filling and as jack-o’-lanterns for Halloween. However, its seeds are a tasty autumn treat, and once roasted, are nutty.
To roast pumpkin seeds, scoop out the seeds, rinse them under water and remove all fibers. Blot the seeds with paper towels, then spread them out to dry for at least 3 hours. Toss with a tablespoon of olive oil and place in a single layer on a heavy baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with salt or grated Parmesan cheese.
Looking for that perfect pumpkin? Select a pumpkin that is ripe has no bruises, cuts or nicks. You can store whole pumpkins at room temperature for up to a month or refrigerate up to three months.
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9 comments
add your comment »Great article! My favourite is the butternut squash.
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I just Love all types of squash, thanks for the helpful recipes.
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I cook with winter squash a lot in the fall. My children are still young, 4 and 6, and instead of carving a pumpkin for them for Halloween I buy them smaller pumpkins and allow them to paint them (which they can actually do, rather than watch). Then, after the holiday has passed we wash off the paint and bake them. Then I puree the meat and put it into mac and cheese, oatmeal, cookies, bread, whatever. They argue over which pumpkin to cook first! They love telling people that it is their pumpkin we are eating! I also ALWAYS roast the seeds of any squash I bake. My method is similar to above, but I don't bother letting them dry at all, and I add some sea salt and bake at only 275 degrees, stirring every 10 minutes until they are done (light brown and crispy), usually around 30-40 minutes. I also put on the convection, so that speeds it up- without it would be around an hour. I have perfected the seed roasting by now :) It is one of our favorite fall evening snacks, replacing popcorn or nuts.
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Gayle -
On the photo at the top of the article there's a large green squash in back, with the dry stem end facing the camera. That's the hubbard. If you google 'hubbard squash photo' you'll get a better pic.
The long orange squash laying left to right is butternut. I think the orange one to its right is a small pumpkin. In the front row on the left, in orange and green, is I believe a carnival (my personal favorite). Center, with the end facing the camera, is a yellow squash with green lines. That's a delicata, which has a very light flavor and is the easiest to sneak past picky eaters. Front row right is an acorn squash.
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Which is the Hubbard? It'd be nice to have a pic w/definition. Otherwise, thanks for article.
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I steam or bake my winter squash WHOLE, then cut and peel it afterward. It is much, much easier than trying to cut into a raw squash. You do not have to fully cook it - steaming for ten minutes softens the outer layer enough to peel easily.
Pumpkin is good for way more than pies. Pureed pumpkin can replace tomatos in stew. Livingwithout.com has a recipe on their site for marinara sauce from pumpkin, beets, and onions, and no tomatos. (Yes, it tastes like marinara.) Diced pumpkin is good in beef soup.
Use smaller pumpkins for eating, as they tend to get stringy and flavorless as they grow larger.
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Thanks for this article. I like these squashes microwaved too.
Also, if you get butternut or spaghetti squash that isn't ripe, it can be stir-fried like zucchini.
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Wonderful article!
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Hi,
Thanks for this informative article. I think that I have came to know a lot of things after reading this article.
sporternährung
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