Kabocha squash?

Epicurean Exploits - Food and Recipes
1

Never cooked one before.
Preparation?
Recipes?
Serving suggestions?
All ideas appreciated.

2

Treat like you would just about any winter squash. Roast it and have it that way, turn it into soup, use it in risotto, ravioli, gnocchi, etc.

3

The flesh will be a little sweeter than a butternut and significantly sweeter than an acorn squash. They can make lovely soups with that sweetness.

But I just used one in this recipe for Thanksgiving, and it was excellent and made for a neat presentation too.

4

They have a bit of a a grainy texture but the flavor is awsome. My favorite way to make them is the make a tempura of them and then pour a curry sauce or an herb alioli on top when serving.

They also make a good side dish when mashed.

5

That sounds delicious! [cheers.gif]

6

I make them several times each season.

Place on a baking sheet or metal pie pan in 375-400F oven. After about 30 minutes, as flesh starts to soften, pierce the skin in several locations with a carving fork. This allows the steam to vent, giving a better interior texture. After another 20-25 minutes, it will be done. Let it cool 15-20 minutes, then cut the top off with about 2" margin around the stem. Scoop out seeds with a large spoon.

You can either spoon out the flesh to serve as is, or use the flesh in soup, etc.

7

peeled chunked and partially cooked by steaming, I make Thai curry with them.

8

This is my mama’s favorite squash, so I grew up eating them in mostly Asian preparations: stir fried with beef, tempura, and most of the time it was simply cubed and simmered with chicken stock, pork riblets, and shiitake mushrooms for a warming and delicious soup. I now make the soup whenever I’m homesick.

I love the sweetness of this squash and the firmness of the flesh, so I often substitute it for butternut or pumpkin in many recipes.

9

Cut into 1" cubes, add chickpeas and toss with olive oil, cardamom, tumeric, cumin, paprika, salt, pepper and cayenne. Spread on a baking sheet and roast at 375 or so for an hour. Serve with yogurt with lemon juice and cilantro. The contrast in textures of the squash and peas is fantastic and so is the sweetness of the squash vs the spiciness of the curry. This is one of the few vegetarian things I can eat for dinner that doesn’t leave me wanting for meat…

10

Here is a Kabocha stuffed “with everything good”

In this case an “Arabic lamb stew”