Monday, November 22, 2010

roasted delicata squash


baked squash with garlic and oil

Have you ever had a delicata squash? Before this fall, I don't think I'd ever seen one, let alone eaten one. When you get strange vegetables in your food co-op share, google is definitely your friend. One quick search gave me the confidence to prepare this unknown veggie.

It turns out that the delicata squash is sweet, and like most other squash, gets nice and soft when you bake it. What makes it a little bit different is that you can actually eat the skin, which doesn't stay tough and chewy, the way pumpkin or acorn squash skin does. That means that once you scrape the seeds out of a delicata squash, you can pretty much eat the whole thing, and it's all delicious.

I've made two delicatas this year. The first time, I just smeared on some butter, sprinkled on some salt and pepper and then roasted it until soft. The second time I got a little more creative, filling the center cavity with olive oil, garlic cloves and basil. This gave it a distinct savory quality that countered its natural sweetness.

If you are a squash fan, the delicata is definitely one worth seeking out!

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