Do you ever wonder how to cut squash? Are you intimidated by butternut squash? Are you worried that you will end up in the emergency room after attempting to slice open an acorn squash? Did you get a gourd in your CSA box and don’t even know what it is, let alone how to prepare it?! Watch the video below from our friend Kamea Black of Tasty Salty Real to see just how easy it can be to safely cut and prep any winter squash that you receive from your Small Acres farm CSA.
It is best to roast this creamy squash whole. Pop the stem off. Use a knife to create a few slits in the skin to allow steam to exit. Place the entire squash into a baking pan with about two inches of water. Roast. It is done when it takes little effort to cut. Cut it in half and gently remove the seeds by scraping the stringy parts, leaving as much of the flesh as possible. Remove the skin from the flesh. The flesh can be pureed and used in soups, pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, etc.
Although the skin is not as firm as other squash, you will still use a firm cutting technique. Holding the end of the squash firmly, carefully lift the blade of your knife and give the squash a quick smack to sink the knife into place. Apply even pressure until the blade of the knife cuts all the way through. Scoop out the seeds. After roasting for about 25 minutes, comb out the flesh in strings with a fork. Mix with lemon zest and parmesan for a simple gluten-free spaghetti dish.
Delicata squash has very thin, edible skin and firm meaty flesh. Carefully insert the tip of the knife into the skin and use the knife as a lever to cut through lengthwise, avoiding the stem. Scoop out the seeds and stringy bits with a spoon. Each half can be further sliced into half-moon cuts. Half moon cuts can be roasted with oil and salt and served on a salad.
Nutty in flavor, acorn squash can be pureed or stuffed. Pop off the stem. Give the squash a good whack with the blade of a chef’s knife. Just like splitting wood, lift the squash with the knife embedded and strike the squash against the cutting board. This lets the force of the impact rather than your strength to cut through the squash. Scoop out the seeds and bake the halves. Poke it with a fork to determine if the softness is done for eating to your preference. Then it can be filled with whatever toppings you want, like sausage and cheese.
Typically pureed for soups or pumpkin pie. Pop off the stem. It can either be roasted whole by piercing the skin to let the steam out, but it can be easier to scoop out the seeds when the pumpkin is raw. Pierce the pumpkin with the tip of the chefs knife and use leverage to slice down the side of the pumpkin. Remember to let the knife do the work.
A versatile, meaty squash. The thin skin can be easily peeled with a potato peeler. The seeds are concentrated in the bulb of the squash, so if you remove that end then you are left with the seedless portion of the squash. This can be cubed and roasted. Or shave into thin ribbons and flash fry with brown butter and sage. Or cut into matchsticks and put in an air fryer for a crunchy treat.
Generally speaking, all dark skinned squash can be interchanged or mixed in recipes calling for a puree. The puree can be frozen for later use.
Make sure to watch the video all the way to the end for some super cuteness!
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