Halloween : Warming Up Winter Squash

“Yuck,” she said as the squash was placed on the table. “I don’t like that stuff.”

“Just three bites,” the mother coaxed. “Then if you still feel that way, you don’t have to eat the rest.”

She frowned and hesitated, but sank her fork into the soft golden flesh. With trepidation, she lifted it to her mouth, then took a bite. She smiled. “It’s actually good when you cook it like this,” she said.

That’s how I learned to eat acorn squash--the cavity filled with melted butter and brown sugar. And that’s the way I still enjoy it.

Acorn squash, like all squashes, is a member of the gourd family. We call the Old-World cousins “gourds”; the New-World vegetables get their name from the Algonquian-speaking peoples of the Northeast, who called them askutasquash.

Although many varieties are available all year, these vegetables are often designated as either summer or winter varieties. Summer varieties have soft, edible skin and may be eaten raw. Winter squash have hard shells. Only the flesh is edible, and it must first be cooked.

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From large to small, all winter varieties are similarly prepared. Acorn, one of the smallest of the common types, has a large-enough seed cavity that halves make excellent edible vessels for stuffing.

The deeply furrowed outer shell is traditionally dark green, but it may also be golden or streaked with gold. Inside, all types have bright-golden orange flesh that is sweet and slightly fibrous.

Select acorn squash that are weighty for their size (one to two pounds) and free from bruising and cracks. Uncut squash may be stored in a cool, dry, dark and well-ventilated place for up to two months.

After washing and drying squash, use a chef’s knife to cut it lengthwise in half (Step 1). Scoop out the seeds and stringy fibers with a metal spoon (Step 2).

Place the squash halves, cut-side-down, in a baking dish and pour about 1/4 inch of water (Step 3) into the bottom of the dish. Bake at 375 degrees for about an hour, or until the squash can easily be pierced with a fork.

The squash halves may also be wrapped in heavy-duty foil (Step 4) and baked 45 minutes or until fork tender. After removing from the oven, cut a thin slice from the bottom of each half (Step 5), so the squash will sit firmly when turned over.

Spoon brown sugar and butter into the cavities (Step 6) and return to the oven for 15 minutes or until the mixture melts. Other filling ideas: any type of bread stuffing; creamed oysters, chicken, or mushrooms; chipped beef or hash.