If there's an autumn vegetable guaranteed to make me behave like a child in a sweetshop, it's squash. (OK, it's technically a fruit, but bear with me.) Present me with even a modest display of different varieties, with their panoply of oranges, blue-greys and muted mottled greens, as well as their variously lovely forms, and my eyes start gleaming. Whenever I find squashes for sale, Itend to buy far more than I need, but their amazing staying power (they'll keep happily for weeks, if not months) is just one of their many charms.
As autumn progresses, these glowing members of the cucurbit family (they're cousins of cucumbers and melons) become increasingly abundant. I never tire of them, and I'll cook with them several times aweek until the supply runs out in early spring. I'll be rustling up old favourites – whole pumpkin baked with cream; squash and sage risotto – and trying out new ones too, be that baking squash in a cake, making it the star turn in a tart or crushing it into a herby, buttery purée.
Squashes and pumpkins do need abit of work – sometimes the force required to make the initial breach through that thick skin is frankly brutal; and after that there's a fair bit of seed-scooping and chopping –but that doesn't put me off. I'd happily expend twice the time and energy needed to get to my goal: the incomparable flavour of roasted, caramelised squash flesh developing on my tongue. Or velvety, sage-and-garlicky squash soup cosseting my throat. Or parmesan-dusted squash ravioli yielding beneath my fork…
The distinction between a squash and a pumpkin is not entirely clear, but, to quote my friend and veg patch expert Mark Diacono, "Squash are almost always delicious... pumpkins are generally orange." I'd have no compunction about sampling any squash you put in front of me, but I'd want to know more about a pumpkin, because many are developed for size, not flavour. As a general rule, be suspicious of anything larger than a melon, particularly in the run-up to Halloween. The larger the pumpkin, the more likely it will be flavourless, fibrous and watery.
Bell-shaped, parchment-coloured butternuts are the ubiquitous squashes in the UK, but for most of the year they'll be imported. To me, eating squash in summer feels wrong even before I start thinking about food miles, so Istick to the native season: they're harvested from September to November and can last through to February or March.
Don't limit yourself to butternuts, though. I love the beautifully fluted, dark green acorn squash, the sweet and delicious onion or uchiki kuri squash and the round kabocha. The ghostly, blue/grey-skinned crown prince is a real favourite and a great all-rounder, while sweet mama lives up to its name. And small, round gem squashes are perfect for baking whole, the middles hollowed out and filled with bacon or cheese withnuts and herbs.
Squashes are easy to grow – though they take up a fair bit of space – and seeds are easy to save, so if you ever find yourself eating asquash that makes you think, "Yes, this is the squash for me", it's time to start rummaging in the bin or compost for its seeds. Just let them dry out in a warm place and save for sowing in May the next year.
Varieties differ in flavour and texture, but I'm not one for specifying particular varieties for particular recipes – you can make asuperb soup or pasta dish with any variety (with the exception of spaghetti squash, which breaks up into noodle-like strands when cooked). They can all be roasted, too, cut into wedges, skin-on, sloshed generously with olive oil, partnered with a few bashed garlic cloves, and sprinkled with salt, pepper, chilli flakes and afew herbs such as bay, sage or thyme. Regardless of the squash you started with, take this approach and it will be hard not to produce a dish of glorious colour and deep flavours that will partner anything from pork chops or grilled fish to a bowl of salad leaves and adish of lentils. Squashes are luscious, so grab 'em while you can.
Pumpkin and raisin tea loaf
Grated pumpkin or squash works just as well as carrot in a cake, making for a sweet, moist result. This delicious loaf is also made without any oil or butter. Makes 12generous slices.
200g light muscovado sugar
4 large eggs, separated
200g finely grated raw squash flesh
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
100g raisins
100g ground almonds
200g self-raising flour
Pinch of salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Generous grating of fresh nutmeg
Heat the oven to 170C/335F/gas mark 3 and line a 10cm x 20cm loaf tin with baking parchment. Use an electric whisk to beat the sugar and egg yolks for two to three minutes, until pale and creamy. Lightly stir in the pumpkin, lemon zest and juice, raisins and almonds. Combine the flour, salt and spices, sift these in, then fold them in. Beat the egg whites until they hold soft peaks. Beat a heaped tablespoonful of egg white into the batter to loosen it, then fold in the rest as gently as you can.
Tip into the prepared tin and level the top. Bake for about an hour, until a skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool for 10 minutes in the tin, than transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Squash, shallot and mushroom tart
This glorious, golden, autumnal supper is very easy to put together. If you don't want to take the pastry route, give the roast squash, shallot and mushroom mix a little longer in the oven and serve on a bed of leaves as a delicious salad, dressed with a little more oil and a trickle of good balsamic vinegar. Serves four.
350g peeled, deseeded squash flesh, cut into 1cm-thick chunky slices
175g shallots, peeled and cut into halves or quarters
2 tbsp olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground blackpepper
A few rosemary and/or thyme sprigs
150g large, firm mushrooms, thicklysliced
1 sheet ready-rolled all-butter puffpastry
100g washed-rind cheese (stinking bishop, ogleshield or taleggio)
Heat the oven to 190C/375F/gas mark 5. Put the squash and shallots on alarge baking tray. Pour over the oil, season and scatter on the herbs. Roast for 30 minutes, stir in the mushrooms and cook for 20 minutes more, until everything is cooked and starting to caramelise (don't let it colour too much, because it will be cooked further later on).
Turn up the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6. Tip the veg into a dish. Lay the pastry sheet on the tray and score a border 2cm in all around the edge; don't cut right through. Spread the veg over the pastry, leaving the border clear. Slice the cheese thickly and arrange on top. Add more herbs and seasoning, and bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown and bubbling. Serve with a salad of bitter or peppery leaves to balance the sweet squash and shallots.
Pappardelle with squash and sage
The classic Italian combo of squash, sage and pasta is very hard to beat, but the crunch of walnuts is a lovely addition. Serves four.
About 750g squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into 2-3cm cubes
4-6 fat garlic cloves, skin on, lightly squashed
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tbsp rapeseed or olive oil
75g walnuts, very roughly chopped (optional)
250g pappardelle (or other pasta)
50g unsalted butter
15-20 sage leaves, cut into ribbons
Finely grated parmesan or hard goat's cheese, to serve
Heat the oven to 190C/375F/gas mark 5. Put the squash in a roasting tin, add the garlic and some salt and pepper, trickle over the oil and toss together. Roast for 45 minutes, stirring once or twice during cooking, until the squash is completely soft and starting to caramelise. Add the nuts for the last 10 minutes, taking care they don't burn.
When the squash is about halfway cooked, bring a large pan of water to a boil, salt it well and add the pasta. Cook for the time suggested on the packet, then drain. While the pasta is cooking, heat the butter very gently in a small pan. When foaming, add the sage and cook over a low heat, without letting the butter brown, for three minutes. Turn off the heat.
Toss the sage butter, the hot squash and walnuts into the pasta –add any pan juices, too, as well as the garlic, provided it's not too burned. Season to taste and transfer to warmed dishes. Finish with more pepper and serve with parmesan for people to help themselves.
