Winter squashes abound in area markets this time of year. Though they come to maturity by summer’s end, they stay fresh and delicious through the end of winter if stored properly in a cool, dry place such as your pantry or in a cabinet.
Anne BralyThere may not be a more healthful vegetable to enjoy during the cold, dreary months of winter when fresh vegetables are harder to find. Squash are loaded with antioxidants and vitamins, including A, B and C, as well as fiber, folate and potassium, to name a few of the elements that make it a contender for one of the healthiest vegetables on the planet.
And there are so many different squashes from which to choose – acorn, butternut, hubbard, delicata, kabocha, sweet dumpling and buttercup, to name a few. Their shapes may appear more reminiscent of Quasimodo – knobby, mottled and many times misshapen – but therein lies the magic of baking.
Once cooked, winter squash takes on more of a Cinderella appearance, its flesh transforming from stringy to beautifully luscious, perfect for making breads, casseroles, soups – any number of dishes. But it wasn’t until I was flipping through the pages of my new Taste of Home’s “Simple and Delicious Cookbook” that I realized just how versatile this vegetable is.
The cookbook is filled with more than 1,300 recipes, and I want to try every one, but this one first: Winter Squash with Blue Cheese Pasta. If you love blue cheese and pasta as I do, then you’ll understand why you must make this dish. It’s creamy and crunchy, sweet and savory, everything a food needs to make it into your permanent recipe file. I served this with grilled chicken, but it would also make an excellent vegetarian entree if you want to take a break from meat.
Winter Squash and Blue Cheese Pasta
1 package spiral pasta
1 1/2 cups cooked, mashed winter squash (see note), such as acorn or butternut
1 1/4 cups crumbled blue cheese, divided
3/4 cup half-and-half
1 1/2 teaspoons rubbed sage
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 cups fresh baby spinach
1/3 cup toasted walnuts
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water. Return pasta to pot.
In a large saucepan, combine squash, 1 cup blue cheese, half-and-half, sage, salt and pepper; cook and stir over medium heat 4-5 minutes or until heated through. Stir in spinach until wilted.
Add squash mixture to pasta. Toss to combine, adding enough reserved pasta water to moisten. Top with walnuts and remaining blue cheese before serving. Makes 6 servings.
Note: To roast squash, cut squash in half and remove any strings and seeds. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil inside each squash half and brush to coat. Place squash halves, cut side down, on a greased baking sheet. Roast at 350 degrees until squash is very tender when pierced with knife, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Cool slightly. Scoop out squash flesh into bowl and mash until smooth.
PETUNIA’S IS BACK
Virginia Cofer has rolled Petunia’s Silver Jalapeno back into the downtown area, and those who were frequent visitors to the whimsical Airstream-turned-restaurant when it was on Signal Mountain Road will love knowing that it’s back in business.
The same remarkable barbecue creations for which it became so well-known will still be served, only now Petunia’s is on Main Street, parked in the lot adjacent to the building at 400 E. Main St. and next to Adelle’s Ice Cream and Creperie.
I spoke to Virginia recently and she told me the menu is the same, but she’s added jalapeno peppers stuffed with barbecue and cheese and topped with chips. Sounds amazing. And if that’s a little too spicy-sounding for your palate, order the Butt Bowl, a layered dish with barbecue, baked beans and cole slaw all in one. Makes my mouth water just thinking about it.
Contact Anne Braly at abraly@timesfreepress.com.