~ food ~
I didn't start liking squash until a few years ago due to an unfortunate incident with spaghetti squash in my youth. Because of that, this is actually the first squash I have prepared myself. That being said, here are a few things I learned about squash.
1) It's easy to peel using a potato peeler rather than a pairing knife
2) It smells oddly like watermelon when it's freshly cut raw. Interesting.
3) It can dye your hands orange. If you ever run out of cheap self-tanner, butternut squash may be a good replacement.
4) You can roast squash seeds just like pumpkin seeds which can be a great addition to your soup.
5) Some people have allergic skin reactions to squash called butternut squash dermatitis which causes a sensation of tightness and numbness, so food handlers beware. I wasn't one of those luckily.
Butternut Squash Soup
1 butternut or winter squash, roasted
1 tablespoon butter
3 cups vegetable stock
1/2 an onion, chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
olive oil
nutmeg to taste (I used about 2 tsp)
salt to taste
pepper to taste
roasted squash seeds (optional)
Directions
Cut squash into 1-2 inch sections, cover with olive oil, salt and pepper, and roast on a pan for 40-50 minutes at 400 degrees. To roast squash seeds, coat with olive oil, place on a cookie sheet and bake at 275 degrees for 15 minutes. Heat butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot and cook onions until transparent. Add squash and vegetable stock, nutmeg, salt and pepper and cook until squash is very soft. Transfer to a blender and cream until smooth. Pour back into the pot on medium low heat and add in heavy cream and roasted squash seeds. Let it heat thoroughly without coming to a boil. Makes 6 servings.