Squash and Pumpkins

Winter squash and pumpkins, along with other Cucurbitaceae, are native to America, where their ancestors grew wild as climbers. They are distinguished from summer squash, courgettes, marrows and other relatives by the fact that their fruits are harvested mature and can be stored for several weeks, or in some cases months. Pumpkins are really just a group of winter squashes, normally distinguished by their colour and generally with a lower dry matter, which means they don’t keep as well.

With maize and beans, squash formed a staple of the Native American diet. People seem to be more conservative about their staple starch than they are about exotic fruit, and though squash have made huge strides in popularity, with butternut becoming a year-round feature on supermarket shelves, the nation remains divided on their culinary virtues.

Not many would deny their decorative qualities, and they are one of the few vegetables (they are, in fact, a fruit) that enjoy being stored in the warm, so even if you don’t want to eat them, collect all shapes and sizes and enjoy them in a bowl or on a shelf throughout the winter.

All squashes are intolerant of frost and like a lot of heat and sun, so we don’t plant until May or even June, and choose warm, protected fields to give the crop a fair chance of reaching maturity before the first autumn frost. Unfortunately our climate has put pressure on breeders to select fast-growing, early-maturing hybrid varieties at the expense of flavour. I hate to admit it, but squash imported from more southern climates often taste better than our home-produced versions.

For a while I tried copying the Native American practice of intercropping squash with corn and green beans. It was very rewarding, with all three crops producing virtually a full yield, seemingly without competing with one another. The beans and squash seemed to thrive in the protection afforded by the corn, even though there must have been some shading, and the trio appeared to share water amicably and collectively tolerated drought remarkably well. Sadly, field workers were less enthusiastic about having to tiptoe over the web of squash stems to pick the corn and beans and I was reluctantly obliged to return to conventional mono-cropping to maintain peace and keep a workforce. In a garden, where it may be more important to use land efficiently than time, I would recommend the practice.

Apart from miserable summers and early frosts, the main threat to pumpkins and squash (as with sweetcorn) is badgers. They occasionally punch a hole and scoop out the seeds but more frequently they just roll them around. The scratches their claws make on the skin develop into calloused, cankerous growth as the fruit heal themselves. I used to assume the badgers were just frolicking by moonlight until, returning from the pub one moonlit night, I caught them grubbing intently around in the pumpkin patch and realised they were searching for the worms and slugs that take refuge under the fruit.

There are numerous varieties of squash and the nomenclature gets thoroughly confusing, with the same types sometimes having more than one name even in the UK, and often different names around the globe. We keep experimenting but the varieties below are the ones that seem to perform consistently in our fields and the kitchen.

Pumpkins

In the UK the larger pumpkins are good only for making Jack-o-lanterns, their flesh generally being watery, bland and soapy. Some of the smaller ‘sugar pumpkins’ have firmer flesh and are good roasted or made into soup. Elsewhere in the world I have found large, firm-fleshed varieties that are often sold from markets and shops in segments for cooking. I suspect these varieties need a better summer than we get in the UK.

Pumpkins generally do not store well. The small ones may keep until December if they have had a really good summer to harden their skins but the large ones sometimes struggle to make it to Halloween before collapsing in a smelly mess.

Crown Prince

These satsuma-shaped, pale blue-grey squash (also known as Blue Hubbard or Queensland Blue) are very dense, with deep-orange flesh, and can grow to five kilos. They are the best-tasting, best-keeping, most reliable and highest-yielding squash we have grown. Unfortunately they tend to be too large for the UK market and very hard to peel; you sometimes need an axe to get into them.

Butternut

The best-known squash in the UK, these are buff coloured and elongated, with dense flesh and very few seeds. They are one of the few squash that can be peeled with a vegetable peeler and are therefore the easiest to prepare. Although they can sometimes taste very good, their popularity has attracted the attentions of the plant breeders, who have selected for yield, consistent fruit size and shape, and early maturity. These attributes have come at the expense of flavour, and some of the new varieties look the part but can have watery, soapy flesh. The older and better varieties struggle, in cool years, to ripen in our climate. We do grow a few ourselves, but buy most from a farmer in Provence, whose crop, I reluctantly have to admit, generally tastes much better than ours.

Green onion

Delicious small, green fruits that are either squat or onion-shaped. For all but the largest specimens, peeling is impractical, so they are best roasted in segments and then you can either scoop out the flesh with a spoon or leave your guests to deal with the problem.

Golden (or green) acorn

These yellow/gold, medium-to-small squash are good keepers. Roast in segments, unpeeled, as for green onion squash, above.

Red onion/Uchiki kuri

Small, orange, onion-shaped fruits with a great flavour. Best roasted in segments.

Turk’s Turban

You’ll know it when you see it. Looks great, but not that good to eat. Leave it on the shelf until desperate, or just enjoy its decorative qualities.

Storage and preparation

In the UK climate, the challenge is always to get the fruit fully ripe, with a hard, protective skin, before bringing them into store. We usually find ourselves nervously watching the weather forecast and then bringing them in in a mad rush when the first frost threatens. They must be handled like eggs to avoid damaging the skins and providing an entry point for rots.

Once inside, squash and pumpkin need to be kept somewhere warm and dry, ideally where the temperature never drops below 14°C. The harder-skinned varieties, such as Crown Prince, can sometimes last right through to the following autumn. Once the skin is cut, they should be put in the fridge and used within a week; hence the problem with the larger varieties. Wrapping in cling film is no benefit, in my experience.

With the exception of the thin-skinned butternut squash, peeling is a nightmare. The risk of serious injury can be reduced by cutting the squash in half first, so that at least you can lay it flat and prevent it rolling around whilst you set about the task with a sharp knife. Alternatively, if simply roasting, you can cook them in sections, with the skin on, and leave the problem to your diners. I have to say, this does not go down well in my family. If the recipe requires cooked flesh (e.g. for a risotto), you can roast them in halves and then scoop the flesh out when soft. Never roast a whole squash; it will explode, and if you and your oven survive you will be left with a long cleaning job.

Having halved your squash, which itself is not a job for the fainthearted (I recommend a really heavy knife or a meat cleaver), you can remove the seeds and pulp with a spoon. If the seeds are large and you have the time and inclination, you can sort them from the fibrous pulp and roast them in a moderate oven (about 180°C/Gas Mark 4) in a shallow layer with a little oil and soy sauce to eat as a snack.

Squash and Lentil Soup with Chilli and Fennel Seeds

A simple, satisfying soup for a chilly autumn evening.

Serves 6

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 dried chillies, finely chopped

1 tablespoon ground fennel seeds

200g green lentils

1 medium squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into 1cm cubes

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large pan, add the onion, garlic, chillies and ground fennel seeds and sweat gently for about 5 minutes. Then add the lentils and the diced squash. Cover with water and simmer for about 40 minutes, until both the squash and lentils are tender. Season to taste. The soup can be served like this, or you can blend a cupful of the soup and stir it back into the pan.

Dev-Mex Pumpkin Soup

We hold an annual Pumpkin Day at the farm, when we have up to 2,000 visitors. When we tried this pumpkin soup last year, Russell and Emily, who work in the Field Kitchen, succeeded in turning a random idea into something fabulous. The ingredients list may look long but it is delicious and easy to make. Roasting the pumpkin gives a better result but is not absolutely necessary.

Serves 6–8

1 pumpkin or squash (about 1.5 kg), peeled, deseeded and cut into 2cm cubes

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 onions, finely chopped

¹/₂ teaspoon smoked paprika

3 garlic cloves, crushed

2 red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped

400g can of tomatoes

1 litre chicken or vegetable stock

425g can of red kidney beans, drained

2 cooked corn cobs (see Storage and preparation)

1 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce

juice of 1 lime

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

To garnish:

100g tortilla chips, crushed

75g Jarlsberg cheese, grated

2 tablespoons chopped coriander

1 ripe avocado, peeled, diced and tossed with the juice of 2 limes

Place the pumpkin cubes on a roasting tray and toss them with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and some salt and pepper. Place in an oven preheated to 180°C/Gas Mark 4 and roast for 40 minutes, until slightly coloured.

Meanwhile, heat the rest of the olive oil in a large pan, add the onions and cook for 20 minutes, until tender and slightly caramelised. Stir in the paprika, garlic and chillies and cook for 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, simmer for 15 minutes or until reduced and thick, then stir in the roast pumpkin. Purée with a hand blender, slowly adding the stock until well combined. Bring to the boil and add the kidney beans and the kernels from the corn cobs. Season well, adding chilli sauce and lime juice to taste, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Before serving, add half the garnish ingredients and fold them through the soup, then scatter the rest on top.

Roasted Butternut Squash with Garlic and Chilli

We serve many variations on this salad throughout the year and we always receive requests for it. Sometimes early in the squash season, the flesh tends to be a little dry. Darren, our tour guide, suggested roasting the squash with oiled sliced onions and it seemed to work. Maybe the onions prevented the squash drying out, or perhaps we just used a little more oil!

Serves 6 as a side dish

1 butternut squash

olive oil for drizzling

2 garlic cloves, very finely chopped

1 red chilli, very finely chopped

leaves from 1 sprig of rosemary, very finely chopped

Cut the squash in half lengthways, remove the seeds, then peel and slice it across into pieces about 1cm thick. Place on a roasting tray and drizzle with olive oil. Bake in an oven preheated to 200°C/Gas Mark 6 for about 30 minutes, until the squash is tender. Sprinkle the garlic, red chilli and rosemary over the squash and return it to the oven for 10 minutes, until the garlic and chilli are cooked but not browned.

♦ The roasted squash is delicious used in a salad with dressed salad leaves, cooked Puy lentils and a sprinkling of feta cheese.

Squash Risotto with Fried Sage Leaves

When cooking this risotto, we have found a great method of using all the squash or pumpkin waste – make it into stock. Just put the scooped-out seeds and fibres into a pan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 30 minutes, then strain. This stock can also be used in squash soups for a better colour and flavour.

Serves 6

1 medium squash (about 500g), peeled, deseeded and cut into 1cm cubes

1 tablespoon olive oil

1.5 litres vegetable stock or squash stock

100g butter

1 onion, finely chopped

360g Arborio rice

a splash of white wine or vermouth

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra to serve

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Sage Butter (see Rosemary Garlic Butter), to serve

Toss the squash cubes with the olive oil and some seasoning, spread on a baking tray and roast in an oven preheated to 200°C/Gas Mark 6 for about 20 minutes, until tender and lightly coloured. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Heat up the stock to simmering point in a pan. In a separate large, heavy-based pan, heat 50g of the butter, then add the onion and cook gently for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add the rice and a pinch of salt, stir until well coated in the butter and cook gently for a few minutes. Add half the roast squash and stir gently for 2 minutes. Pour in the white wine or vermouth and simmer until it has been absorbed. Add just enough of the simmering stock to cover the rice and stir well. Keep gradually adding stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring constantly. It’s important to keep the rice at a gentle simmer and allow each addition of stock to be absorbed before adding more. After about 15–18 minutes, when the rice is tender but still has a little bite, remove from the heat and mix in the remaining squash plus the remaining butter and the cheese. Cover and leave to rest for 5 minutes. Then season the risotto to taste and serve with a sprinkling of Parmesan and the Sage Butter.

Easy ideas for squash and pumpkins

♦ Substitute sliced squash for potatoes in the gratin on Basic Potato Gratin.

♦ Cut pumpkin or squash into wedges, toss with salt, pepper, ground cumin and olive oil and roast at 200°C/Gas Mark 6 for about 20 minutes, until tender. Scatter with chopped chilli and garlic, return to the oven for 5 minutes, then drizzle with hummus and scatter with toasted pumpkin seeds and fresh coriander.

♦ Make the shortcrust pastry on For the shortcrust pastry (or substitute bought shortcrust or puff pastry) and roll it out into a circle. Mix 200g roasted squash cubes with a handful of toasted pecans, a little chopped sage, 150g ricotta cheese and some salt and pepper. Spread over the pastry, sprinkle with grated Parmesan and bake at 200°C/Gas Mark 6 for 10–15 minutes.

♦ For a quick sweet and sour pumpkin dish, fry 1cm-thick slices of peeled pumpkin in olive oil until tender and lightly browned. Heat 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar with 1 tablespoon of sugar until the sugar has dissolved, then season with salt and pepper. Pour this over the pumpkin slices and serve sprinkled with chopped mint or coriander.