The season of the gourd is upon us once more, my friends.
Here is an objective ranking of the seasons best offerings.
Sure, spaghetti squash isediblewhen smothered in pork fat, cream, and cheese, but what isnt?
Demand more; ban spaghetti squash.
First of all, you shouldmake sweet potato pie instead.
In fact,many producers use non-pumpkin speciesofC.
pepospecifically because [t]hese squash varieties can beless stringyandricher in sweetness and colorthan pumpkin.
(Emphasis mine.)
Incredibly, the non-pie applications of sugar pumpkins are even worse.
I guess youcouldmake pumpkin soup from scratch, but honestly, why on earth would you?
If the autumnal season feels incomplete without hacking up some round, orange gourds, stick to carving pumpkins.
At least those know their place.
I remember excitedly scraping the roasted surface off and pushing the mushy, unseasoned innards around my plate.
Sure, its better than sugar pumpkin or spaghetti squash, but thats an exceedingly low bar to clear.
We can do better.
It caramelizes readily without turning to mush, so high heat400oF, minimumis your friend here.
Its firm flesh also lends itself well to lasagna and layered gratins.
Ive never roasted a butternut squash explicitly for pie filling, but Im not above it.
Deep-fried,tempura-style, is a close second.
Roasted squash is old news, though.
The skin is actually the best part, so dont you dare peel it off.
Roasting is where delicata squash truly shines, but dont count out other preparations.
Truly, theres nothing this squashcantdo, save for pie fillingbut thats why God gave us sweet potatoes.
