Local food: Winter squash

If you’re trying to break your sugar habit, but still crave sweet foods, you can't make a better choice than winter squash. It’s definitely sweet, but unlike processed foods made with refined sugar, winter squash brings plenty of nutrients to the table, especially beta carotene, which has been shown to help prevent cancer and type 2 diabetes. Not only that, but winter squashes come in all sorts of cool shapes and sizes. A few weeks ago, I found blue Hubbard squash at our local farm stand and bought one just because the color was so lovely.

Winter squash is different from summer squash. One reason is its tough skin, which allows winter squash to keep for weeks on your kitchen counter, or even longer in a cool pantry. The different varieties are basically interchangeable in recipes, although each one has a subtly unique flavor. I really like Delicata (above), a torpedo-shaped green-and-yellow striped squash with a dense fluffy texture, like a sweet potato.

The easiest way to prepare a winter squash is to cut it in half, scoop out the seeds, and place the halves face down in an oiled pan or one filled with a little water. Bake at 375 degrees until the outer skin of the squash pierces easily with a fork. You can then either scoop out the flesh and mash it, or serve it right in the shell with butter, salt, and a little cinnamon or nutmeg.

There are a gazillion recipes out there for squash soup. I like this one (adapted from Cooking Light magazine) the best of any I’ve tried so far. It’s easy to make and hearty enough to be a main course.

Squash soup

2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cubed into 1/2-inch pieces
2 cups cubed peeled potato
3/4 tsp. salt
2 cups sliced leek (about 2 medium)
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup whole milk or half-and-half
black pepper
chopped chives

Melt butter in a stockpot over medium-high heat. Add squash, potato, and salt to the pot, and saute until vegetables start to soften. Add leeks and saute an additional minute.

Add the broth to pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes, or until potatoes and squash are tender.

Puree using an immersion blender or a jar blender. If you’re using a jar blender, take the center piece out of the blender lid and cover it with a dishtowel instead. This will keep hot soup from splattering all over your kitchen (I learned this the hard way).

Stir in the milk or half-and-half, and reheat gently. Sprinkle each serving with black pepper and chives. Serves 6-8.