Butternut squash (Butternut Squash)

Name: lukemillo1

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Product:	Butternut Squash
Date:	02.04.08 (121 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: very good for the body

Disadvantages: n/a

I love butternut squash it is a great food that can be eaten all year round and it will go well with most hot meals.
Butternut squash is becoming one of the most popular and widely available forms of winter squash.

This can be found all across the world in lots of different styles of food it crops up in recipes for stews, pasta dishes, risottos, soups and curries. When baked and mashed you can have it as a substitute for potatoes or mix with potatoes as i do for extra taste and colour.

Looks
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The looks of a butternut squash can be strange you would think that the on that is fatter has the most in it, this is wrong because the bottom of the squash is filled with seeds so when looking for a butternut you want one that has a long neck as there are no seeds there.

History
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Its exact origin is not clear but it is thought that it was eaten in the Americas over 5,000 years ago. It is known to have been cultivated by the Incas in the fifteenth century and remains a very important source of food throughout much of central and South America.

NUTRITION
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Butternut squash is a well-balanced food source that is rich in complex carbohydrates and low in saturated fat and sodium. It is a very good source of vitamins A and C and a good source of beta-carotene, magnesium, manganese, calcium and potassium.

I enjoy eating this about 2-3 times a week and the carotene provides a lot of things that carrots do, this also gives it the slight orange colour. This is protects from sun damage. I roast butternut a lot as I find that it keeps the taste the best so must be keeping most of the good things.

Buying
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When buying you should first look at it if it doesn't look like you shouldn't eat it don't. If you pick it up and f you can push a fingernail into it, it isn't ready and you will lose most of the taste. I was taught that by a seller in South Africa where I first tried it. The weight should be heavier than you think, it comes from the same family as the marrow and that is lighter than you would think it is for the size or the butternut should be heavier. But you should always try to keep to your price range as the weight increases that I have seen in shops also have a steep increase in price.

Storing
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I store this on this of my freezer next to the potatoes and this is a well-ventilated area. They can last for up to 3 months but it is best to eat them a week or so after buying them since you wont no exactly how long they have been on the shelf for.

PREPARING
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BECAREFUL
Since the butternut has a dense flesh and it is an awkward shape this means that the butternut squash requires some sort of skill to get into with out cutting a finger off. Use a large knife or cleaver to make a shallow cut down the length of the squash (curves permitting). Place the blade in the cut and knock the back of the blade (using your hand) until the squash is cut in half lengthways. Scoop out the seeds and any fibrous-strings as these cannot be used (best to dry them if you want to try your hand at growing them yourself.) if you want chunks to roast you should now treat as a potatoes.

I have found that if you want to peel the butternut it is best to put it into the microwave for 2 minutes or until it looks hot then cut it and this is a lot easier just be careful not to burn yourself.

You can bake or boil butternut, I prefer bake as I find that this keeps a lot more of the flavour in, you can treat it as a potatoes but I prefer to cut it into cubes and put it into a bowl and cover in virgin olive oil put some cumin, honey and butter into a microwave able bowl and microwave the 3 ingredients until the butter has melted and stir, then pour over the butternut and it gives a very nice taste.

Price
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Price varies from season to season and size but one that should easily feed 6 costs about £6 I think £1 per person when choosing the butternut.

Summary: A quick insight into the butternut squash