An under rated vegetable (Butternut Squash)

Member Name: jodyv

Product:	Butternut Squash
Date:	27/03/09 (36 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Versatile

Disadvantages: Peeling is a pain

I knew of the butternut squash and had seen it on the Marks and Spencer adverts featured in a Risotto, but I hadn't tasted it more than once until recently...

I bought a squash from Tesco, medium size for about £1.30. It proceeded to sit in the fridge for a couple of weeks until I finally decided to put it to use. The great thing about squash is it keeps very well in the fridge, especially if you haven't cut into it.

Preparing the squash is quite simple; give it a good peel untill the orange flesh can be seen, chop and scoop out the seeds from the larger part. Chop into pieces depending on what you're doing with it.

My first recipe was the Risotto which had been seen on t.v... I roasted the squash with some dried chilli, garlic and seasoning. This was my first mistake; by the time the squash was cooked, the garlic was burnt and tasted awful. While the squash was roasting in the oven, I cooked up the Risotto with onions, more garlic and mushrooms. Once the Risotto was ready, I added Grand Padano cheese and mixed in the squash. Thsi turned the entire dish into a different colour, and also made the entire dish taste of squash.

It tasted delicious, minus the burnt garlic. I have since cooked it again without the garlic in the roasting dish and it goes down a treat!

Other recipes I've tried include Vegetable Gratin with Squash and Spinach, Thai Curry, Thai One Pot, Honey Glazed Squash and more... Squash is very versatile and is a great addition to a spicy meal due to its sweet taste. I've cooked it with sweet potato before, but I found the overall taste was a bit excessive.

Summary: You can add squash to loads of dishes....give it a try!