How to Cook Hubbard Squash
Most people probably don't even know what a Hubbard squash is. However, it is likely that you have seen them at your local grocers. As a matter of fact, some people buy Hubbard Squash for decorative purposes alone. Nevertheless, they are delicious when cooked properly. Foreign looking, sure, but most varieties of squash are odd looking.
Let's first describe what squash is. It is a variety of fruit or vegetable from the genus cucurbita family. From Zucchini to Acorn Squash to Butternut Squash, these are some of the different varieties. A Hubbard Squash can be grey as in the picture shown. Some are green, but they both have a thick skin and seem to take a while to cook. They can both be cooked the same way and most people generally use them for pies or as a second with meat and poultry. The yellow flesh is moist and will need more time if roasted or sautéed. There are many recipes for cooking squash, but for the purpose of this article, here is just one.
Things you will need, approximate cooking time, 20 minutes for preparation and another hour for roasting in the oven
- Olive Oil (Extra Virgin preferably).
- 1 to 2 medium size onions. (Diced not sliced)
- 2 small garlic cloves. (Chopped fine)
- Salt & pepper. (To taste.)
- Fresh parsley cleaned and finely chopped (a small amount).
- Grated Parmesan cheese.
Most squash are available in different seasons. However, Hubbard Squash is available whenever your grocer decides to stock them. When roasted, this squash is very popular and is eaten year round.
Cleaning and preparing
Once you have peeled and removed all stems and seeds, wash the vegetable meat in cool water and then cut it into cubes. Blanch the vegetables in order to make the meat easier to work with. Blanching is a fancy term for boiling food no more than 3-5 minutes. It will usually give the vegetable a crisp color and make the flesh or flower buds (such as on broccoli or cauliflower) crisper to the taste. Some people like to add a touch of white vinegar.
Cooking and roasting
- Once you have completed the blanching and drained them, set them aside. In another pan, coat the bottom with a tablespoon of oil (extra virgin olive oil is preferred).
- Cut or Dice a medium-sized white or yellow onion into small pieces along with one large clove of garlic.
- Now sauté them until they are brownish in color. Take your Hubbard squash and toss them into the onion mix.
- Cook them for approximately 25 to 35 minutes. If they start to fall apart, remove them from the heat. Remember that you are still going to put them in the oven to roast them, so don't over do it.
- Once the onions and garlic have caramelized in with the squash, put them into a roasting pan. They should still have some toughness in order to survive the heat and roasting process. Check them with a fork. If you find you have over cooked them, don't panic. You can just broil them in the oven in order to give them a crispy taste.
- If you haven't overcooked them, let them roast slowly in the oven for no more than 40 minutes. Once you have pulled them out, toss-in some fresh parsley and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and dig in.
