Recipe - Vegetable: Summer Squash Varieties And Descr

VARIETIES OF WINTER SQUASH

BANANA: Long, cylindrical shape with pointed ends. Somewhat wrinkled skin.
Pale orange to creamy white shell. Hearty squash flavor. Microcook quarters
in a little water, covered, on high power for about 12 minutes. Microcook
1" cubes the same way for about 6 min. Let stand 5 min. after cooking.

BUTTERCUP:Dark green with grayish stripes or flecks. Shape is a flattened
round with a turban shape on top. Orange flesh. Weights 3 to 5 lbs. Some
what dry but sweet meat. Place halves cut side down in dish with One fourth cup
water, cover and microcook on high for 811 min. Test for doneness, if
nearly done, cover and let stand for 510 min. before serving. Cook chunks
as for Banana squash. This squash takes well to glazing after baking, also
mashing and pureeing for other dishes.

BUTTERNUT (AFRICAN BELL):Large cylindrical shape, tan colour. Squash has
bulbous end. Deep orange flesh. Sweet, rich squash flavour. See Banana
squash. Good stuffed or glazed like sweet potatoes.

DELICATA (SWEET POTATO, BOHEMIAN SQUASH): Has elongated shape with
longitudinal grooves. Green and tanstriped skin. Very tender yellow flesh.
Mild, slightly sweet, cornlike flavour. Microcook rings or chunks in 1/4
cup water, in a covered dish about 57 min.; let stand 5 min. Or place
halves cut side up in covered dish with One fourth cup water, cook 710 min.
rotating once. Let stand 5 min.

GOLDEN NUGGET: Small orange round; hard shell with ridges. Resembles a tiny
pumpkin. Slightly sweet, true squash flavour. Cook as for Buttercup squash.
Enjoy with butter and a bit of brown sugar, or stuffed with meat mixtures
or cheeses, or poultry stuffing.

HUBBARD: Skin can be golden, bluegray, or green in colour. Golden hubbard
is salmonorange. Usually rounded at the center and tapered at ends. Sweet,
rich squash flavour. Cook as Banana squash. Glaze, or puree for use in
other dishes (if texture is not watery). Also good mixed with poultry
stuffing.

KABOCHA: A Japanese variety of squash with a pale greengray shell;
flattened ball shapes. Golden flesh, rich squash flavour. Cook as for
Buttercup squash. Takes well to stuffings, glazes and mashed or pureed
mixtures.

MEDITERRANEAN: It looks like a jumbo Butternut, but internal texture
resembles that of Spaghetti squash. Sweet flavoured. Cook as for Delicata
squash. Bake and stuff with vegetables or cheese. Pulp is sweet enough for
pies.

SPAGHETTI: Between a winter and summer squash, with a semisoft bright
yellow shell and stringy yellow interior that separates into spaghetti like
strands when cooked. Sweet, mild, crunchy flavour. Cook as for Delicata
squash. Then take two forks and scrape interior it will separate into
"spaghetti". Excellent with a white or tomato sauce, or tossed with butter
and herbs. Blend into stir fry mixtures or chill the leftovers to toss into
a salad.

SWEET DUMPLING: A small pumpkinshaped squash, with a streaked white and
green colored hard shell. Orangeyellow flesh. Naturally sweettasting
flesh. Cook as for Buttercup squash. Excellent for just one or two
servings. The shell is hollow enough to hold stuffing for one. Stuff, with
cooked dried fruit or apples, top with cheese and nuts and run under the
broiler.

TABLE QUEEN, GREEN AND GOLD (ACORN, DESMOINES, DANISH): Acornshaped with
green to yellowgold skin, with deep furrows. Yellowish flesh.
Sweettasting, somewhat dry. Peel after cooking, the cooked skin is easier
to peel. The flesh takes well to sweet or nutty glazes or stuffings.

TURBAN: Usually a bright orange color. Shape is a flattened round base with
three knobs on top, striped with cream, green or white. Rich squash
flavour. Cook as for Banana squash. Takes well to any kind of stuffing.
Also makes a colorful table decoration or fall arrangement.

Source: Unknown, from the Echo. Posted by Michael Prothro KOOKNET
:þ Mike's Resort BBS, Fayetteville,AR,(501)5218920þ

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini