Butternut Squash

[MeadowHay]

I have a butternut squash. How do I cook it/what do I do with it?!

Also how do you know when a butternut squash has gone off as I've had it nearly a week (kept in the fridge) and I have no idea how long they keep or what they look like when they go off?

[Mysty]

Peel and cut into chunks - it's lovely to add in homemade soups. Or you can make a nice mash with it and some sweet potatoe and garlic x

I keep mine in the fridge - used mine past a week old

[missyB1]

It will be fine after a week. You can roast it and have it just as roast veg, or roast then blend with a bit of ginger and some veg stock to make a lovely soup.
Butternut risotto is also nice.

[sunbird17]

Cut the butternut in half length ways and scoop out the seeds and stringy stuff. Score the raised flat bit. In the 'hollow' of each half put a knob of butter, a sliced clove of garlic and salt and pepper. Maybe add a bit of chilli. Drizzle olive oil over the whole thing. Roast in the oven. Delicious!

Butternuts last ages. I sometimes keep them out of the fridge for a month or so and they are fine.

[frenchfancy]

I grow butternuts. I harvested them in October and I'm still eating them. No need to fridge. Just somewhere reasonably cool and away from frost.

Cut it up and roast it. Or peel it , cube it and steam it for 20 mins (then puree it and add a bit of butter and nutmeg). Or make soup. Or put the purée into macaroni cheese. Or grate it and mix with onions to make the best bhajis ever.

[Fingalswave]

They keep very well op, even outside the fridge.

I'm lazy so find the chopping and peeling of them rather tedious. Easier to cut into eighths skin and all, sccop out seeds, place on baking sheet, oil with nut or veg oil (olive oil a bit too strong in this instance) season well and add some chilli if you want, then roast on high oven for 30 mins or so until knife goes in without resistance. Meanwhile, sweat onions and perhaps other root veg in oil and butter for 5 mins or so, then scrape cooked squash off skin in to pan, add stock, cook for 10 mins or so and blend. Easy!

[MeadowHay]

Think I will go with the easy option of roasting, might copy your idea though Fingals that sounds easy and yummy.

How long would it take to roast and what temperature should I put the oven on? (You can tell I'm not much of a cook !)

[TeacupDrama]

about No 5-6 about 30-40 mins
can chop and roast with quartered red onions sprinkle with finely chopped clove of garlic, liberal seasoning and smoked paprika in the last 10 mins sprinkle with crumbled feta
without the feta could then blend the roasted veg with stock for a lovely soup

[Fingalswave]

It needs quite a high oven for about 30 mins op! Until knife slides in easily and it looks well browned around the edges. Good luck!

[AtleastitsnotMonday]

I love BNS, you have lots of good savoury suggestions on here but it also works really well in this BNS cake. It's a bit like carrot cake. Without hijacking the thread if anyone happens to have a recipe for BNS cookies I'd love it. I ate them once in a cafe and have googled but never really found anything similar.

[offblackeggshell]

They are super in a curry too. A fairly gingery creamy/yoghurty one especially nice with spinach in too.

[Fingalswave]

Op - there are several recipes on the Delia on-line site. That is where the roasted soup idea came from originally I think, although I have adapted it since.

[HeyJudy]

Macaroni and cheese was mentioned earlier - Nigella has a delicious recipe using butternut squash and feta cheese. Definitely a favourite in our household.

[LadyDawn]

The BEST part of a butternut squash for me is the seeds. Don't discard them. Spread them out on a tray with a sprinkle of salt and roast also. The pith needs to be separated out though to ensure the seeds end up crunchy and yummy! All of it is edible.

[Lunaballoon]

Love roasted butternut squash either hot or cold in salads. A favourite here is JO's rotolo. He suggests roasting it whole and scooping out the flesh which I've done and works fine.

[Neolara]

Roast it and add it to a vegetarian lasagna..

[zgaze]

This Jamie Oliver recipe for laksa with grated butternut squash is amazing, one of our staples. I leave out the noodles to reduce the carbs and it's just as good

www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/chicken-recipes/thai-chicken-laksa/

[MsJuniper]

I make a slow cooker veg curry with bns, sweet potato, chickpeas, tomato and spinach plus curry paste. It's pretty delicious.