I have acparagus and butter nut squash in veg box, Never tried either so what's the best way to use them?

[tortoise]

Title says it all really. Needs to be simple and basic!

I like soup. Can i use them in a soup? What with?
TIA

We make a quiche with asparagus and butternut squash

Put pastry in tin and cook blind. Sir fry an onion. Lightly steam asparagus. Put in pastry case. Cover with 2-3 eggs beaten with a soonful of cream and a pinch of salt.

Cook and puree bns, season with salt, pepper and parmesan. Cover the rest of the fillings, sprinkle parmesan on top and bake until egg is set.

I am going to keep it simple, quick and easy as others have gone to the trouble....Asparagus is really in it's prime right now and I think best if you just boil water, turn the heat down and simmer until tender.......while this is cooking, make a lemon butter (melt butter with juice of a lemon) and drizzle over when it is cooked.....yum!) For the BNS I would simply take the outer skin of (easiest way to cut is to hold and cut into 1 inch discs and then cut the skin off in a circular motion) dice, and roast in the oven with some olive oil for about an hour...you can tyhen serve both with some meat of your choice!

Simple and delicious!

oh IB your quiche sounds lovely.....have just taken note of that!

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I steam asparagus, then have it with olive oil and lemon juice drizzled on top with some parmesan shavings. Bloomin' lovely.

B'nut squash is lovely either roasted or you can make a nice soup with some roasted red peppers and cream cheese...

Butternut squash and barley risotto is lovely:

Fry a chopped leek, two chopped garlic cloves, a chopped red chilli and some sage and rosemary in olive oil for a few minutes. Add some pearl barley (think I used about 6oz) and stir to coat with oil. Add a load of peeled and cubed butternut squash (I used half a massive one) and stir round, then add 1/4 pint of hot stock and stir till absorbed (I didn't actually do this, just let it absorb naturally). Do the whole ladle-of-stock-at-a-time thing, stirring occasionally, till the barley and squash are tender. Take off the heat, stir in a load of Parmesan and leave for 5 minutes. Season and scoff.

Or butternut squash and bean soup:

Fry chopped onion and garlic with some sage, till soft and seethrough. Add peeled and cubed squash, stir round, then add hot stock. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer till the squash is tender. Decant half the soup into a blender and blend till smooth, then return it to the pan (obviously you can blend it all or not at all, depending on your textural preferences). Add a can of rinsed cannellini or borlotti beans to the soup, simmer for 5 minutes or till beans are heated through, season with salt and pepper and serve.

OOOH Thanks. Lots of lovely sounding ideas to try.

Butternut squash - lovely roasted.

Or look at this recipe (scroll down about halfway) for spiced pumpkin soup - substitute butternut squash.

Mmmmmm, asparagus is yummy, Sidge you must have weird tastebuds!!
It goes really well in scrambled eggs as long as you're making them in a pan and not microwave!! Though only use the slim asparagus cos if its too thick it won't cook quick enuf. Trim the woody ends off - not the lovely spear bit as my dh once did!!! then cut into small pieces and add to pan with eggs so the asparagus cooks as the eggs scramble; DD loves it!!
Also a lovely refreshing way to eat it esp in summer is how the french(well my grandparents at least!) do- steamed then served with a cold sauce made by mixing natural yogurt with a little white wine/cider vinegar and a little salt. Sounds yuck but its really nice once you get the balance right in the sauce! Approx 2 tbspns yogurt to 1 tspn vinegar and a tiny pinch salt. Don't try using malt vinegar cos it just won't work!!!

Give the butternut squash to me! I'm reading up in preparation for weaning and butternut squash is all I seem to hear! Don't think I've ever seen one and sure as hell don't know what to do with it!

I have a fantastic squash and ginger soup recipe - this one looks similar.

Sidge - before you throw your asparagus in the bin, consider sending it to me!!! I love the stuff, I really think it's my all time favourite vegetable. And all you need to do is steam it and dip the spears in butter as a starter. Or if you're really feeling fancy then hollandaise, but honestly if it's good asparagus you need do nothing with it. Yum.

A spanish recipe from the Moro cookbook is to chop up the bns and roast it with allspice (not mixed spice) for 40 mins or so. I also roast some onions in there at the same time and throw in a bit of chilli. Then serve hot with feta sprinkled over the top.

LOL Clairef29 I think I do have weird tastebuds - I also hate mushrooms, Brussels sprouts and turnip/swede and parsnips.

I saw a programme about Supertasters once and I think I must be one; all those foods just taste horrible to me.

Pidge - sorry DH loves it so he gets the asparagus from the veg box!