Butternut Squash you are my nemesis

[MerlinsBeard]

Does anyone else have foods that they just cannot cook?

For me its mashed potato and butternut squash. I can occasionally manage a nice tasty none lumpy mash but butternut squash is a nightmare!

When DS2 was weaning i could never peel the biggers so when one arrived in my veg box i was a bit terrified tbh. ds3 is weaning so rather than waste it i would roast it (as per advice on a nother thread) nearly burnt the flipping thing and ended up pureeing it with loads of milk

Tell me i am not the only freak!!

[fourlittlefeet]

actually, I say blanch. I think it might need a bit more cooking than that to reduce it from rigid plastic to seaweed consistency.

[psychomum5]

I will join you with food nemesises (that is not a word, I know this!)

I cannot cook omelettes. EVER. they come out looking like a plate of scrambled eggs trodden on by muddy boots and then thrown on the floor for good measure.

DH's laughs his socks off at my attempts, and .

I also have issues with roast potatoes, but only because DH fluffs them before roasting and so makes crispy skins.....I cannot for some reason.

((but I can do butternut squash))

[yomellamoHelly]

I chop it up into bite sized chunks (don't peel). Add generous amount of cashews and a packet of bacon. Add helping of turmeric and coriander and olive oil and mix up. Bung in at 200 degrees for 30 - 45 minutes. Also Jamie Oliver. Is 'lish.

[MerlinsBeard]

ah now roasties i can do (par boil, smoosh, put in roasting dish next to chicken, drizzle with oil and turn once while they cook for an hour ish)

what on earth is kale?

[cherrieberry]

jamie oliver butternut squash cake!!!!! easy and yum!!

[bundle]

any iron rich brassicas etc can be made much more pallatable with garlic/chilli/olive oil/lemon

[WilfSell]

fluffing and crisping a la delia: drain parboiled pots, leave to steam off extra moisture, Put lid on pan, shake like buggery, immediately roast in VERY hot oil...

[fourlittlefeet]

this is kale

[annaje]

I always cut it into rounds and then it is easier to slice the skin off - then I cut it into chunks and roast it - gorgeous!

I'm with you on the mash - it is always a bit lumpy no matter how many times I mash

[BlingLovin]

Tesco Finest Mashed potatoe.

Have never even attempted making my own since I discovered it. It's not expensive, microwaves in minutes, and is better than any I've ever made myself.

[Sycamoretree]

I just peel it with my regular peeler. Chop it into small chuncks, steam it, then chuck it into a risotto. It's a bastardised Annabelle Karmel recipie but my DD 3.1 is still loving it and DS 1 is now also a fan. The major pain is the prep time.

My DH does a fantastic Nigel Slater soup with it - it's supposed to be with pumpkin but Squash is generally easier to find. It has bacon bits on the top. Mmm, it's fab.

[wheresthehamster]

It never occurred to me to cook it in the skin!

I've had a squash lurking in the fridge for weeks and couldn't summon up the energy needed to peel it. When you roast it whole do you sprinkle it with oil or anything?

[snigger]

My food nemesis is cauliflower.

I can cook it, have done before, but I buy them because they're so lovely and creamy white, and I blink and they've grown a beard.

I have, maybe twice, in ten years, managed to buy and cook a cauliflower.

They must rot from the inside out, or something.

[Sycamoretree]

Yes, definitely bake it in the skin - then just scoop out like a baked potato...but obviously don't eat the skin!

Mmm, I'm getting hungry!

[wingandprayer]

Bundle - what do you do with chard? Have chucked two lots away recently from veg box because just can't find anything appetising to do with the stuff. It has no flavour, so what could it possibly add to pasta or side dish?!

My food nemeis is this and fennel, which previous veg supplier put in the boxes for a about 3 months in a row so I now can't look at it without slightly aniseed flavoured revulsion.

[Earthymama]

My food nenesis is Toad in the Hole. I tried to impress DP in the Early Days, was a disaster with Black gravy too.

DP now makes amazing Yorkshire puds and T in The H so maybe it was meant to be.

[fourlittlefeet]

Chard is fab; use it with anything instead of spinach. Most versatile chard dish is chard and ricotta sauce for pasta:
tub ricotta
bag chard washed and chopped
onion, chopped
garlic, mashed
1 cup stock
nutmeg
lemon juice

fry onion and garlic, add the rest apart from the ricotta, cook for 10 mins, add ricotta and blitz

good on spaghetti or used to stuff canneloni or filo parcels. yum.

[MerlinsBeard]

don't roast a squash whole! On another thread someone very wisely said that there will be steam when you cut it!!

[wheresthehamster]

Cooked mine last night. Was slightly hesitant when I saw the eat by date was 31st August but it tasted fine.

I cut it in half lengthways and drizzled a bit of olive oil over the top and left it for an hour. So easy to cut up and serve this way!

[MerlinsBeard]

i will remember the oil next time!

on the bright side, ds3 seems to like it which is good!