Butternut Squash Recipe, Braised

March 27, 2008

I don’t usually head for vegetables when deciding what to eat, probably because there isn’t a vegetable that I really love. They are healthy though, so I’ve been making an effort to eat more and try new ones. The last time I went to the grocery store I picked up some butternut squash and bok choy. I’d never eaten either of these but I wanted to try some new things. Right now I will go over my first butternut squash recipe, while the bok choy will come later.

Cooking butternut squash is not difficult compared to other winter squashes because its skin is thin and easy to peel. This recipe is simple and highlights the flavor of the squash. It tasted good, but I messed up by braising it incorrectly, forcing me to cook it for much longer than the recipe suggested.

For this recipe, you need a butternut squash, olive oil, a couple cloves of garlic, a quarter cup of vegetable stock, and salt and pepper.

Begin by peeling the butternut squash with a vegetable peeler. I tried it at first with a paring knife but that ended up being much more difficult than the peeler. I also found it easiest just to chop off the ends where it is difficult to peel.

Scoop out the seeds and slice the squash into 1 inch cubes. I can’t promise this was the best way to do it, but I cut it in half, length-wise, then further into inch thick strips, and finally chopped these roughly into 1 inch cubes. Go ahead and mince your two cloves of garlic as well.

Find a large skillet with a tight lid and put it over medium heat with the garlic and olive oil.

When the garlic starts to turn golden, add the butternut squash, stock, and season with salt and pepper. Once the liquid starts to boil, you want to turn the heat down to low and cover your skillet tightly, which is braising. Cook it for about 15 minutes and stir a couple times.

After the 15 minutes of braising, you can uncover the skillet and turn the heat to medium-high. Cook it this way for 5-10 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally. Once the liquid is evaporated, turn the heat back down to low and cook until you deem the squash ready.

As I mentioned above, I messed up the braising portion of this recipe. My stock evaporated very quickly, leaving my braise without any liquid. I ended up cooking the squash, covered, for 30-40 minutes in order to get it tender, almost three times as long as the recipe suggested. More than a quarter cup of stock may be necessary, or my lid may not have been tight enough for the skillet. My problem was probably a combination of both; just make sure you have some liquid when braising.

The squash did cook, however, and it tasted quite good. One of the nice things about cooking butternut squash (and other winter squashes) is that it is cheap and keeps for a long time. Just store it in a cool, dark place (but not the refrigerator). I enjoyed it and certainly will buy it again in the future. There are many variations for butternut squash recipes that can add different flavors, so it is worth having around.

Preferences and Tips:

• You may need a little more than a quarter cup of stock for the braising.
• The outside of the squash took longer to cook than the inside, so an extra pass with the vegetable peeler may help it cook more quickly and evenly.
• Make sure you have a tight lid for the braising.
• For memorization: Garlic and oil, medium heat, butternut squash and stock, low heat covered, 15 minutes, uncover for medium-high heat, 10 minutes

Printable Recipe:

Equipment:

• Large skillet with tight fitting lid
• Stirring utensil
• Chef’s Knife
• Cutting Board
• Vegetable Peeler
  

Ingredients:

• 1 butternut squash
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1/4 cup (maybe more) vegetable stock
• Salt and pepper
  

Recipe:

1. Peel the butternut squash, scoop out the seeds, and chop into 1 inch cubes. Mince the garlic.
2. Put the skillet over medium heat and add the oil and garlic. Cook the garlic until light brown.
3. Add the butternut squash and vegetable stock, then season with salt and pepper. Once it begins to boil, turn down the heat to low and cover the skillet. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring infrequently.
4. Uncover the skillet and raise the heat to medium-high. Cook for 5-10 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until the liquid is evaporated and squash begins to brown.
5. Turn heat to low and cook until desired crispness is achieved.

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