Sunday, December 28, 2008

Experiments with butternut squash

Butternut squash- I've been fascinated with this vegetable for a while now, ever since I had a taste of it at an office potluck. I'm not sure if it's the rich orange color, its odd bell shape, or its starchy and satisfying taste that appeals to me- but, this week, when I saw it at the grocery store, I just had to pick one up.


Back at home, after lots of research and much deliberation over what to make with the squash, I decided to go with a classic southern dish: butternut squash casserole. This creamy casserole is standard fare at Thanksgiving dinners...and its slightly sweet, slightly savory taste has captivated me for some time.

So here it is, with pictures and all- Behold the first ever recipe this blog has seen.

What you'll need:

1 butternut squash
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons maple syrup and/or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

For topping

1/2 cup cereal of any kind
1 tablespoon butter (melted)
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Step 1: Cut the butternut squash into halves and remove seeds and pulp. Cook till tender. Most recipes suggest leaving the squash in a covered pot of boiling water to get it tender. But this can take around 15 minutes. A quicker alternate is to pop the squash in the microwave for about 4-6 minutes till it became soft.


Step 2: Peel the skin off and mash in a bowl. Add to this the rest of the ingredients and mix.


Step 3: To add some crunch, make a topping with whatever cereal you have at hand. Mix the cereal with melted butter and brown sugar (if you have a sweet tooth like me and also for that nice caramelization).

Step 4:Pour squash mixture into buttered casserole and bake at 350° for about 15 minutes. Then, pull the casserole out, sprinkle the cereal topping over it and let bake for an additional 5-10 minutes. If you are paranoid like me, check it once in a while by poking with a knife- If it sticks to the knife, it is not done.

Well, that's it.. After about an hour of messing around in the kitchen, I was left with this really gorgeous looking squash casserole- crispy on the top & creamyilious below. Hope you guys give it a try too!