The Pleasures Of Winter Squash

fresh from Chef Ellen Jackson

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Rose Valley Butter

The Pleasures of Winter Squash Winter squash is the black sheep of the curcubita (squash) family. Every clan has one—a sibling who bears little resemblance to the others. Warm weather brings zucchini, of course, along with crooknecks, pattypans, scallops and globes. Decked out in shades of green and yellow, these summer squash are easy on the eye, flaunting slender necks, graceful curves and delicate blossoms for stuffing. Soft-skinned and quickgrowing, they’re infamous for overwhelming gardeners with their bounty. Autumn’s cooling rains usher in heartier, less glamorous family members with faces only a mother could love. Leathery skin riddled with bumpy warts gives way to dense, sweet flesh the color of Halloween that stubbornly refuses to yield to the thwack of a knife. Butternut, Blue Hubbard, red kuri, kabocha and their kin must be wooed. Winter squash need more love and some extra effort (not to mention added growing and cooking time), but they give back in spades. Winter squash can be baked (try Delicata with maple syrup and butter), boiled, stuffed (I like cranberries, sausage and wild rice), sautéed, even fried (into chips sprinkled with flavored salt). It is a natural complement to apples, pears and nuts, and is equally well-suited to meats and more intense companions like chiles and curry. You’ll sooner run out of recipes for the zucchini that hangs heavy on the summer vine than you will for its winter cousin.

 Fresh Ideas

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2007

Starting with the finest, freshest local milk, award-winning Rose Valley Butter is hand churned in McMinnville. Rose Valley Butter comes in several varieties from conventional to organic. Bakers love it. Chefs adore it. Once you try it, you’ll be passionate about this butter, too!

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Winter Squash Cheesecake

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Makes one 9 or 10-inch cheesecake

Ingredients: Crust

Satisfying Sweetener

1½ C Star Ridge gingersnap crumbs

¼ C granulated sugar ¼ C pecans, lightly toasted and coarsely 4 T melted butter chopped (optional)

Madhava Agave Nectar is an exciting natural, organic sweetener made from the juice of the Agave plant. The new flavors— hazelnut, Irish crème, cappuccino and amaretto— are great in coffee, on ice cream or as a simple sweetener.

Combine the cookie crumbs, pecans—if you are using them—and sugar. Stir in the melted butter and press the mixture into the bottom and ½ inch up the sides of a buttered 10-inch springform pan. Chill the crust for 1 hour. Filling

2 C s quash puree (prepared as described above) 4 large eggs 2 tsp cinnamon ¾ tsp freshly grated nutmeg ¾ tsp ground ginger 1 tsp salt

²/³ C firmly packed light brown sugar 2 pounds Gina Marie cream cheese, cut into small pieces and softened ²/³ C granulated sugar 2 T heavy cream 1 T + 1 tsp cornstarch ½ tsp vanilla

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the squash puree, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt, and brown sugar. Put the cream cheese and granulated sugar in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle. Combine on low, gradually increasing the speed until the mixture is very smooth. Add the cream, cornstarch, vanilla, and squash mixture. Beat the filling until it is smooth. Topping

2 C m  ascarpone (look for Cantare or Galbari brands) or sour cream 2 T brown sugar

½ tsp vanilla 25–30 lightly toasted pecan halves (optional)

Whisk together all of the ingredients and spread over top of the warm cheesecake. Bake for 5 minutes in a 350°F oven. Let the cheesecake cool on a rack before covering and chilling overnight. Release the sides of the pan and remove. Decorate the outer edge of the cheesecake with pecans and serve.

Say your house is divided in its appreciation of squash, its unapologetically humble appearance and forthright flavor. Skip past savory soups and risottos and go straight to sweets: pumpkin-y quickbreads and muffins with crunchy pecan streusel, butternut ice cream and Blue Hubbard custard pie, pancakes and cheesecake.

Winter Squash Cheesecake Locally-grown Rouge Vif d’Etampes (better known as Cinderella), red kuri, sweet dumpling and buttercup squash are some of my favorites for baking. Try to avoid the larger pumpkin varieties used for carving as they have less flavor and are difficult to handle because of size. To make a puree from your squash or pumpkin, cut off the stem and

flower ends of the vegetable and cut it in half. Remove the seeds and stringy pulp (save pumpkin seeds for roasting, they make a great snack). Place the halves, cut side down, in a shallow pan and bake in a 350-degree oven until they collapse, about 45 minutes to one hour. Remove the slightly cooled flesh from the rind and put it through a food mill, ricer, or fine mesh sieve. Suspend the puree in a sieve or a colander lined with cheesecloth and drain. Fresh squash puree keeps nicely for four to five days in the refrigerator, and up to six months in the freezer. If you’ve prepared the puree several days ahead, putting the rest of your recipe together is a snap.

Pumpkin Gingersnap Cheesecake

To set the mood for cozy fall days, try Portland Style Pumpkin Gingersnap Cheesecake. The smooth, spicy pumpkin filling with a touch of rum on a gingersnap crust is luscious. Like all Portland Style Cheesecakes, it’s handcrafted using the freshest ingredients and no preservatives.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2007 Fresh Ideas