Winter Squash

We see so many types at the grocery store this time of the year and if you're like me you don't know all the differences...how they vary in flavor, how to cook them, etc.  I am absolutely in LOVE with the Delicata squash and want to venture and try others but was intimidated by them for some reason.  That is until I stumbled across this wonderful article in Real Simple that breaks them all down. 

Acorn

Shaped like its namesake, this small, dark green, orange, or buff-colored squash has a ribbed rind and a moist yellow or orange interior that is loaded with fiber. When halved for roasting, acorn squash can be used as a natural bowl for fillings, such as apples, currants, and chestnuts.
Great for: Roasting. Peeling is difficult, so cut it in half or slice (the skin is edible).

Butternut

One of the most common winter squash, this foot-long, bell-shaped variety has thin, butterscotch-colored skin and sweet, nutty flesh. Its smooth, thin skin makes it easier to peel than many other squash varieties. For the most abundant flesh, look for butternut squash with a long, thick neck. Dense and creamy, it pairs well with a variety of flavors, including smoky bacon, cinnamon, and balsamic vinegar. It also has the highest doses of vitamins A and C.
Great for: Roasting and soups.

Calabaza

Long popular in the Caribbean, calabaza squash (also called West Indian pumpkin) has a sweet, juicy golden orange flesh similar in taste and texture to butternut squash. Getting to it can be difficult, however, thanks to its super-tough tan, green, or red orange rind. Use a cleaver, or look for cut-up pieces at Latin markets. Look for pieces with tightly grained flesh and no wet spots. Whole squash will keep up to 6 weeks in a cool, dry place; cut pieces should be refrigerated and will last for a week.
Great for: Baking.

 

Delicata

Also called sweet potato squash because of its creamy flavor and texture, delicata squash resembles a giant, fat cucumber (it typically weighs 1 to 2 pounds) and has pale yellow skin and dark green pinstripes. Popular in the early 1900s, this heirloom variety is enjoying renewed favor thanks to its fine, creamy flesh, which tastes similar to sweet potatoes and butternut squash. And, yes, you can eat the skin (no peeling necessary).
Great for: Roasting and stuffing.

Hubbard

One of the largest winter varieties, Hubbard squash typically weighs 8 to 20 pounds and range in color from orange to grayish blue. Hidden beneath the hard, nubbly skin is a delicious yellow flesh that’s both savory and sweet. The flesh is high in sugar but sometimes mealy, which means it’s best pureed (as a pie filling) or mashed. A whole squash will keep for up to 6 months in a cool, dry place. It’s also sold cut up.
Great for: Pie filling, purees, and mashes.

Kabocha

This pumpkin-shaped Japanese squash (typically 2 to 3 pounds) is fairly new to the U.S. market but has caught on quickly due to its subtle, honeyed sweetness and smooth, almost fiberless texture. The jade green exterior has light green stripes, and the meat is a pale orange. Drier and denser than most squashes, the kabocha can be baked or steamed, like acorn squash, or pureed to give soups a buttery richness.
Great for: Soups.

Pumpkin

With their bright orange skin and light orange flesh, round 2- to 8- pound specimens are best for cooking. Pureed, pumpkin is a tasty, healthful addition to soups, sweet breads, pancakes, and risottos and makes a good filling for ravioli. Pumpkins have a mellow sweetness and dense flesh that’s perfect for autumn baking. (The bigger, Halloweeny guys tend to be watery and less flavorful.) Varieties to look for include Small Sugar, New England Pie, Baby Pam, and Pik-A-Pie.
Great for: Pies, quick breads, pancakes, risottos. Roast or steam,         puree, then add to recipe. For more ideas, find delicious pumpkin 

                                               recipes  here.

Spaghetti

This oval yellow squash contains a surprise: a stringy flesh that, when cooked, separates into mild-tasting, spaghetti-like strands. Exceedingly mild, spaghetti squash is often dressed with tomato sauce like pasta, or it can be simply enhanced with butter and herbs. Spaghetti squashes typically weigh 4 to 8 pounds; squashes on the larger side will have the best flavor and thicker “noodles.”
Great for: Roasting. Scrape out the strands and dress with butter or pasta sauce.


Now that you know all the different types of squash, learn how to prepare them here.