What’s in Season – Winter Squash

Looks can be deceiving for the many varieties of squash. Although many seem hard and cold, when cooked, squash is sweet and soft and full of flavour. It is great for an easy weeknight meal, or a new family favourite when accompanying your Thanksgiving dinner.

Purchasing

• Look for heavy squashes with smooth, dry rinds that have a dull finish, and are free of cracks or soft spots. Shiny rinds may indicate premature picking, resulting in poor flavour.
• Search for squash with a deep, uniform colour and if possible, choose one whose rounded, dry stem is still intact.

Storage

• Thanks to their protective shells, uncut winter squashes should keep for three months or longer in a cool, dry place.
• Cut, raw squash will keep for up to a week if tightly wrapped and refrigerated.
• Cooked squash can be frozen for up to 6 months.

Preparation / Cooking

Squash can be difficult to deal with as its outer skin is hard and the varying shapes can be tricky to cut. The best way to handle squash with very smooth skin, like the butternut, is to cut it in half and remove seeds and use a vegetable peeler or small paring knife to remove the tough outer skin. For other squash with an uneven texture or shape, cut in half using a large chef’s knife or cleaver and remove the seeds. Place the squash cut side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in a 400°F (200°C) oven until the flesh is tender and soft. Once cool, the squash will be easy enough to scoop out of the shell.

Nutrition 101: Winter Squash

Winter squashes are fibre-rich, an excellent source of potassium and vitamins A, B and C. The deeper orange the colour of the flesh, the more vitamin A (carotene) it contains. Butternut squash has especially good retinol activity; acorn squash contains lutein and zeaxanthing.