Acorn Squash Recipes

Steps:

• For the fried sage leaves: Heat a small saucepan with 1 inch oil over medium-high heat. Test the oil by touching the tip of a sage leaf in the oil; if it bubbles, the oil is ready for frying. Fry the leaves, 3 to 4 at a time, until the bubbles subside and the leaves become crisp. Drain on a paper-towel-lined plate and sprinkle with salt.
• For the squash: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Using a chef's knife, cut off a small amount off the top and bottom of each squash. Set the squash, cut-side down, and cut in half. Using a large spoon, scoop out and discard the seeds. Cut each half into 5 wedges and place them in a large bowl. Add the olive oil, cayenne, cinnamon and 1 teaspoon salt. Toss with your hands to coat well, then transfer the squash to a rimmed baking sheet. Bake, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and fork tender, 35 minutes.
• Place the butter in a small skillet and melt over medium heat until the foam subsides and the solids begin to smell nutty and turn brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Allow the butter to cool for 2 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar and sugar until the sugar is dissolved, then whisk in the brown butter, using a rubber spatula to get all the brown bits out of the pan. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Lay the squash on a serving platter and spoon the vinaigrette over. Dollop with the mascarpone and sprinkle with the almonds and fried sage.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Grease a baking sheet and a baking dish.
• Halve the squash lengthwise and clean.
• Transfer the squash, cut side down, to the baking sheet, and bake the squash until it is tender, about 45 minutes.
• Don't turn off the oven.
• While the squash cooks, melt the butter, and stir in the remaining ingredients.
• Keep the mixture warm until it is needed.
• Arrange the squash, cut sides up, in the baking dish.
• Spoon the butter and seasonings equally over the sections.
• Bake the squash another 15 minutes, until it is very soft.
• Serve the squash hot.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cut the squash in half on the equator and remove the seeds with a spoon. Cut a flat spot on each end so the squash will sit flat. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and arrange the squash, cut side up. To 3 of the squash halves, add a peeled shallot and to the other 3 add 2 garlic cloves on each. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with 1 tablespoon each of the salt and freshly cracked pepper. Roast in the hot oven until very tender and starting to caramelize and collapse, approximately 1 hour. Remove from oven and when cool enough to handle, remove the squash from the skin. Reserve the roasted shallots and garlic with the squash. Can be done ahead.
• In a large Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium-high heat and when the butter is starting to foam, add the raw diced shallots and saute until they are starting to caramelize, about 5 to 6 minutes. Deglaze with 1/2 cup of the chicken stock and stir to remove any fond. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add in the reserved squash, roasted shallots and garlic and then the remaining chicken stock. Stir to combine, then puree with a stick blender. The mixture will be very thick. Add in the cayenne, white pepper and the herbs. Stir in the cream and Worcestershire sauce and heat slowly over medium-low heat. When the mixture comes to a slow simmer, mix again with the stick blender and stir in 1/4 cup of the Parmesan and turn heat to low. Serve with a fresh crack of black pepper, a nice drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and a light sprinkle of remaining Parmesan. Ladle into soup bowls and serve.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Split the squash in half through the equator and scrape out the seeds with a spoon. Set the squash halves, cut sides up, on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, if desired. If squash are very large, cut lengthwise into quarters.
• In a bowl, cream the butter with the sugar, and almond liqueur. With a brush or a spoon coat the cut sides of each squash half with the butter mixture and put 2 sage leaves on top of each. Sprinkle with the crushed cookies. Bake until tender, 30 to 35 minutes, basting every 15 minutes with any remaining butter.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F.
• Place squash halves in microwaveable dish; cover with waxed paper. Microwave on HIGH 12 to 14 min. or until tender, turning after 7 min. Let stand, covered, 5 min.
• Scoop squash from shells into medium bowl, leaving 1/4-inch-thick shells. Add butter; mash until squash is smooth and butter is completely melted. Spoon into squash shells; place on baking sheet. Sprinkle with sugar; top with marshmallows.
• Bake 12 to 15 min. or until squash are heated through and marshmallows are lightly browned.

Steps:

• Cut squash in half; discard seeds. Place squash cut side down in a microwave-safe dish. Cover and microwave on high for 10-12 minutes or until tender.
• Turn squash cut side up. Fill centers with brown sugar, butter and honey; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Cover and microwave on high for 2-3 minutes or until heathed through.

Steps:

• To easily peel the acorn squash without losing a lot of vegetable, gently drop the squash in a large pot of boiling water, and boil for 15 minutes. Pour off the boiling water and fill with cold water and let sit 5 minutes to cool. When cool enough to handle, use a knife to slice off the peel on the ridges and use a teaspoon to dig out the peel in the valleys. Slice the squash in half and remove the seeds and stem. Then slice the halves into sections and finally cut into 1 inch chunks.
• Place the squash chunks into a large microwave-safe bowl along with the apples. Dot with pieces of butter. Sprinkle the brown sugar, walnuts, salt and cinnamon over the top. Cover with plastic wrap, and poke a few holes in it for ventilation.
• Cook in the microwave for 7 1/2 minutes on full power. Remove, uncover, and stir. Return to the microwave, and cook for another 7 1/2 minutes on full power, until tender. Serve hot.

Steps:

• I like to buy the squash a month or two ahead of time to let it ripen, so that the squash turns yellow all the way around, not just on the bottom. That is when they are ripe. But if you didn't, don't let it stop you from making this recipe !
• Cut squash in 1/2 with the grooves.
• Remove the pulp with the seeds, and cut thin slice off back half, so the half lays steady-flat with out tipping, but try do not cut through the center.
• Place squash in greased oven proof pan.
• Place butter around edges of squash, and some in center, of each half.
• You will use 1 tablespoon for each half, more or less. This depends on how buttery you want it.
• Sprinkle with cinnamon, salt and pepper to taste, and then place bacon around edges of squash.
• Cover entire dish with foil, bake at 350 degrees, 45 minutes, or until done.
• To test for doneness, be careful when removing foil,steam will come out, fork test squash for tenderness, when done it will be soft all the way through, to skin.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Turn acorn squash upside down onto a cookie sheet. Bake in a 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven until it begins to soften, approximately 30 to 45 minutes.
• Remove squash from the oven and turn onto a plate so that the flesh is facing upwards. Place butter and brown sugar into the squash, and place remaining squash over the other piece. Place squash in a baking dish (so the squash won't slide around too much) while baking.
• Place squash in the 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven and bake another 30 minutes.

Steps:

• Cut squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out and discard seeds. Cut squash crosswise into 1-inch slices.
• Arrange slices slightly overlapping, in a buttered 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish. Bake, covered, in a 375 degrees oven for 35 minutes or until almost tender.
• Combine melted butter, brown sugar, syrup and cinnamon.
• Spoon over squash.
• Continue baking, uncovered, 15 minutes or until squash is tender, basting occasionally with syrup mixture from bottom of pan.