Candied Winter Squash Food

CALABAZA EN TACHA (MEXICAN CANDIED PUMPKIN) RECIPE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Cut the stem off of the pumpkin. Cut the pumpkin in half and scrape out the seeds and stringy parts, saving seeds to make pepitas, if you like.
• Leaving the rind on, cut each piece in half lengthwise again and again until you have 8 to 10 long strips of pumpkin. Leave pumpkin in strips or cut it into smaller pieces.
• Zest and juice the orange .
• In a large saucepan, bring orange zest and juice, piloncillo or brown sugar, water, and cinnamon sticks to a boil.
• Carefully add in the pumpkin pieces and reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer for an hour or two, until pumpkin is fork tender and the rest of the ingredients have reduced to a thick glaze.
• Remove from heat and let cool. Allow a long strip or two-or several smaller pieces-per portion.
• Serve at room temperature, spooning a little of the glaze over the pumpkin pieces. Eat with a spoon, leaving the inedible outer pumpkin rind (and any cinnamon sticks) in the dish.

CANDIED ACORN SQUASH SLICES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Cut squash in half lengthwise; remove and discard seeds. Cut each half crosswise into 1/2-in. slices; discard ends. Arrange squash in a shallow baking pan; cover with foil. Bake until just tender, 25-30 minutes. , Combine sugar and butter; spread over squash. Bake, uncovered, 15-20 minutes longer, basting occasionally.

CANDIED ACORN SQUASH

Steps:

• Place both halves of the squash cut side up on a microwave-safe plate or dish. Put 2 tablespoons of butter, and 2 tablespoons of brown sugar into the cavity of each half.
• Cook for 8 to 10 minutes in the microwave on full power. Rotate the squash a couple of times to ensure even cooking. When the flesh is soft, scoop out soft flesh with the sugar and butter, and place it in a bowl. Mash it a little to blend the ingredients. Serve in a bowl, or your could even serve it in the shells.

CANDIED BUTTERNUT SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Place squash in 8x8x2-inch glass baking dish. Drizzle with butter; toss to coat. Blend sugar, cinnamon, salt, pepper and cloves in small bowl; mix into squash. Bake until squash is tender and syrup bubbles thickly in dish, stirring gently every 15 minutes, about 50 minutes total.

CANDIED WINTER SQUASH

Steps:

• Scrub squash, cut in half, and remove seeds.
• Place cut side up in a large roasting pan.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients.
• Spoon mixture into squash halves.
• Cover squash with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
• Spoon sugar mixture over squash, leave uncovered, and bake another 20 minutes, or until squash is tender.

CARAMELIZED BUTTERNUT SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Cut off and discard the ends of each butternut squash. Peel the squash, cut them in half lengthwise, and remove the seeds. Cut the squash into 1 1/4 to 1 1/2-inch cubes and place them on a baking sheet. Add the melted butter, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. With clean hands, toss all the ingredients together and spread in a single layer on the baking sheet. Roast for 45 to 55 minutes, until the squash is tender and the glaze begins to caramelize. While roasting, turn the squash a few times with a spatula, to be sure it browns evenly. Taste for seasonings and serve hot.

BAKED WINTER SQUASH

Steps:

• Cut squash in half lengthwise; remove and discard seeds. Place squash, skin sides down, in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish.
• Place 1 tablespoons butter and 1 teaspoons honey in the cavity of each squash half; sprinkle squash evenly with salt and pepper. Add water to baking dish to a depth of 1/4 inch.
• Bake, covered, at 400° for 30 minutes; uncover and bake 15 more minutes or until squash is tender.

BAKED STUFFED WINTER SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place squash halves cut side down in baking pans. Fill pans with about 1/2 inch water. Bake squash 40 minutes in the preheated oven, or until tender.
• While squash bakes, heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place onions and celery in the skillet, and cook until tender. Stir in the sausage and thyme. Cook and stir until evenly brown.
• Remove squash from the oven, and carefully scrape the pulp from the rinds. Set rinds aside. Place the pulp in a bowl, and mash with a potato masher. Mix in the cooked sausage mixture, egg, bread crumbs, raisins, and pecans. Scoop into the reserved rinds. Set stuffed squash in the baking dishes.
• Bake 25 minutes in the 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven, until heated through.

TWICE-BAKED BUTTERNUT SQUASH WITH PARMESAN CREAM AND CANDIED BACON

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut both squash in half lengthwise; scoop out seeds. Transfer cut side down to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Poke outside of skin all over with a fork, then roast until flesh is very soft, about 1 1/2 hours for large squash and about 1 hour for medium squash.
• Meanwhile, heat 1 cup cream in a medium pot over medium until just beginning to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and whisk in 1/4 cup cheese and cook, whisking, until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer to a medium bowl and chill until very cold, about 45 minutes (do not freeze).
• Cook bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat, turning occasionally, until crisp, 8-10 minutes. Transfer to paper towels, reserving bacon fat in skillet. Let cool, then finely chop.
• Spread 3 Tbsp. sugar in a thin layer in the center of a medium dry skillet. Cook over medium heat, mostly undisturbed (it's ok to swirl pan gently to get sugar to melt evenly), until sugar melts and starts to turn light brown, about 6 minutes. Quickly stir in bacon and hazelnuts and cook, stirring, until coated and melted sugar is chestnut brown, about 1 minute more. Scrape onto a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and spread out to cool, then finely chop.
• Reduce oven temperature to 375°F. Using a spoon, scoop flesh out of large squash into a large bowl, leaving a 1/2" border around squash shell to help maintain its shape. Transfer large shells to a rimmed baking sheet; arrange a few pieces of crumpled foil around shells to keep them upright. Scoop flesh out of medium shells into same bowl (you should have 6 cups squash); discard medium shells. Using a potato masher or spatula, mix in salt, pepper, nutmeg, 1 Tbsp. reserved bacon fat, and remaining 1 cup cream, 3/4 cup cheese, and 1 Tbsp. sugar until smooth. Fold in 2 Tbsp. chives. Divide filling between large squash shells, then create attractive swoops with a spoon. Bake squash until warmed through, 20-30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed or a whisk, whip chilled cream to medium peaks. Chill until ready to use.
• Dollop squash with whipped cream, then top with candied bacon bits and remaining 1 Tbsp. chives. Serve extra candied hazelnut-bacon bits on the side.
• Do Ahead
• Squash shells can be filled (not baked) 2 days ahead; cover and chill.