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Posted by flower-bud (U14397996) on Thursday, 30th September 2010
Hi everyone
I've just gathered my first squash, never grown them before. Does anyone know the best way to remove the peel? It is so tough. I have the same problem peeling swede. Help!
, in reply to message 1.
Posted by Kleftiwallah (U13700999) on Thursday, 30th September 2010
The best way I have found is to cut the ends off then cut the squash into two inch slices, put the slice cut face down then with a strong knife push down and remove the peel in slices KEEPING YOUR FINGERS BEHIND THE BLADE. Cheers, Tony.
a very sharp peeler.
I never peel squash as it is difficult and you waste so much valuable flesh.
Cut the squash right through into quarters, scrape out the seeds with a spoon.
Either micro in an open container till the flesh is soft (10 to 15 mins) or roast till flesh is soft. Scrape the flesh off the skin with a spoon. Easy.
, in reply to message 4.
Posted by theweeshep (U13961168) on Thursday, 30th September 2010
As per Realfoods method I cut in half, spoon out the seeds and then roast for 1/2hr at about 200 with a splosh of olive oil and some salt n' pepper. The skin then just peels away.
Pre-cooking this way also makes a squash soup taste wonderful. Or just get a very sharp knife and chop away.
If you have Butternut you don't really need to remove the skin as it's very tasty. The reason you remove the seeds before cooking is they can make the squash taste bitter. Just showing off my (limited) knowledge now!
, in reply to message 5.
Posted by Kleftiwallah (U13700999) on Thursday, 30th September 2010
I'm going to give that a try. Cheers, Tony.
Hi everyone
Many thanks for all your replies. I shall now have a go.
Don't sqush need a period of storage to bring out the sweetness in them.
No, they don't.
However they are not always completely ripe by the time of harvesting before frosts and if kept in a warm light place will continue to ripen off the vine and improve in flavour.
This is all fascinating to me as I have grown the most peculiar large butternut squash. It doesn't look anything like the ones you buy in the shop: it is pale green with darker stripes. Is this what it is meant to be like? And further advice, can I roast pumpkins in the same way as cutting of the skin wastes time and flesh?
Yes, see post No 4.
collperson,
They are like that before they turn apricot-beige.
It's not ripe yet. It really needs some more sun on it. You can eat it,
it will taste somewhere between a butternut and a marrow.
It won't keep as ling as a fully ripened butternut - about a month at most.
Oh dear, we are getting a bit short of sunlight in the west coast of Scotland now. I'll wait until there is virtually none, unless the rats get it sooner, I suppose. Thanks for all the advice.
Well done, Collperson in getting your butternut to fruit so far North and West! Did it have cloche protection, and what variety was it?
I have given up on growing butternuts in Glasgow, as they are so late in setting fruit, that it is difficult to get them to ripen.
It is much easier to grow the quicker maturing Winter Squashes, which can taste just as good.
I put three butternut plants outside - they just sulked and never fruited. I put three in the greenhouse. One sulked and never fruited, the others went totally beserk, and grew and grew and are busy taking over the whole place like a triffid. There is one enormous butternut on one plant and a small one on the other. I wouldn't bother to grow them again either inside or out. But what about winter squashes, what sort would you recommend, realfood?
Bonbon F1. Cucurbita Maxima, buttercup type. This one came top in a recent independent taste test with a dry, sweet, nutty taste. Each fruit weighs up to 2 kg, has a good quantity of deep orange flesh and should store well into the Winter. Trailing vine up to 2 or 3 m. Brix(sweetness) up to 16 degrees and dry matter up to 20%.
Crown Prince F1. Cucurbita Maxima. This is very sweet and tasty, having large blue/grey fruits each up to 4 kg, with a good quantity of orange flesh and should store well into spring or early Summer. Trailing vine up to 3 or 4 m.
Festival F1. Cucurbita Pepo. This is a quick maturing variety that carries several, sweet tasting, small, pretty squashes. Each one is the right size for a family meal, some 1 kg, and could also be readily stuffed and then micro-waved. It is very good for storing and will regularly store into the next Summer. Trailing vine up to 2m.
Red Kuri or Uchiki Kuri. Cucurbita Maxima. Onion shaped squash. There is some dispute in the seed catalogues as to whether these are different names for the same variety or two different cultivars of the same variety. Red Kuri may be a redder cultivar. In any event, they are quick maturing with medium sweetness, a good flavour, moist flesh, weighing up to 1.3 kg each. Should store till late Winter. Trailing vine up to 3m.
Just remember to cover the plants with a cloche for the first month outside in case there are any late cold nights.
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