WINTER Squash IS COMING

Butternut, acorn lead the way with mellow flavors and hearty texture

Winter squashes come in a dazzling array of colors, from bright oranges to cool greens. Some are rounded, others fluted; some are skinny at the top and bulbed at the bottom. Whether smooth or bumpy, most share flesh that is mellow, generally with notes of sweetness. But few varieties are exactly the same in taste. ¶ Hard skin distinguishes them from their soft-skinned cousins, the summer squashes (such as zucchini). Winter squashes are harvested when fully mature, when their seeds have become woody and large, and their skin has toughened. ¶ Look for winter squashes that seem heavy for their size, an indication that there is more edible flesh. Generally, their thick rinds form a protective barrier so they can be stored at room temperature in a well-ventilated location for at least a month. Once cut, they need refrigeration. ¶ Here are recipes that showcase acorn and butternut squash, two of the easiest-to-find beauties in the marketplace:

Tamara’s Ratatouille

This isn’t a traditional ratatouille, the summertime dish that showcases zucchini, bell peppers and tomatoes. This hearty concoction is based on a dish created by cookbook author Yotam Ottolenghi’s friend, a mixture that utilizes parsnips, butternut squash and eggplant along with the usual suspects. Turn on some good music and prep all the vegetables before you get started. I like to serve it accompanied with a brown rice blend.

Yield: 4(generous) servings

INGREDIENTS

7tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided use

2small yellow onions, cut into

11⁄4-inch chunks

4garlic cloves, peeled, sliced

1⁄2 fresh green chili, thinly sliced, see cook’s notes

2small red bell peppers, cut into

11⁄4-inch dice

1⁄2 small butternut squash, peeled, cut into 11⁄4-inch chunks

1small parsnip, peeled, cut into

11⁄4-inch chunks

1 cup French green beans, trimmed, see cook’s notes

1medium zucchini, cut into 11⁄4inch dice

1⁄2 large eggplant, peeled, cut into 11⁄4-inch chunks

1small baking potato, peeled, cut into 11⁄4-inch chunks

2medium tomatoes, peeled, chopped, see cook’s notes

1⁄2 tablespoon sugar

1tablespoon tomato paste, see cook’s notes

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1cup water

Garnish: Chopped fresh cilantro

Cook’s notes: I used a jalapeno chili that was very mild, so I included some of the seeds and veins. If using a Serrano chili, I would have removed the seeds and veins. I used “regular” Blue Lake green beans and snapped them into 1-inch lengths. Instead of fresh tomatoes, I used 1cup canned, diced tomatoes, partially drained. Dealing with leftover tomato paste can be easy. I keep it in an airtight, zipper-style plastic bag in the freezer; when I need some tomato paste I cut off a small portion and return the bag to the freezer. Some sources sell tomato paste in tubes, packaging that permits cooks to remove just the amount they need and return the tube to the refrigerator.

PROCEDURE

1. Pour 2⁄3 of oil into large, heavy, flameproof casserole or

4- to 6-quart pot and place on medium-high heat. Add onions and fry 5minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in garlic, chili and red peppers; cook, stirring occasionally, another 5minutes. Add squash and parsnip and continue frying for 5minutes.

2. Using a slotted spoon, lift vegetables out of pot into medium bowl, leaving as much of the oil in the pot as possible. Top this up with remaining oil. Add green beans, zucchini and eggplant; fry 5minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Preheat oven to 400degrees. Return contents of bowl to pot. Add potato, tomatoes, sugar, tomato paste and plenty of salt and pepper. Stir well, then pour in the water, or just enough water to half-cover the vegetables. Cover with lid and simmer gently for 30minutes. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.

4. Use slotted spoon to gently lift vegetables from pot into a large, deep roasting pan to make a layer about 11⁄4-inches deep. (I used a very large ovenproof skillet.) Pour liquid over vegetables and place in middle of preheated oven to cook for

30minutes. At this point all the vegetables should be very soft and most of the liquid evaporated. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve.

Source: Adapted from “Plenty” by Yotam Ottolenghi (Chronicle, $35)

Roasted Acorn Squash

Acorn squash, with its splendid, top-to-bottom fluted exterior and acorn-like shape, has impressed me as prettier to look at raw than delicious to eat. The pale, fine-textured interior seemed to lack pizazz. But that was before I discovered that strips of it, coated with olive oil, brown sugar and paprika and roasted at high heat, are irresistible.

When it’s halved, seeded and cut into inch-wide slices, the skin gets crisp in the oven and the flesh becomes caramelized to creamy tenderness with a sweet edge. A final garnish of pepitas and coarsely chopped marcona almonds adds texture contrast and a welcome nutty flavor. Yield: 4servings

INGREDIENTS

4tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1tablespoon brown sugar

3⁄4 teaspoon smoked paprika

2acorn squashes, washed, dried, halved top to bottom, cut crosswise into 1-inch slices Coarse salt

2tablespoons roasted pepitas

2tablespoons coarsely chopped marcona almonds

Optional garnish: chopped

fresh parsley

PROCEDURE

1: Preheat oven to 425degrees. In a large bowl, combine oil, sugar and paprika. Add squash slices and toss to coat. Place in single layer on rimmed baking sheet; if any oil mixture remains in the bowl, spoon it over squash. Season with a little coarse salt.

2: Roast in middle of preheated oven for 15minutes. Turn with spatula and roast an additional

10minutes. Transfer to plate and season with a little salt. Top with pepitas and marcona almonds. Garnish with parsley if desired.

Vegetarian Enchiladas Suizas

Over the past couple of years, many markets have stocked cubes (or chunks) of readyto-cook butternut squash in grab-and-go containers. Bless their little hearts. Usually those chunks are about 3⁄4-1inch wide, so for this recipe it will be necessary to cut them smaller so they cook to perfection in the allotted time. I have different varieties of chiles in my garden, and I sub in whatever is available, adjusting the amount to achieve a mildly spicy edge in the dish (no, I don’t grow habaneros; see cook’s notes).

Yield: 4servings

INGREDIENTS

2tablespoons vegetable oil

1large poblano chili, ribs and seeds removed, thinly sliced (about 1 cup), see cook’s notes

11⁄4 cups (cut 1⁄4-inch thick) red onion slices, divided use (cut onion in half top to bottom before slicing)

Salt and pepper to taste Optional: Seasoned salt such as Spike or Lawry’s

11⁄2 cups store-bought green salsa

11⁄2 cups (cut into 3⁄8inch dice) peeled butternut squash

7 (51⁄2-6-inch) corn tortillas

6ounces shredded, lowmoisture mozzarella cheese

1⁄3 cup sour cream or Mexican-style crema Garnishes: Shredded Iceberg lettuce, sliced radishes, diced avocado, halved cherry tomatoes

Cook’s notes: Poblano chiles can vary greatly in their spicy “heat.” Poblanos are a mild- to medium-heat pepper measuring between 1,000 and 2,000 on the Scoville scale (jalapenos range from 2,000-8,000). I take a tiny taste of the poblano before I add it; if it is on the spicier side, I add less. If red onion is fiery, I put the portion that is used for garnish in some ice water for 20 minutes to bring out the sweetness, then drain and pat dry before using as a garnish.

PROCEDURE

1: Adjust oven rack to middle position. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat a 10inch, ovenproof skillet on medium-high heat. Add oil, chili and 1 cup onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add butternut and cook until squash is fork tender and mixture is starting to brown, stirring occasionally, about 10-12 minutes (about halfway through, you may need to reduce heat to medium-low to prevent onions from overbrowning). Transfer to a plate. If desired, sprinkle on a little seasoned salt.

2: In the same skillet, place 1 cup salsa. One at a time, dip tortillas in salsa and place on a separate plate using tongs or clean fingers, scattering them in different locations on the plate so they will be easy to grab.

3: Using same skillet (that has some residual salsa), add 4 tortillas in single layer, arranging so that top edge of tortilla comes up the side of the skillet (there will be a little overlap).

Add two-thirds of vegetable mixture and top with three more tortillas. Add the remaining vegetable mixture. Top with cheese, sour cream (drop on in small spoonfuls) and remaining

1⁄2 cup salsa.

4. Bake until bubbly and browning in places, 20-24 minutes. Divide between

4 plates. Garnish with lettuce, avocado, radishes, tomatoes and remaining 1⁄4 cup onions.