Cultivate’s  Winter  Squash  Guide   Autumn Crown Squash

Shape and look: Large, round and squashed, pale skin. Insides and taste: Airy flesh. Good for: Roasting. Recipe ideas: Roast Autumn Crown with Grapefruit and Pomegranate: http://www.brooklynsupper.net/2013/11/roasted-squash-wedges-with-grapefruit-and-pomegranate/#.VFtoTPSsXfZ

 

Cultivate’s  Winter  Squash  Guide   Butternut Squash

Shape and look: Beige & bell-/pear-shaped. A very common and familiar squash! Inside and taste: Sweet orange flesh, high flesh to pip ratio, slightly fibrous. Good for: Soup, risotto, roasting, stuffing. Recipe ideas: Butternut Strata Recipe: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/recipes/10399283/Butternut-squash-strata-recipe.html

 

Cultivate’s  Winter  Squash  Guide   Black Futsu Squash

Shape and look: Very small, flattened squash with heavy ribbing; orangey black – looks a bit mildew but isn’t! Shaeds vary between orange and green depending on how long it’s been stored for. Insides and taste: Bright orangey flesh, flavour crossed between pumpkin and chestnut – sweet, buttery and slightly nutty. Good for: Hard to peel due to ribbing; good baked/stuffed; so just roast slices with the skin on – tastes a bit like sweet potato chips! Recipe ideas: Simple but delicious roasted black futsu recipe: http://www.gardenbetty.com/2012/10/black-futsu-squash/

 

Cultivate’s  Winter  Squash  Guide   Crown Prince Squash

Shape and look: Large squash, ghostly smooth grey-blue skin. Insides and taste: Intense, deeply flavoured orange flesh – a prince among squashes! Good for: Good all-rounder, soups to casseroles to roasting - roasts well and has savoury depth lacking in the humble butternut. Recipe ideas: Crown Prince and Chestnut Soup: http://www.houseandgarden.co.uk/recipes/main-courses/crown-prince-pumpkin-and-chestnut-soup Pappardelle Pasta with Squash and Sage: http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2012/nov/09/pumpkin-squash-recipes-fearley-whittingstall

 

Cultivate’s  Winter  Squash  Guide   Sweet Dumpling Squash

Shape and look: Small, cute, green and cream stripes or orange and cream stripes. Insides and taste: Yellow-orange flesh, not that sweet. Good for: Stuffing (with all sorts!) and baking. Recipe ideas: Sweet Dumpling Stuffed with Quinoa: http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-quinoa-stuffed-sweet-du-72643 Persian Stuffed Squash (works very well with Sweet Dumpling): http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/recipes/8838412/Persian-stuffed-squash-recipe.html

 

Cultivate’s  Winter  Squash  Guide   Blue Hubbard Squash

Shape and look: Blue rind, teardrop shape. Insides and taste: Rich flavour, less fibrous than regular pumpkin. Good for: Making pumpkin pie. Recipe ideas: Blue Hubbard Custard Pie: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/grandmas-sweet-hubbard-squash-custard-pie/

 

Cultivate’s  Winter  Squash  Guide   Blue Ballet Squash

Shape and look: Smaller version of Blue Hubbard, blue-grey, “boxy” shape. Insides and taste: Flavoursome, bright orange, soft, fibre-less flesh. Good for: Risotto, casseroles. Recipe ideas: Blue Ballet Casserole: http://www.growinglocal.org.uk/readarticle.php?article_id=144

 

Cultivate’s  Winter  Squash  Guide   Green Hokkaido Squash - aka Kabocha or Chestnut Squash -

Shape and look: Barnacled, dark green rind with round boule shape (like Buttercup but without the round button on the bottom). Insides and taste: Orange-red flesh; flesh very sweet and quite starchy; skin edible; taste cross between sweet potato and chestnut. Good for: A favourite in Asian cooking (it’s a Japanese squash); Thais use it for dessert recipes and coconutey curries. Recipe ideas: Kabocha Thai Red Curry: http://www.chow.com/recipes/30268-thai-red-curry-with-kabocha-squash

 

Cultivate’s  Winter  Squash  Guide   Buttercup Squash

Shape and look: Looks like Kabocha but more cylindrical with little round button on bottom; dark green; slightly squarish shape. Insides and taste: deep orange flesh, moist; sweet; dense & nutty, like sweet potato. Good for: Asian cooking, desserts; good as substitute for sweet potato. Recipe ideas: Baked Buttercup Stuffed with Sweet and Spicy Apples: http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/buttercup-squash-with-apples-cooking-for-2/bd3b3b96-132a-445f-a932-e0e4fd7b296e Pumpkin (or Buttercup) Pancakes with Pecan Maple Butter: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/recipes/10399477/Pumpkin-pancakes-with-pecan-maple-butter-recipe.html

 

Cultivate’s  Winter  Squash  Guide   Marina di Chioggia Squash

Pronounced kee-ohj'-jah. Heirloom sea pumpkin of Chioggia on the coast of Italy, also called “suca baruca”, warty pumpkin, in Venetian dialect Shape and look: Big squash, bumpy “warty” skin, deep blue-green. Insides and taste: Rich, sweet flesh; deep yellow-orange; dense, flavourful and silky Good for: Good baked or in pies; roast as a sweet treat; stew. Recipe ideas: Italian Winter Squash Stew: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/zester-daily/cooking-pumpkins-and-squash_b_4152799.html

 

Cultivate’s  Winter  Squash  Guide   Musquee de Provence Squash

Shape and look: Think big flat pumpkin, shaped like a big wheel of cheese, heavily ribbed; orangey brown skin, almost “bronze” in colour (called Potiron Bronze – Bronze Pumpkin - in French); the fairytale pumpkin apparently, like Cindy’s coach. Insides and taste: deep orange flesh, thick and very fine flavour; high ratio of flesh to seeds Good for: Pureeing, roasting, stewing. A favourite of chefs apparently! Recipe ideas: Sumptuous Soup: http://ediblerhody.com/recipes/puree-of-musquee-de-provence-squash-soup-with-roasted-squash-golden-raisins-and-spiced-pumpkin-seeds/) Six other recipes here: http://www.girlsgonechild.net/2010/11/eat-well-six-days-of-pumpkin.html

 

Cultivate’s  Winter  Squash  Guide   Turk’s Turban Squash

Shape and look: A distinctive multi-coloured bottom; colours vary, often mottled in shades of green, orange, white. Insides and taste: Not as vibrant as its appearance, slight hazelnut-ey taste, texture is a tad watery. Good for: Steaming, boiling (e.g. for mash), or roasting in wedges with the skin on. Recipe ideas: Three great Turk’s Turban recipes here: http://boroughmarket.org.uk/three-ways-with-turk-s-turban-squash

 

Cultivate’s  Winter  Squash  Guide   Uchiki Kuri Squash - aka Japanese Red Onion aka Orange Hokkaido aka Baby Red Hubbard -

Shape and look: Looks like a pumpkin, but deeper orange (sunset coloured), and elegant teardrop shape. Insides and taste: Creamy yellow flesh, smoother than a butternut; buttery & sweet. Good for: Difficult to peel, so cook unpeeled; roast; use for gratins and casseroles. Recipe ideas: Chilli Rosemary Garlic Roasted Uchiki Kuri: http://www.loafonline.co.uk/2009/10/roasted-uchiki-kuri-squash-with-chilli-rosemary-garlic-recipe/

 

Cultivate’s  Winter  Squash  Guide   Mini Pumpkin

Shape and look: Tiny orange pumpkins! Insides and taste: Not much inside J Good for: Wedges; stuffing & bakeing; sweet or savoury, yum! Recipe ideas: Stuffed with spinach, mushrooms and cheese: http://ohmyveggies.com/recipe-baked-pumpkins-with-spinach-mushrooms-and-cheese/ Sweet option: http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/852/baked-miniature-pumpkins.aspx http://www.thekitchn.com/what-to-do-with-all-those-mini-69921

 

Cultivate’s  Winter  Squash  Guide   Pumpkin

Shape and look: The big orange pumpkin we all know and love. Insides and taste: Fibrous, so beware, may need to go through a sieve. Good for: Carving, toasted pumpkin seeds. Recipe ideas: Lots of other fabulous recipes here, courtesy of the Oxford Pumpkin Festival: http://www.goodfoodoxford.org/blog/pumpkin-rescue-recipes/ A great way to use your scraps from carving: pumpkin chilli vinegar: http://kitchencounterculture121.wordpress.com/2014/07/27/spicyvinegar/

 

Cultivate’s  Winter  Squash  Guide   Spaghetti Squash

Shape and look: Canary yellow, oblong. Insides and taste: Tender, yellow-white flesh which is watery with long spaghetti-like fibre strands. Good for: Poke full of holes and cook in over at high heat; don’t boil (gets too soggy); makes delicious gratin.

 

Cultivate’s  Winter  Squash  Guide   Recipe ideas: Here’s how to make spaghetti from it: http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-spaghetti-squash-in-the-oven-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-178036