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Taste f o o d
Fall for
Winter Squash
With the cooler weather arrives this charming, versatile vegetable
dressed in the warm colors of the season.
Summer squash has faded from the garden.
The replacement? Centerpiece-worthy winter squash with
its organic shapes, varying sizes, and fall colors inside and
out. For Suzanne Goin, chef and co-owner of Lucques, A.O.C.,
Tavern, and The Larder at Maple Drive—all in Los Angeles—its
appearance signals the arrival of fall and the holidays. (She’s
also behind an as-yet-unnamed farm-to-table restaurant slated
to open in Montecito in the spring—lucky us!) “Winter squash is
the poster child of the season,” she says.
I couldn’t agree more. Come fall, I stock up on pumpkins,
but I also snap up yellow delicata squash with green stripes
and deep-green striped kabocha. At area farmers’ markets and
produce stands you’ll find all sorts of squash, from the familiar
butternut and acorn to the less common heirloom Turk’s
Turban and red kuri. Check out Underwood Family Farms
(underwoodfamilyfarms.com) in Moorpark and Somis as well
as Tutti Frutti Farms (tuttifruttifarms.com) in Lompoc for
interesting varieties.
As the squash roasts and the aroma fills my kitchen, my
thoughts turn to Thanksgiving menus, and then I keep going. As
long as it’s chilly outside, the earthy sweetness, colorful orange
or golden flesh, and what Goin describes as the “unexpected
diversity and charm” of squash are a welcome sight. Winter
squash can move between savory and sweet dishes and can be
roasted, baked, pureed, sautéed, or steamed. Plus, the seeds can
be toasted for a snack or salad topper.
At Thanksgiving, this versatility means that cooks can insert
a squash dish into the family’s traditional menu or switch up the
usual squash offering. On my holiday table, butternut squash
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soup with citrus shrimp and cilantro from years past will step
aside for Goin’s Kabocha Squash and Fennel Soup With Crème
Fraîche and Candied Pumpkin Seeds from Sunday Suppers at
Lucques: Seasonal Recipes From Market to Table (Knopf, 2005),
which she wrote with Teri Gelber (recipe on page 76). The squat,
round kabocha featured in the soup is Goin’s favorite type of
squash. “It has the sweetness you expect from winter squash
but it’s also nutty and sort of earthy, which really balances the
sweetness,” she says. Beyond the flavor, Goin relishes its “dense
and rich, almost meaty” texture.
“I have paired many things with kabocha,” adds Goin,
ticking off ingredients such as dates, Parmesan, pepitas, and
dandelion greens. “Earthy, nutty grains like farro and dark
greens like kale also go well,” she says. To accentuate the
vegetable’s savoriness, she roasts thick kabocha wedges tossed
with olive oil, thyme, and sometimes rosemary. On the flip side,
Goin could play up the squash’s sweetness with brown butter,
cinnamon, and a bit of honey.
Wide-ribbed acorn squash—green, yellow, mottled, or
white—is another of Goin’s favorites. “It gets big points for
the cute shape and size,” she says. Because this variety has a
lighter, fresher flavor, Goin tends toward pairing it with fresh
herbs and spinach or other light greens. As an added benefit,
a halved and hollowed-out acorn squash is a natural for filling
with everything from soup to stuffing (see the Winter Squash
Stuffing recipe on page 76).
What’s more, low-cal winter squash is chock-full of
antioxidants, which might help prevent heart disease and some
types of cancer, as well as fiber, vitamins, and minerals. >
James Carrier/StockFood Creative/Getty Images
by Sarene Wallace
Playing With Squash
As the weather cools, area chefs warm up their
menus with winter squash. The dishes are as
varied as the different types of squash, ranging
from salads and soups to purees and pasta.
Acorn squash sourced from Fairview Gardens
(fairviewgardens.org) in Goleta turns into a seasoned
puree served alongside Monterey Bay black cod on
the seasonal menu at Miró, the signature restaurant
at Bacara Resort & Spa (bacararesort.com) in Santa
Barbara. The apples, onions, butter, cinnamon,
and cayenne that accompany the baking squash
are also in the puree. Swiss chard, candied bacon,
beets, and bacon vinaigrette complete the plate.
At Arts & Letters Café (artsandletterscafe.
com) in Santa Barbara, chef Avery Hardin turns
local butternut squash into a pureed soup
seasoned with butter, yellow onions, and salt.
His straightforward approach enhances the
squash’s flavor, he says. Hardin’s Thanksgivingworthy Winter Squash Stuffing recipe on
page 76 was created especially for 805 Living.
Farmstand 46 (farmstand46.com) in Templeton
grows its own butternut and acorn squash for
its just-picked fall menu. Head chef Jeremiah
Bradley has a ready supply for his Gruyère cream
sauce lasagna that includes roasted butternut
squash and porcini mushrooms. Roasted butternut
or acorn squash go into a salad with toasted
walnuts and goat cheese, depending on what’s
ripe that day, he says (see his Acorn Squash
Salad on page 76). Then there’s the medley of
roasted vegetables, including thinly sliced acorn
squash, which fills The Badger sandwich.
At Mediterraneo (med-rest.com) in Westlake
Village, executive chef Lisa Biondi serves a
starter of roasted acorn squash wedges and
creamy burrata. It’s topped with balsamic brown
butter, toasted hazelnuts, and crispy sage. From
there, move on to baked pasta with butternut
squash, Tuscan kale, and Italian sausage.
Executive chef Charles Weber at Adelina’s
Bistro & Market Place (adelinasbistro.com) at
the Monarch Club at Trilogy Monarch Dunes in
Nipomo, roasts chunks of many different winter
squash varieties for a side dish accented with
ricotta salata. Right before serving, he tops it
with a thin ribbon of honey and olive oil.
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Taste f o o d
KABOCHA SQUASH AND FENNEL SOUP
WITH CRÈME FRAÎCHE AND CANDIED
PUMPKIN SEEDS
This soup is a “lovely way to start the
Thanksgiving meal,” says chef and restaurateur
Suzanne Goin of Lucques, A.O.C., Tavern, and
The Larder at Maple Drive, all in Los Angeles.
She’s also a partner in an upcoming farmto-table restaurant in Montecito. The recipe
comes courtesy of Sunday Suppers at Lucques:
Seasonal Recipes From Market to Table (Knopf,
2005), which Goin wrote with Teri Gelber.
2 pounds kabocha squash
2 medium bulbs fennel
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
of the broth. (You will need to puree the soup
in batches.)
Process at the lowest speed until the squash
mixture is pureed. Add another ½ cup broth
and then turn the speed up to high and pour
in more liquid, a little at a time, until the soup
has the consistency of heavy cream. Blend at
least a minute on high speed, until the soup is
completely smooth and very creamy. Transfer
to a container, and repeat with the rest of the
ingredients. You may not need all the liquid.
Taste for balance and seasoning.
Pour the soup into six bowls, spoon some
crème fraîche in the center of each, and scatter
the pumpkin seeds over the top. Or serve familystyle in a tureen with the crème fraîche and
pumpkin seeds on the side.
Serves 6.
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups sliced onions
1 tablespoon thyme leaves
2 chiles de árbol
1 bay leaf
¾ cup sherry
10 cups chicken or vegetable stock
or water
¼ cup crème fraîche
Candied Pumpkin Seeds (recipe follows)
Kosher salt and freshly ground
black pepper
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut the squash in
half lengthwise, and remove the seeds. Place the
squash cut side down on a cutting board, and use
a sharp knife to remove the peel. Slice the squash
into 1-inch-thick wedges. Cut the fennel in half
lengthwise and then into ½-inch-thick wedges.
Toss the squash and fennel with the olive oil,
1 teaspoon salt, and some freshly ground black
pepper. Place the vegetables ﬂat on a baking
sheet and roast about 35 minutes, until tender
and slightly caramelized.
Meanwhile, toast the fennel seeds in a small
pan over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes, until
the seeds release their aroma and are lightly
browned. Pound them coarsely in a mortar.
Heat a Dutch oven or soup pot over high heat
for 2 minutes. Add the butter, and when it foams,
add the onions, fennel seeds, thyme, chiles,
bay leaf, 1 teaspoon salt, and a good amount of
freshly ground black pepper. Reduce the heat to
medium-high, and cook about 10 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are soft, translucent,
and starting to color.
CANDIED PUMPKIN SEEDS
¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
2 teaspoons unsalted butter
½ cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Generous pinch each of ground
cinnamon, paprika, and cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon honey
Kosher salt
Toast the cumin seeds in a small pan over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes, until the seeds release
their aroma and are lightly browned. Pound them
coarsely in a mortar.
Melt the butter in the cumin pan over medium
heat. Add the pumpkin seeds and sugar, then
sprinkle the spices and a healthy pinch of salt
over them. Toss the pumpkin seeds to coat them
well with the butter, and cook a few minutes,
until just after they begin to pop and color
slightly. Turn off the heat, and wait 30 seconds.
Add the honey, tossing well to coat the pumpkin
seeds. Spread on a plate and let them cool.
Makes about ½ cup.
WINTER SQUASH STUFFING
This recipe comes courtesy of chef Avery Hardin
of Arts & Letters Café (artsandletterscafe.com)
in Santa Barbara.
3 medium acorn squash
(about 1½ pounds each), halved
lengthwise and seeds removed
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Add the squash and fennel, and stir to coat
with the onions for a minute. Turn the heat back
up to high and pour in the sherry. Let it reduce
for a minute or two, and then add the stock and
1 tablespoon salt. Bring to a boil, turn down the
heat, and simmer 20 minutes.
1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar
Strain the soup in a colander set in a pot. Put
a third of the solids into a blender with ½ cup
2 cups cooked wild rice mix
(from 1 cup uncooked)
½ medium yellow onion, finely chopped
4 celery stalks, finely chopped
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2 medium shallots, finely chopped
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
2
⁄ 3 cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped
¼ cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more
as needed
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper,
plus more as needed
Heat the oven to 450°F and arrange a rack in the
middle position. Place squash cut side up on a
baking sheet. Brush 1 tablespoon of the melted
butter over the tops and insides of the squash
halves, sprinkle with brown sugar, and season with
salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast in the
oven until just fork tender, about 25 to 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, place 1 tablespoon of the melted
butter in a large frying pan over medium heat.
When it foams, add the onion, shallots, and celery,
season with salt and freshly ground black pepper,
and stir to coat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until
just softened, about 6 minutes. Stir in the thyme
and cook until just fragrant, about 1 minute.
Remove from heat and stir in the rice, pecans,
cranberries, and measured salt and pepper.
Divide the rice filling among the roasted squash
halves (about ½ cup for each half) and drizzle the
remaining tablespoon of butter over. Continue
roasting until each is completely fork tender, the
edges have started to brown, and the filling is
heated through, about 20 to 25 minutes.
Serves 6.
ACORN SQUASH SALAD
This recipe comes courtesy of Jeremiah Bradley,
head chef of Farmstand 46 (farmstand46.com)
in Templeton, who says the salad also can be
made with butternut squash. He leaves the skin
on for color but says if the squash is not roasted
long enough, the skin can be tough. Or peel the
skin off with a vegetable peeler, if desired.
2 acorn squash
½ cup walnut pieces
½ cup fresh goat cheese
(such as Montchevré)
¼ cup fresh herbs (such as rosemary,
thyme, oregano, and sage)
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Salt and pepper, to taste
Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut each acorn squash
in half and clean out seeds. Then, cut squash
into ½-inch dice. Place diced squash into a bowl
and toss with ¼ cup olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Transfer to a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes or until fork tender. Let cool.
Place walnuts on another baking sheet and
bake for 15 minutes or until you can smell the
walnuts. Take out and let cool.
Once squash and walnuts are cool, combine
with fresh goat cheese, fresh herbs, remaining ¼
cup extra-virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Serves 4 to 5. 