Blue Hubbard Squash Delights

I am constantly discovering new vegetables through the Tera Farm online store.  This time it was the Blue Hubbard Squash.  I saw it for the first time just a few weeks ago. It belongs to the  Cucurbita maxima botanical family.  It did not look like any other squash I have seen before and I really wanted to try it. It represented a cooking challenge to me. After searching for some appealing recipes I decided to go with a simple idea of roasting it.

These are the steps to follow:

1. Cut the large squash in half. This can represent a challenge. The squash has a very thick and tough skin, so be careful when cutting it in half. I used a big knife with a serrated edge to open it; an electric knife would probably be better if you have one.

2. Seeds and skin can be removed either before or after cooking. It is much easier to remove the skin after squash is cooked. Since I didn’t want to waste the seeds, I roasted the seeds like any other pumpkin seeds. 

3. Place the squash cut side down in a shallow pan of water. Poke it with a knife or fork in a few places so that it doesn’t explode in the oven.

4. Roast at 400° F (204°C) for 1 hour.

5. Once the squash is soft cut its skin off and cut it into bite-sized pieces.

6. Serve with a bit of butter on top, drizzle with balsamic vinegar and decorate with fresh cilantro.

Blue Hubbard Squash with its sweet, nutty taste is a keeper! I hope to cook it many times during this winter season. 

-Marzena