Butter nut squash, how to cook for best flavour.?!
Butternut Squash Lasagna with Caramelized Onions
1 large butternut squash (about 1-1/2 to 2 pounds)
1 tsp. kosher salt or sea salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
3 medium-to-large yellow onions, sliced into rings
pinch of sugar
1 pound lasagna noodles (regular, no boil or refrigerated)
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose unbleached flour
2 cups 2% milk, heated in the microwave 1-2 minutes until warm, but not boiling
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Peel butternut squash, slice in half and scoop out the seeds. Cut into 1-inch chunks. Toss squash with 1 Tbsp. olive oil, kosher salt and black pepper. Spread out in an even layer on a half sheet pan or a Mario Batali pizza pan if you have one (the Batali pan is an excellent tool for roasting vegetables). Roast 35-45 minutes, turning once or twice, until butternut squash is browned and fork-tender. Remove from oven and turn the oven temperature down to 350 degrees.
Meanwhile, heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute 1-2 minutes until the onions start to soften. Add the pinch of sugar and reduce heat to medium-low. Continue cooking onions until they become very soft and golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Set aside.
If you're using regular lasagna noodles, prepare them according to package directions. Drain, but do not rinse.
In a 3 quart saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook 2 minutes. Add the milk all at once, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Let the sauce cook about 5 minutes, until it coats the back of a spoon.
Transfer the butternut squash to a food processor. Add the ricotta cheese and nutmeg. Process until smooth.
To assemble the lasagna, spray a 9 x 13 pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place about 1/4 cup of the white sauce on the bottom of the pan. Top with enough lasagna noodles to cover (it doesn't matter if you have to cut the noodles to fit). Top with half of the caramelized onions, then half of the butternut squash mixture and 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese. Top with another layer of sauce, then the noodles, the remaining caramelized onions, butternut squash mixture and the rest of the Parmesan cheese. Finish off with a layer of noodles, the rest of the sauce and the mozzarella cheese.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake 1 hour. Remove the foil and bake another 15 minutes. Allow the lasagna to rest at least 20 minutes (30 minutes is even better) before serving.
Answers: Try this:
Butternut Squash Lasagna with Caramelized Onions
1 large butternut squash (about 1-1/2 to 2 pounds)
1 tsp. kosher salt or sea salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
3 medium-to-large yellow onions, sliced into rings
pinch of sugar
1 pound lasagna noodles (regular, no boil or refrigerated)
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose unbleached flour
2 cups 2% milk, heated in the microwave 1-2 minutes until warm, but not boiling
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Peel butternut squash, slice in half and scoop out the seeds. Cut into 1-inch chunks. Toss squash with 1 Tbsp. olive oil, kosher salt and black pepper. Spread out in an even layer on a half sheet pan or a Mario Batali pizza pan if you have one (the Batali pan is an excellent tool for roasting vegetables). Roast 35-45 minutes, turning once or twice, until butternut squash is browned and fork-tender. Remove from oven and turn the oven temperature down to 350 degrees.
Meanwhile, heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute 1-2 minutes until the onions start to soften. Add the pinch of sugar and reduce heat to medium-low. Continue cooking onions until they become very soft and golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Set aside.
If you're using regular lasagna noodles, prepare them according to package directions. Drain, but do not rinse.
In a 3 quart saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook 2 minutes. Add the milk all at once, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Let the sauce cook about 5 minutes, until it coats the back of a spoon.
Transfer the butternut squash to a food processor. Add the ricotta cheese and nutmeg. Process until smooth.
To assemble the lasagna, spray a 9 x 13 pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place about 1/4 cup of the white sauce on the bottom of the pan. Top with enough lasagna noodles to cover (it doesn't matter if you have to cut the noodles to fit). Top with half of the caramelized onions, then half of the butternut squash mixture and 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese. Top with another layer of sauce, then the noodles, the remaining caramelized onions, butternut squash mixture and the rest of the Parmesan cheese. Finish off with a layer of noodles, the rest of the sauce and the mozzarella cheese.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake 1 hour. Remove the foil and bake another 15 minutes. Allow the lasagna to rest at least 20 minutes (30 minutes is even better) before serving.
Roast with a little butter.
Bake, medium heat, 35 minutes
Roasted in with the potatoes, they become really tasty. I love them.
Cut into chunks roasted is quite nice.
Also for something quicker, mircowave the chunks then brown them off in a frying pan!
Place on a baking sheet, drizzle with melted butter, sprinkle with a little nutmeg, and roast in a 400 degree oven for 25 minutes. You can add a little salt if you like.
I agree with everyone that roasting is a great way to cook them - I do it all the time, in with the potatoes as someone else has said. I normally roast them for a bit longer than the others are saying because when they get a little black around the edge the blackness is almost caramelised - all sweet, crunchy and delicious. Another good way is to make a butternut squash soup with a bit of onion, pureed and served up with a swirl of single cream and some black pepper.
Getting hungry now.
My school cuts them up into sections, butters them, and bakes them... it's okay but I like my mom's much better (obviously - hehe :) She cuts them in half, puts maybe a tablespoon of butter in each, and adds a few tablespoons brown sugar - cover with foil and bake until it's tender. (I think she uses whatever temperature the chicken or meat or whatever is cooking at.) Mmmmm! Thanks for bringing up that memory :)
Split in 1/2
place face down in 1/2" water
Bake until soft.
Add butter & brown sugar.
Cook the seed separate
Add salt & bake until brown.
Butternut Squash Recipes
Ingredients:
2 cups cooked mashed butternut squash
3 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons flaked coconut
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon coconut flavoring
Directions:
Combine all ingredients, mixing well. Pour into lightly greased 1 quart casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour or until set.
soup