When it comes to “take them for granted” vegetables, squash–especially winter squash–takes the cake. With the exception of the pumpkin, which has its annual day in the sun (moonlight would be more appropriate), squash that ripens in the fall and winter spends a great deal of time on steam tables, being ignored, or in vegetable centerpieces.
It is, many say, hopelessly bland. True, but here’s an opportunity. It takes to flavorings as a sponge to water, soaking up whatever it comes in contact with.
It is full of seeds and strings, other critics comment. Ah, but those are easily removed, leaving a pocket that will generously play host to any number of different stuffings. Their names–acorn, butternut, Hubbard and turban are the most common in our markets–reflect different shapes, not botanical differences. (Delicata and kabocha also are often available.) Summer squashes are immature and soft, Alice Waters points out in “Chez Panisse Vegetables,” while winter squashes are mature, with hard shells and darker, sweeter flesh.
Waters serves them diced and sauteed, baked and mashed with shavings of Parmesan cheese, in a gratin with potatoes and bacon, in risotti with thyme and white truffles and in other variations.
Adding to the winter squash repertoire, here is an unusual treat from the East Coast, a winter squash and dried bean soup. I found it in “Second Helpings From Union Square Cafe” by Danny Meyer and Michael Romano (Harper Collins, $35), recipes from the kitchen of their New York restaurant.
BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND BEAN SOUP
8 to 10 servings
1 pound dried borlotti (cranberry) beans
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 cups rustic or sourdough bread cubes (1/2-inch, crusts removed)
3 unpeeled garlic cloves, smashed
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage leaves
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup diced (1/2-inch) onion
1 cup diced (1/2-inch) carrots
1 cup sliced celery (stalks cut in half lengthwise and then cut into 1/2-inch slices)
1 cup diced (1/2-inch) parsnip
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 firmly packed tablespoons sliced fresh sage leaves
3 cups peeled and diced (1/2-inch) butternut squash
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or dried red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon honey
1. Soak the beans overnight, or for at least 6 hours, in enough cold water to cover. Drain and transfer to a large pot or Dutch oven. Add 8 cups water and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until almost tender, 45 to 50 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of the kosher salt and cook 10 more minutes.
2. Make the croutons: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the bread cubes on a baking sheet and bake until golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer the cubes to a large bowl and toss with the smashed garlic, salt, pepper, 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 teaspoon sage. Let stand 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, heat the extra-virgin oil in a second large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, parsnip, minced garlic and sliced sage and cook until the vegetables have softened but are not browned, about 10 minutes. Add the squash and cook for 10 more minutes. Season with the remaining tablespoon of kosher salt and the black and Aleppo peppers. Remove from the heat and set aside.
4. Spoon 1 cup of the cooked beans along with 1/4 cup of their cooking liquid into a blender and puree until smooth. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the puree into the pan with the vegetables. Add the whole beans with their cooking liquid, the bay leaves and honey, and simmer until the vegetables are completely tender, about 10 more minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if desired.
5. Serve the soup in warm bowls, topped with the croutons.
–From “Second Helpings From Union Square Cafe”
