Driftless Organics Recipe Pages

Cooking &
Eating Tips

Acorn - with its moist yellow flesh is most commonly cut in half & baked until tender, then flipped over & filled with butter & brown sugar or maple syrup & returned to the oven for a couple minutes. Or try steaming it! Then, add a pat of butter, some fried or carmelized onions, salt and pepper to taste.

Butternut - with its smooth skin, butternut is the only squash that’s easy to peel. For this reason its my favorite to make squash soup with.

Delicata - Delicata has the softest skin of all the common winter squashes, so it can actually be eaten with the flesh if you wish. Its long, narrow shape means it cooks quicker than most squashes, too - cutting it in half lengthwise, scooping out the seeds, & roasting it cut-side down at 350 degrees on a baking sheet should take less than a half hour (versus up to an hour for others). After its done it’s really yummy to flip them over, drizzle with olive or sunflower oil, & melt a bit of Parmesan on top! Or you can try grilling it! Or cut into chunks & steam or simmer it.

Heart of Gold - Heart of Gold is a sweet little squash! Smaller size, more tender skin, sweeter flesh, & dryer texture than your average winter squash.

Red Kuri - this is a beautiful deep orange squash with deep orange dry flesh. Cut in half, scoop out seeds, & roast cut side down at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. I like to oil the cut side first so it doesn’t stick to the pan & you end up with a pretty caramelized top. Try the stuffed winter squash recipe, below.

Winter Squash & Kale Soup

4 strips bacon, 4 ounces, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 pound kale, thick stems removed, leaves finely
chopped (about 8 cups)
4 cups Acorn/Green Kabocha Squash Puree (bake until soft, scoop out from skin and mash with fork)
Salt and pepper
Cook bacon in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a paper-towellined plate; set aside. Add onion to fat in pan, and cook until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add kale; cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add squash puree and 3 cups water (or more if necessary to achieve desired consistency); bring just to a boil. Season generously with salt and pepper. Serve, garnished with reserved bacon.

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Butternut Squash Soup with Fresh Sage

3 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 cup apple juice or cider
8 cups butternut squash, peeled, seed, & cubed
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 fresh sage leaves
Crème fraîche or sour cream
Salt & pepper to taste
About 2 tablespoons minced fresh sage leaves
Gorgonzola, crumbled, for garnish (optional)
Preparation
Bring 2 cups broth and juice to a boil in a large soup pot. Add squash, onion, garlic, and whole sage leaves to pan, cover, and return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until squash is very tender, about 30 minutes. Puree with an immersion blender or in a food processor/blender. If soup is thicker than you like, thin with more broth. Stir over medium heat until soup is hot. Remove from heat & add crème fraîche/sour cream and salt/pepper to taste. Garnish with minced sage & Gorgonzola, if using. Serves 4-6.

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Roasted Delicata Squash

This recipe comes from us from Elizabeth Van Loo, a Driftless chef from days gone past.

Wash 1 squash and preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Halve and seed squash (there’s no need to peel, as the skins can be eaten once baked)
Cut into half moons of equal size.
Put these all in a bowl.

In a glass put:
4 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp Maple Syrup
1/2 - 1 Tbsp Chipotle, cayenne or chili powder to taste
Half as much cinnamon
Salt & pepper (to taste)
*stir and pour over squash

Put on cookie sheet in single layer.
Roast until brown and soft, checking midway to move around and flip over (about 35-40 min).

It should smell like the State Fair’s mini donuts!
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Butternut Squash Vindaloo
(a mild Indian curry)

1 ½ Tbsp. grainy mustard
1 tsp. ground cumin
¾ tsp. ground turmeric
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. white wine vinegar
3 Tbsp. oil
1 small onion, cut into thin half rings
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium butternut squash (apr. 1½ lbs.), peeled, seeded, & cut into 1” cubes (should be about 4 cups squash)
1 c. coconut milk (well stirred)
1/2 c. water
Cilantro & roasted cashews, for garnish (optional)

Mix mustard, spices, salt, & vinegar well in a small bowl. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Put in the onion & fry until golden brown. Add garlic, stir, & fry for 30 seconds. Add the spice past & stir for a minute. Add sweet potatoes, coconut milk, & water & cover. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, & simmer for about 30 minutes, or until squash is tender but not falling apart. Garnish with cilantro & cashews if you wish, & serve with rice.
Serves 4.

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Roasted Squash with Collards

1 Heart of Gold squash
1/2 minced yellow onion
1 Tbsp butter (for carmelizing the onion)
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 Tbsp grapeseed (or other high-heat) oil
1 tsp salt
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 large bunch of kale, chopped
1 bunch of collard greens, chopped

Preheat the oven to 425.

Peel the squash and then cut in half and scoop out the seeds. Cut the squash into chunks. Mix the squash with the balsamic vinegar, oil, and salt. Roast the squash for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, sauté the onion in the butter over low heat, stirring regularly. Your goal is to caramelize the onions and get them slightly crispy. Remove the onion with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. Remove the squash from the oven when tender and set aside. In a large pan over medium heat, sauté the garlic for 2 minutes, or until very fragrant. Add the kale and collards in small batches, stirring constantly, until the kale and collards have started to wilt and turn bright green. Add squash to the kale, mix, and serve, topped with the caramelized onion. Serves 4.