Video: How to cut, roast butternut squash
There’s something about squash that might make us less prone to pick one up at the market and turn it into dinner. It could be the fruit’s hard-to-cut exterior and the many varieties, shapes and textures. Is it that mystery that makes us more likely to decorate our porch with the festive ingredient rather than use it to whip up something delicious?
Prep yourself with a little knowledge, and it becomes a lot easier than it looks. Take, for example, butternut squash. Its bulbous base and tough texture might make you want to buy the pre-cut variety rather than chop one up on your own. But you’ll get more bang for your squash if you follow these instructions.
How to cut a butternut squash
Butternut squash soup
Ingredients: 1 medium butternut squash, 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper, to taste
1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. Peel the squash.
3. Cut 1/4 to 1/2 inch off bottom to create a sturdy base. Slice off the stem.
4. Stand the squash vertically and cut in half.
5. Scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp. If you wish, wash the seeds and roast them later.
6. Place one half on a cutting board, flat side down. Make 1-inch vertical cuts. Slice horizontally into cubes. Repeat with other half.
7. Put squash into a medium glass dish. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Toss.
8. Place in oven for 30 minutes or until squash is tender.
Now that you’ve got that down, here’s a recipe for Roasted Butternut Squash Soup, at the No Sweat, York blog.
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