Whipped Winter Squash

Simple Comfort Food

Recipe adapted from Recipes from the Root Cellar

I hope you have had as quiet and contemplative a month as I have. After lots of socializing and baking during the holiday season, I’ve been quite lazy. True that I started a weight-lifting program and have been reading a lot. But in the kitchen, less has been more. Hence this super-simple recipe for an elegant winter side dish that requires few ingredients and little effort. If you’re really lazy, like I am, you can spread the prep over two days by cooking the squash one night and whipping it up the next. Vary the ingredients as you like, and don’t even measure if you’re really lazy (fewer dishes to wash). A splash of this, a dollop of that will do the trick.

Whip in Cream and Maple Syrup

You can choose whether to make the squash completely velvety-smooth or to leave small nubbins of texture. Use an immersion blender for absolute smoothness. For texture use an electric mixer, combination of a hand masher and fork, or an immersion blender with a light touch. If super-smooth, the mixture may separate if it sits. Simply whip it up again with a fork.

I’ve scaled down the quantities of butter, maple syrup, and milk; these quantities seem adequately delicious. Depending upon your squash and your taste, you might scale up to the original recipe quantities in parentheses ( ). Instead of butternut, you may substitute buttercup, red kuri, or baby blue Hubbard squash.

Just a Few Simple Ingredients

Whipped Winter Squash

serves ~6

large butternut squash, ~3 lbs.

2 tbsp. (4-6 tbsp.) butter

2 tbsp. (4-6 tbsp.) maple syrup or honey

2 tbsp. (3-4 tbsp.) half-and-half or light cream

salt and fresh ground pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Cut squash in half and scrape out seeds. Place cut-side down in a baking dish. Add about 1 inch of water. Bake for 60 – 90 minutes, until completely tender. Skin will be golden brown on top.

Remove squash halves to plate to cool, skin side down. When cool enough to handle, scrape out flesh into a mixing bowl. If you are not serving the squash immediately, let it cool and refrigerate. Reheat in microwave before continuing.

Add butter and mash with fork or masher until butter melts. Beat in maple syrup and half-and-half with electric mixer or immersion blender to desired texture (or continue to use masher, then whip with fork).

Season with salt and pepper as desired. Serve immediately.

First Flavoring Ingredient: Real Butter

Delicious and Comforting Results