Let the pumpkins feed you breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Winter squash soup

While the inherent sweetness of winter squash is apparent in pie, it doesn’t get in the way of this savory soup.

The trick here is combining baked and simmered squash. Start with one in the oven, as above. Take another squash, or the other half of a big squash, and skin it with a knife. Cut it into small pieces until you have a cup’s worth. Saute a chopped onion in olive oil until translucent, and add the cut squash. Then add two cups of water and simmer. Add two cups of the baked squash, mashed, and cook to a soft, chunky consistency. Add salt and raw pressed garlic to taste, and serve.

Winter squash as roasted root

Winter squashes can act like honorary roots and be roasted along with fellow winter storage crops like potatoes, carrots, and parsnips. Cut roots and squash into 1-inch chunks, coat with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook under the broiler, stirring frequently. In about half an hour the roots and squash will be crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and perfectly at home alongside any other components of your winter feast.

Starchy winter squashes like buttercup, sunshine, kabocha, and blue hubbard work best for all of these recipes because the starch adds body. Avoid pumpkins, butternuts, and other watery squashes. And avoid spaghetti squash, which doesn’t work at all.

Leftovers reheat excellently the next day. The roasted roots can accompany breakfast eggs, and the soup makes a nice lunch. The pie makes a tasty treat any time of day. And months later, when the holidays are a warm, fuzzy memory, these winter squash recipes will keep giving. •

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