In Kim's Kitchen

To be honest, we used to turn our noses up at Acorn Squash, but in the last couple of years we’ve really come to appreciate its semi-dry flesh and the sweet, homey flavor that comes from a truly ripe acorn. I think that most people who claim not to like winter squash have simply never had a good one, because most growers will pick just about everything in their field that approaches ripe. We’ve always stuck our noses up in the air and insisted on harvesting only the truly ripe squash that have developed a full, luscious flavor and maximum nutrition.

To pick a ripe winter squash, you need to know that, here in the north, we grow three species of squash. You can tell the species apart by looking at their peduncles (that’s the correct name for the “stem” that comes off the fruit).

• Cucurbita pepo, which includes jack-o-lantern pumpkins as well as acorn and delicate squashes, have stiff green peduncles. All squash have a “ground spot” where they rest on the ground. For this species of squash, look for that ground spot to have a golden orange hue, like the color of pumpkin pie filling when you stir in the spices – then you can’t go wrong.
• C. maxima, like buttercups, have a fleshy peduncle that is usually dry by the time they get to you. The peduncle should have a corky appearance rather than smooth.
• And C. moschata, which is pretty much only the beige butternuts, have a five-sided peduncles that flairs at the base. Look for a color that Martha Stewart might feature in her fall collection; anything pale or washed out simply isn’t ready.

All winter squash should be stored in a dry, cool place with good air circulation. We used to keep them on our bookshelves when we lived in the city.

Basic Baked Squash

Squash
Oil
Garlic

Preheat oven to 375. Remove hard stem from a winter squash and cut the squash in half. Oil the flesh, and invert over an unpeeled clove of garlic on a baking sheet. Bake until soft to the touch, about 40 minutes (more or less, depending on the squash).

Cider-baked Squash

2 lbs winter squash
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 cup apple cider or juice
pepper to taste

Halve squash and remove seeds. Brush each half with melted butter. Place each half cut side up on a cookie sheet or in a baking dish. Pour equal amounts of cider into each half. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes, or until the squash is tender. Scoop out squash flesh and apple cider, and serve.

We had two crops of Broccoli come in at the same time this week, so we are loving that, and eating lots of green. Don’t overcook it!

So So Simple Broccoli

1 lb broccoli
1/4 cup olive oil
salt
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 450

Cut broccoli florets in pieces, they should still hold together. Peel the stem and slice. Place in a baking dish, toss with salt and olive oil. Roast until brown, approx. 15 minutes Transfer to a serving bowl, toss with lemon juice and top with the parmesan cheese.

Saturday morning’s frost took the leaves on the French Petite Green Beans, but left the beans undamaged. This will probably be the last week for this crop.

Grilled Green Beans with Sweet Red Pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 pound green beans cut into 1 inch lengths
1 or 2 sweet red peppers, slice thin
2 shallots, chopped or 1small onion chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice
salt and pepper

Heat up your grill (I grill these in a vegetable grill pan, which has smaller holes so the vegetables don't slip through. You can also sauté this on the stove top.) Prep and toss all ingredients together in a bowl. Grill or sauté until fork tender.

The same thing happened with the Sweet Red Peppers and the Jalapeno Peppers. We’ll miss the sweet reds which have often made a great snack in the field and packing shed.

Celeriac is hard to miss is you put your nose to it, since it smells just like celery. And the leaves that we left on this week look just like celery. There’s a good reason for that, too: genetically speaking, celeriac and celery are exactly the same species. Celery was selected for its swollen stems, celeriac for its swollen roots. Celeriac is the more ancient of the two, having been grown for centuries in Europe; celeriac still contributes almost all of the modern disease resistance to celery varieties. It can contribute a celery flavor to any dish you like, and can even be served raw, although we like it best in soups and stews. Around our house, celeriac has a ubiquitous role in the kitchen throughout fall, winter and spring.

Celeriac Salad

2 lbs celeriac, peeled and cut into matchsticks
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 clove garlic
1 1/2 tsp stoneground mustard

Blanch celeriac in boiling water for 2 minutes; dunk in cold water to stop cooking, then drain. Place in a bowl and add oil and vinegar. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Refrigerate, covered, for at least two hours. Crush garlic into a paste and combine with the mayonnaise and mustard, and add this mixture to the celeriac and stir well just before serving.

We’ve got to be getting down to the last of the Round Red Greenhouse Tomatoes, but they just keep squeaking along and we get one or two to put in the boxes and a couple to take to market. Can’t really complain about that.

Flat Cipollini Onions have great flavor and make a wonderful inclusion anywhere you want to feature the onion in a dish, rather than using it as a standby ingredient.