Episode 143: Squash

Zucchini Spaghetti with Jumbo Shrimps in Thai Green Curry Sauce
Barbecued Acorn Squash with a Brown Sugar Glaze and a Baked Apple Stuffing
Winter Squash Galette
Souffle Acorn Squash

ZUCCHINI SPAGHETTI WITH JUMBO SHRIMPS IN A THAI GREEN CURRY SAUCE

You will need a mandolin with medium width (1/8 inch wide) blade and a wok

1 pound of jumbo shrimp - (500grams)
2 tablespoons of butter - (30ml)
2 zucchini (approx. ½ lb) - (250grams)
2 yellow crookneck squash (approx. ½ lb) - (250grams)
2 ½ tablespoons of vegetable oil or more if needed - (37.5ml)
Salt and pepper
13.5 oz can unshaken and unsweetened coconut milk
2 tablespoons Thai green curry past - (30ml)
1 tablespoon brown sugar - (15ml)
1 tablespoon of fish sauce - (15ml)
Freshly squeezed lime juice
1 handful of fresh basil leaves
Sprigs for garnish

Melt butter in a skillet. Add your shelled, deveined shrimp to the skillet and sauté until pink. Set aside and cover to keep warm.

Cut the zucchini and yellow crookneck squash, lengthwise into long julienned strips with the mandolin. Heat 1 ½ tablespoons of oil in a wok over moderate to high heat, but not to smoking point then add squash strips to the wok and sauté, tossing gently for about 3 minutes. The strands will begin to stick together. Season with salt & pepper and remove from heat. Place the zucchini onto a plate and cover to keep warm.

Gently open the coconut milk without shaking. Scrape ½ cup of the thick upper layer of the contents into a bowl. This is the coconut cream. Measure 1 cup of the residual liquid into a separate bow. Set aside.

Add coconut cream to the now empty wok and place the wok back over high heat. Stir the mixture until it starts to boil - about 2 minutes. Reduce to medium heat then introduce your green curry paste and cook stirring frequently until fragrant for another 2 minutes. Put in the sugar, fish sauce, coconut milk, chilli paste, and the lime juice. Intensify the heat to high and bring mixture to a boil. At once diminish heat to moderate intensity and let simmer, sporadically stirring for 1 to 2 minutes, until the sauce thickens to a cream consistency. Add fresh basil and cook for 30 more seconds until the basil begins to wilt.

Spoon the sauce onto plates and fill the centre with the zucchini mixture. Encircle with the jumbo shrimp. Garnish with basil sprigs, season one more time and it is ready to serve.

Yields: 4 servings
Back to top


BARBECUED ACORN SQUASH WITH A BROWN SUGAR GLAZE AND A BAKED APPLE STUFFING

1 halved and quartered acorn squash
4 tablespoons of butter - (60ml)
Salt and Pepper
¼ cup of raisins - (60ml)
Brandy to cover
¼ cup brown sugar - (60ml)
½ teaspoon nutmeg - (2.5ml)
2 peeled, cored and thinly sliced Golden Delicious apples

Preheat oven to 450°F - (225°C)

Place the raisins in a bowl and submerge in brandy. Let the raisins soak for a minimum of 20 minutes.

Halve the acorn squash and then quarter it. Using a paring knife remove the seeds and scruff, then separate the melon from the rind much as you would do with a slice of melon. Place each quarter squash on a piece of tin foil. Generously lather the squash quarters in 2 tablespoons of room temp butter, a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg and take to the oven to bake until soft and tender. Place a quarter on top of its rind on a plate and position them beside the stove top for easy access.

Melt the remainder of the butter in a skillet. Add brown sugar and nutmeg. When the sugar has melted, add the apple slices. Turn the heat to low and slowly cook the apples until they are caramelized.

Add the raisins and brandy and flambé. Before the flames die, carefully spoon some sugared apple; brandy/raising sauce on top of each quarter of roasted squash.

Dig in!

Yields: 4 servings
Back to top


WINTER SQUASH GALETTE

Galette Dough:
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon of distilled white vinegar - (5ml)
1/3 cup of ice water (approximate) - (75ml)
2 ½ cups of all-purpose flour - (625ml)
1 teaspoon of salt - (5ml)
1 cup of chilled butter, cut into 12 pieces - (250ml)

Winter Squash Galette:
4 pounds of butternut squash - (2000grams)
3 tablespoons of olive oil - (45ml)
1 head of garlic, cloves separated, not peeled
1 finely diced onion
2 tablespoons of chopped fresh thyme, or 1 tablespoon dried - (15ml or 30ml)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese - (250ml)
3 ounces grated Fontina cheese - (85grams)
1 beaten large egg
Galette Dough (see recipe)

Start with the dough. Combine egg yolk and white vinegar in a measuring cup. As you whisk, add the ice water, making about ½ cup of liquid.

Combine flour and salt in blender. Progressively add chilled butter, switching power on blender off and off until you a coarse meal forms.

Add the egg and vinegar liquid in a slow stream while you pulse the blender to make the dough moist but not wet enough to form a ball. Remove the dough and separate it into 6 pieces. Roll each dough piece into a disk. Wrap them in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes - until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 375°F - (185°C)

Cut each squash in half lengthwise and seed. Lather the squash with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then place on baking tray. Insert some garlic cloves in the cavities of the squash, making sure garlic still has skin on. Flip the squash so that they are cut side down and on the tray and bake for 40 minutes - until the flesh is tender and golden brown.

Spoon the flesh from the squash into a mixing bowl. Peel the skin from the from the garlic cloves and add the garlic to the bowl. Mash them together until they are smooth with a slight texture still perceivable.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a skillet. Add onion and sauté for 8-10 minutes. Add the thyme and stir for 2 minutes. Add the sauté to squash mixture in bowl. Fold in the Parmesan and Fortina cheeses. Mix well and add salt & pepper.

Prepare 2 large baking sheets by lining with parchment paper. Roll out dough rounds on a floured surface to approximately 7 inch in diameter. Scoop generous amounts of filling onto each disc remembering to leave a 2 inch border, carefully fold edge of the dough rounds over the filling.

Brush the edges with the beaten egg and bake for approximately 40- 45minutes, or until the crust is golden. Serve hot.

Yields: 6 servings
Back to top


SOUFFLÉD ACORN SQUASH

2 small (3/4 lb) acorn squash
4 teaspoons of butter - (20ml)
4 teaspoons of brown sugar - (20ml)
¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon - (1.25ml)
½ teaspoon of grated fresh nutmeg - (2.5ml)
1 large egg separated
Salt
Fresh ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400°F - (200°C)

Cut the Acorn Squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Cut a thin slice out off each end of the squash so that they will not tip when presented on a plate.

Pour about ½ inch level high water into a baking dish. Position the squash in water with skin side up. Cook in the oven for about 30minutes.

Remove the squash from the oven and gently flip the squash over so that the fleshy side is facing up. Spoon a tablespoon of butter on each squash center. Return the dish to the oven to continue baking for another 30 minutes.

When they are ready, carefully transfer tip the butter from the squash into a mixing bowl.

Add sugar, salt, pepper, and beaten egg yolk to the butter and whisk together.

Gently spoon out the flesh of the squash into a separate bowl. Be very careful not to pierce the skin of the squash as this will be the vessel for the soufflé. Leave a small amount of flesh still connected to wall.

In segments blend the squash in a blender or food processor. Doing this in segments will prevent the hot mixture from exploding. Add the butter mixture.

Whisk the egg white with a pinch of salt into stiff peaks. Gently fold the egg into squash mix and divide mixture subsequently into each hollowed out squash half. Place them on a baking sheet and take to oven to bake for approximately 25 min or until tops are golden and start to crack.

Yields: 4 servings
Back to top

Recipe courtesy of Chef Georges Laurier, Executive Chef & owner of Laurier Sur Montcalm in Hull, Quebec.