Crookneck Squash

[NeroW]

So I have this crookneck squash plant that someone gave me. The squashes look like those squashes I buy every October at Gene the Pumpkin Man's field to make a decorative display on my table.

Does crookneck squash taste good? How is it prepared? A gratin? Is it good enough to eat rather unadorned, like acorn or butternut squash?

Also--I plucked one a few weeks ago and have been admiring it on my table ever since. Still edible?

[andiesenji]

crookneck, straightneck, etc., are similar in flavor to all other summer squash.

They may begin to shrivel a bit but they should be picked before they get too big and the seeds develop a hard skin.

I try and catch them when the bulb part is about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inch in diameter and the neck is about half that size.

Slice thin and saute in garlic butter with celery and corn.

Slice very thin and pickle as you would for bread and butter pickles, i.e., sweet and sour flavor.

They take on the flavor of whatever they are with

I also like summer squash and green beans in combination.

They are related to but unlike gourds (the decorative things) they are edible. In fact they are considered an edible gourd.

You can test the squash with a fingernail. A nail should penetrate easily this will not happen with a gourd.

[EllenC]

I like them with zucchini, carmelized onions and mushrooms. Use lots of butter. As FG says, "Butter is your friend here, folks."

[andiesenji]

Recipe Source, once known as SOAR, has 39 recipes for summer squash listed.

Squash recipes

These should take you through the rest of the summer!

A note about the site:

I began looking for recipes at the old SOAR site soon after it came online in 1993. My daughter, a Berkeley graduate, told me about it and at that time I had Compuserv which charged by the hour. I spent a lot of money looking for recipes and consider it well spent.

When you want a large selection of recipes for a particular food item this is the place to look.

I am sure that some day in the not too distant future RecipeGullet will be as vast and as varied. However for now, it is nice to have this vast resource at our fingertips.

[GG Mora]

I have a surplus of pattypan squash, which are quite similar. The other night I made a gratin of them, thusly:

(for 3 lbs. squash)

Grated them through the large holes of a box grater. Let drain for an hour (this didn't help much). Diced two smallish onions and minced two jalapeño peppers and six cloves of garlic. Sautéed the aromatics until golden in about 3 tbsp butter. Added squash, seasoned well with S&P and ground cumin. Stirred/sautéed over high heat until the mixture was starting to dry out (because my stove sucks or – more accurately – because cooking with LPG sucks, this took much longer than it should have). Once the mixture was dryish (no longer seeping fluids) I added about half a cup of heavy cream and stirred/sautéed until the cream was bubbling. Turned the whole thang into an oval gratin dish, sprinkled half a cup of grated Grana Padano & then about 1/4 cup of bread crumbs over the top. Baked at 375° until nicely browned on top and quite bubbly at the edges.

It was really good.

[tanabutler]

I have a surplus of pattypan squash, which are quite similar. The other night I made a gratin of them, thusly:

(for 3 lbs. squash)

Grated them through the large holes of a box grater. Let drain for an hour (this didn't help much). Diced two smallish onions and minced two jalapeño peppers and six cloves of garlic. Sautéed the aromatics until golden in about 3 tbsp butter. Added squash, seasoned well with S&P and ground cumin. Stirred/sautéed over high heat until the mixture was starting to dry out (because my stove sucks or – more accurately – because cooking with LPG sucks, this took much longer than it should have). Once the mixture was dryish (no longer seeping fluids) I added about half a cup of heavy cream and stirred/sautéed until the cream was bubbling. Turned the whole thang into an oval gratin dish, sprinkled half a cup of grated Grana Padano & then about 1/4 cup of bread crumbs over the top. Baked at 375° until nicely browned on top and quite bubbly at the edges.

It was really good.

When draining zucchini or other squash, I put them first into a thin cotton kitchen towel and twist/wring/squeeze the water out. Then I put a dry kitchen towel in my colander (for this, I use a ceramic colander with large holes) and let it sit for an hour. I will occasionally twist/wring/squeeze that towel, too.

Works like a charm.

[Mayhaw Man]

Stuff them

Par boil the squash and split longways

Scoop out the meat (I don't ever seed them, but I duppose if you are a seedaphobe you can) and set aside in a bowl

Sautee onion, bell pepper (you pick the color), celery, garlic and spice up the stuff with what ever you like-I often use rosemary, thyme, cayenne, salt, and black pepper.

Mix this up with the reserved squash meat, some bread crumbs (I use cooked rice more often than not) and add some seafood - shrimp or crawfish do particularly well in this (dark crabmeat is even better if you have a supply or are feeling flush).

Stuff them back into the squash shells (which should be lightly oiled with evoo to keep from buring or sticking), top with spicy paprika, and bake for about 20 min at 350F.

Enjoy.

[Mayhaw Man]

Squash Casserole.

We eat this, no kidding, twice a week in the summer and I never ever get tired of it. It doubles, triples, etc. great and can be made ahead of time and frozen for reheating (although it has to be thawed first).

I am putting the recipe in recipe gullet. I will come back and post a link in a little while.

[Mabelline]

Cut your squash in cubes and put some butter, say 1/4 stick in a good-sized saucepan, with about 2 cups of milk, and your seasons. Warm the milk/butter till just bubbling, then put your squash cubes in. Let the heat come up to a good bubble, but keep stirring, and after about ten minutes, add some good melting cheese. Turn off the heat, let it thicken and I swear even squash-haters will eat this.

GG, it works a charm with pattypan. That was what I had on hand when I made this up about 30 years ago.

[Jaymes]

Here are two summer squash recipes. The first is our family's absolute favorite. It's even good over a baked potato for a nice veggie meal.

Calabacitas (Mexican Squash)

2 lbs summer squash (I use yellow), cut into bite-sized pieces

1 T butter

1 small yellow onion, or 1/2 large, very coarsely chopped

3 tomatoes (can use canned), chopped

1 cup corn kernels (can use canned), cooked and drained

1 4-oz can green chiles, drained, very coarsely chopped

1 C Cheddar or Longhorn cheese, grated

S & P to taste

Boil squash until just barely tender. Pour into colander and allow to drain thoroughly. Meanwhile, into saucepan put butter, onion, tomatoes. Sauté til onions are clear and mixture is "mushy." Return squash to pan. Add cooked corn and chiles and simmer briefly to combine flavors. Add cheese and allow to melt. Serve immediately when cheese is melted.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And when we're not in the mood for Mexican, this is what I do:

Take one clove of garlic, mash and mince it and put it into the bottom of a saucepan with a tightfitting lid. Saute the garlic briefly in a little butter until it begins to release its aroma. Then take three or four nice summer squashes and peel and chunk them. Add them to the saucepan. Take one white or yellow onion and slice it and add it to the saucepan as well. Add no water (squash has plenty). Cover tightly and put the heat on very low. Slowly the squash will begin to cook in its own juices. Check it from time to time and stir. When the squash and onion are tender, take off the lid, turn the heat up to moderate and break an egg into it. Stir to scramble the egg. Then add a dollop of sour cream, or a little grated cheese and serve immediately.

Edited August 21, 2004 by Jaymes (log)