Spaghetti squash

[Mistinguett]

It's my first attempt to cook spaghetti squash, and I have a feeling that I'll like it. However, my husband behaved like a 5 year old when his eyes fell on the yellow beauty, and his question was:"what are you going to do with that?"

So, I need your advice. Microwave or baked? Does it really make a difference in taste?

And after making the "spaghetti", what? I need some idea as I really want my husband to like it (yes, I'm trying really hard to make him eat his veggies).

[fifi]

My usual approach is to nuke the thing (after poking some holes so it doesn't explode) to soften it enough to chop in half without maiming myself. Then I have been known to cut it in half and put it in the oven. However, I have also nuked it to a stage of doneness that I was ready to deal with. Then, after I have teased out the "spaghetti" I continue on with saucing, buttering, or whatever. Actually, my favorite way to serve it is with lots of butter, s&p. I don't think that the baking ever added anythng significant so I have been nuking it ever since. Sauteing after that point is a whole 'nother thing and has a lot of possibilities.

[newguy]

Cut it in half raw, rub the cut side with melted butter and season liberally with salt and pepper. Roast it cut side up. If it becomes brown, flip it over. You want a beautiful roasted, buttery flavor. Don't put it in the nuker. It'll steam, might as well drop it in hot water.

[Huevos del Toro]

I'm also of the baking school. I've never nuked one. Liberal application of butter, S&P. That's it! I suppose you could sauce it, herb it, etc. but I like the flavor of the squash, backed up by this simple dressing. Not very imaginative I suppose but I've never had the desire to experiment further. Maybe I should, eh? It just seemed to me that doing anything further would drown the squash flavor.

[dano1]

I do it like newguy said. Cut in half drizzle with fat and season. I roast flesh down to allow for some carmelization on cut surface & sheetpan-this also "steams", cooking faster.

hth, danny

[arjay]

Follow any of the directions above, plate it on your prettiest platter, then throw it away and make him some real spaghetti.

Edited January 17, 2004 by arjay (log)

[=Mark]

Bake as above, but for added flavor add an ounce or 3 of sherry to the baking pan. I prefer pyrex for this.

(PS - The sherry goes good with any squash)

[Cleo]

I have a really stupid question, but it's been driving me insane since Thursday and I gotta ask. I've never made spaghetti squash before, but on my way home from work on Thursday, I decided that I was going to make some for dinner. I was planning to bake it in the oven.

So I get home, an take out my Wusthof Grand Prix 8" chef's knife to cut it in half. I could not cut this through beast. It was like a rock. So after like 10 minutes of sawing at this thing, I didn't want to ruin my knife and I just gave up and made roasted cauliflower and brussels sprouts.

As I'm typing this, I went back in the kitchen to see if I'm losing my mind and to try it again with a serrated knife. My husband is in there now hacking away, with a variety of knifes (he just yelled at me because I told him not to ruin our good knives!).

So here's my question(s)...are these squashes normally so hard to cut? Does it need to ripen? What kind of knife should I use?

I feel like an idiot, but I had to ask.

[melkor]

You need a bigger, sharper knife. I always use a 10" chefs knife to split winter squash.

[woodford]

A heavy chinese cleaver should do the trick. You need something substantial to get through a big squash. And please be careful-pounding away at the squash is an easy way to hurt yourself.

[fifi]

That is why I started nuking it a little before I even try to cut it. I do the same with any winter squash now. If you don't like the nuking idea, you could just put it in the oven for a while. Just don't do that without poking some holes with an ice pick.

Having had a number of rather scary near misses, I concluded that it just wasn't worth it to try to hack into one of the things. I do finish in the oven with whatever technique if I am looking for caramelization or some other effect. It is a safety thing with me.

[Mistinguett]

Cleo, I had some trouble with it myself - in the end I was able to cut it in (two slightly uneven) halves with my 10" chefs knife, as melkor said.

So. I baked it, basted with a lot of butter, s&p, and just a smudge of fresh ginger. Scraped it and tasted: a bit... bland. So I decided to make an alfredo sauce - although I was worried about how the ginger flavor will go with parmiggiano - but it was delicious.

Note - a half is more than enough for two hungry people. Now I have another half to experiment with.

[Jason Perlow]

bake the halves of spaghetti squash with lots of butter and parmigiano reggiano. That or with marinara sauce and tons of cheese as well.

[fifi]

What Jason said. I actually consider spaghetti squash a convenient vehicle for butter, garlic, and parm. And I can then self righteously proclaim that I am eating my vegetables.

[BJL]

I will agree with baking it, much better results than a microwave.

As for seasoning, butter, parm and crushed red pepper is my favorite. In lieu of that a bit of cumin, chili powder and butter works well too.

[Cleo]

So I guess I need a cleaver and/or a 10" knife. But shortly after I posted that note, my husband did cut it in half (well, not exactly in half, since the pieces are pretty uneven). Haven't tried cooking it yet, though. I plan to go the butter and parmiggiano route.

Thanks for the tips...I thought it was only me!

[Mistinguett]

Just reporting on the second half of the squash.

I baked both halves at the same time, and found that a half produced more than enough "spaghetti" - so the second half went in the fridge, covered in plastic wrap.

Afraid that it might spoil if I waited another day, I decided to give it a go for last night's dinner.

Popped it in the oven (cut side down) for another half an hour and what do you know? it wasn't overcooked - I'd say it was just right, a little sweeter maybe than previous night.

The sauce was sauteed shallots in butter, with a bit of cream (ok, more like 1/2 cup) and some peas. Some grated parmesan and that was it.

Both sauces were delighful and not that much different, but if I had to choose, I'd choose the Alfredo. So my conclusion is what fifi and Jason said: great vehicle for butter, cream and parmiggiano, avoiding real spaghetti and having your vegetables.

And a big YES to what fifi said about nuking before cutting and roasting. Makes a lot of sense and there will be no other way for me.

Edited January 18, 2004 by Mistinguett (log)

[fifi]

And a big YES to what fifi said about nuking before cutting and roasting. Makes a lot of sense and there will be no other way for me.

Thank you. Possibly another digit saved.

Check out megaira's post toward the end of this thread.