Squash, anyone?

IN THE KITCHEN by Ann Harwood:  It’s the season to try two recipes with an international flair, gearing up with recipes for fall and winter squashes.

   Even though it is warm and sunny as I write, the past week or so has been chilly — early autumn weather with a nip in the air. We actually turned the heat on to 62 degrees, just to take the chill off the house; I almost never turn on the heat until about mid-October.

"Illustration
Illustration by Judy Martin

   Predictably I made a late-summer minestrone soup to eat with toasted country bread croutes. And the first pot roast and mashed potatoes of the season just had to be cooked last weekend. It did make the house smell good.
   I noticed that even Home Depot’s garden center is making the autumnal transition from impatiens to corn stalks, hay bales and pumpkins. Roadside stands are loaded with pumpkins and apples. And I am doing my bit by gearing up with recipes for fall and winter squashes.
   Last winter I made a butternut squash risotto that just didn’t quite do it for me. It was good, but lacking something. More squash, I decided. So last night I made the dish with twice as much squash. Even though purists would probably say this is too much squash in proportion to the rice, I like it.
   I wanted some of the squash to begin to break down in the stirring of the risotto, so I precooked half in the broth before starting the risotto. I then added in that half later so that it would break up a bit.
   While watching a chef on Food Television, I decided that picadillo, the savory Mexican poblano chile stuffing, would also make a great stuffing for baked acorn squash. And so here it is.
   Following through on my promise to develop recipes this fall that emphasize America’s rich and diverse culinary heritages, here is also an autumn squash recipe from Northern Italy.
BUTTERNUT SQUASH RISOTTO
   2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes (about 1 quart)
   1 14-ounce can reduced sodium chicken broth
   1 quart water
   a few leaves from celery tops
   3 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
   1 tablespoon olive oil
   2 tablespoons butter
   ½ cup diced onion
   1½ cups Arborio or Canaroli rice
   dash cayenne pepper
   a few grindings of nutmeg
   ½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
   salt to taste
   Place 2 cups butternut squash in 3-quart saucepan along with chicken broth, water, celery tops and parsley. Bring to simmer and cook until squash is tender, about 12 to 15 minutes. Using slotted spoon, scoop out squash and reserve. Discard celery and parsley. Keep broth warm.
   Place olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in large pot along with onion and remaining squash. Place over medium-low heat and cook until onion is translucent and squash is beginning to look bright orange and softer.
   Add rice and stir to coat well. Cook one minute. Reduce heat
to low, add 1 cup broth and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon,1
until broth is almost completely absorbed. Continue adding broth, ½
cup at a time, stirring each time until absorbed.
   After about 20 minutes, almost all the broth should have been added to the rice. Rice should be al dente, with a creamy, "oatmealy" coating. Season with cayenne and nutmeg.
   Add a little more water and cook a bit longer if you want it a little bit more done. Add reserved squash along with any liquid surrounding squash. Stir and cook until added squash is reheated and has begun to break up a bit.
   Remove from heat, stir in remaining tablespoon butter, then cheese. Taste for salt. Serve immediately.
   Serves 4-6, depending on whether served as a first course or for supper.
   1 My favorite wooden utensil for cooking is one that has a flat bottom, great for preventing food from sticking on the bottom of the pan. It really is more of a paddle shape than a spoon shape.
BAKED ACORN SQUASH WITH PICADILLO
(picadillo adapted from chef Rick Bayless)
   ¾ cup chopped onion
   1 tablespoon olive oil
   1 pound coarsely chopped lean pork or beef2
   1 large clove garlic, minced
   1 pound can plum tomatoes
   ½ teaspoon salt
   several grindings black pepper
   scant 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
   ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
   2 chipotles en adobo (Mexican peppers), chopped
   ½ cup raisins
   2 tablespoons cider vinegar
   2 acorn squash, about ¾ pound each
   3 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted3
   Place onion and oil in large, nonstick skillet and cook over medium heat until translucent. Add meat and cook until lightly browned. Add garlic and cook about 30 seconds.
   Pour on juice of tomatoes, then tomatoes, crushing them in your hands as you add them. Add seasonings, chipotles, raisins and vinegar. Simmer over medium-to-low heat about 30 to 45 minutes, until thick — but don’t let it scorch.
   Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut each squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Place squash halves, cut side down, in shallow ovenproof baking dish. Place in oven and pour very hot water ½-inch up the sides of the squash. Bake 20 minutes.
   Add almonds to thickened filling and fill squash halves with picadillo, mounding it on top. Bake another 15 minutes, or until filling is bubbly and squash is tender.
   2 Buy boneless pork or beef chuck for stew and chop in small batches in food processor.
   3 Toast for about 10 minutes in oven.
   Vegetarian Variation:
   Omit meat. Place onion and oil in large, nonstick skillet and cook over medium heat until translucent. Add 1/3 cup brown rice and stir to coat and toast just a bit. Add garlic and cook about 30 seconds.
   Pour on juice of tomatoes, then tomatoes, crushing them in your hands as you add them. Add seasonings, chipotles, raisins and vinegar. Add ½ cup bulgur wheat and simmer over low heat until thick, adding some water if it becomes too dry. Don’t let it scorch.
   Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut each squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Place squash halves, cut side down, in shallow ovenproof baking dish. Place in oven and pour very hot water ½-inch up the sides of the squash. Bake 20 minutes.
   Add almonds to thickened filling and fill squash halves with picadillo, mounding it on top. Bake another 15 minutes, or until filling is bubbly and squash is tender.