Grow Your Own Squash and Roast It

It is time again for another round of Grow Your Own, a blog event started by Andrea's Recipes that features dishes cooked up by folks who harvest some of their own foodstuffs. Grow Your Own is being hosted this time by A Scientist in the Kitchen, a molecular biologist blogging from the Philippines with a passion for cooking.

There's not a whole lot of edibles left in our Zone 4 Fall garden, but Dan and I did try a new variety of winter squash this year, Ambercup, which looks like a pumpkin but cooks up like an acorn or butternut squash in flavor and texture. We didn't get too many Ambercups to harvest since we were besieged by various kinds of squash-eating beetles, but we have enjoyed a few sliced, brushed and grilled on the barbeque (they're kind of mealy, but good with a spicy condiment slathered over them) and even more tastily, grated up and roasted in the oven.


The recipe is simple and has been enjoyed by our family as a mellow side dish for hearty autumn dinners.

Roasted Ambercup Squash

1 medium ambercup squash, peeled and cut into large wedges (you can substitute other firm winter squash)
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. smoked paprika
Salt and pepper to taste

Grate squash wedges on the coarse end of a box grater. Toss with olive oil, paprika and salt and pepper in 9 x 13 baking dish.

Bake at 425 degrees F for 45 minutes, stirring several times to mix in browned bits.

We have also tried this recipe with cumin instead of the smoked paprika and with steak seasoning instead of the paprika, but this version above is our favorite.

Serves 6 as a side dish or 4 as a main dish if mixed with some cooked rice and topped with some grated cheese.

Be sure to stop by the Scientist in the Kitchen's blog over the next few days to see a harvest roundup of home-grown recipes.