Squash Club

Winter squashes are not for the timid. You have to be confident to plunge a knife - even a paring knife - into that hard skin and work your way around a whole squash to open it up. And then there are hundreds of stringy seeds to scoop out and discard (industrious cooks turn these into salty snacks). After roasting or stewing, winter squashes are sweet, dense in a delightful way, and beautiful to look at. And they're filling. Delicata squash rings make an easy and healthful appetizer. Stack them up and pass the napkins. Or set the rings at the bottom of an arugula salad, so the orange flesh is a surprise element on the plate. Butternut is one of the milder-tasting squashes and, with fall's tart apples, can be worked into a velvety pureed soup finished with a sprinkle of crumbled bacon. Or halve and roast acorn squashes, then fill the cavities with a turkey mixture flavored with brown sugar, cider vinegar, and tomatoes. Right now, freshly harvested local squashes are abundant, cheap, and nutritious. They're at their best before the last leaves fall off the trees.

OVEN-FRIED DELICATA SQUASH RINGS
SERVES 6

4 delicata squash
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon chopped
fresh thyme

Set the oven at 425 degrees. Have on hand 2 large rimmed baking sheets.

With a long paring knife, cut the squash into 1/2-inch-thick rounds. Then cut around the centers of the rounds to remove the seeds.

Place the squash on the baking sheets. Pour the butter and oil over the rings. Turn the rings so they're coated on both sides. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Arrange the rings so they do not overlap. Bake them for 20 to 30 minutes or until they are golden brown and tender.

Stack the rings on a platter, sprinkle with salt and thyme, and serve at once.

SQUASH SOUP WITH BACON AND APPLES
SERVES 4

Butternut squash is easy to peel with a small paring knife. Once that's done, the flesh is superior to the ready-peeled butternut squash available in markets.

1 butternut squash
4 slices bacon
2 tablespoons butter
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
3 Cortland apples, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 quart chicken stock, or to taste
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and pepper, to taste

Halve the squash and remove the seeds from each half. Peel them. Cut the squash into 2-inch pieces.

In a large flameproof casserole, render the bacon over medium-high heat, turning it often, until it is crisp and golden brown. Put the bacon on several thicknesses of paper towels. When it is cool enough to handle, crumble the strips.

Discard the bacon fat in the pan and wipe out the bottom.

Melt the butter, add the onions, and cook over medium heat, stirring often, for 10 minutes. Add two-thirds of the apples, the maple syrup, squash pieces, stock, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil.

Turn the heat to medium-low and cook the soup, partially covered, for 30 minutes or until the squash and apples are tender.

In a blender, puree the soup a little at a time until it is smooth. Return the soup to the pan. The soup should be thick, but not as thick as split pea soup. If necessary, thin it with a few tablespoons of stock or water.

Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if you like. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with the bacon pieces and the remaining chopped apples.

ACORN SQUASH STUFFED WITH GROUND TURKEY
SERVES 4

4 medium acorn squash
Olive oil (for sprinkling)
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 1/4 pounds ground dark-meat
turkey
1 small onion, finely chopped
8 saltine crackers, crumbled
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 can (15 to 16 ounces) whole peeled canned tomatoes, pureed

Set the oven at 400 degrees. Have on hand a large rimmed baking sheet.

With a paring knife, carefully cut the squash lengthwise in half. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Cut a 1/4-inch-thick slice off the bottom of each half so the squashes sit without rocking.

Set the halves, cut sides up, on the baking sheet. Place 1/2 cup of water at the bottom of the sheet. Sprinkle the squash with oil, salt, and pepper. Cover loosely with foil, shiny side down.

Roast the squash for 30 minutes or until the flesh is starting to soften.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the turkey, onion, and crackers. Work the turkey mixture with your hands until it is thoroughly combined.

In another bowl, combine the mustard, sugar, vinegar, tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Add half of this tomato sauce to the turkey mixture and mix well. Fill the squash cavities with the turkey mixture.

Top the squash with the remaining tomato sauce. Continue roasting the squash, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted in the center of the turkey mixture registers 165 degrees.

Serve at once, setting 2 squash halves on each of 4 plates.