Tag: squash

bufordtpisser:

tilthat:

TIL canned 100% pumpkin is actually 100% squash. Pumpkins can be stringy and watery and the USDA is lenient with gourd terminology, so it’s perfectly legal to label a food product as “pumpkin” when, in reality, it’s made from a different variety of squash.

via ift.tt

Around my area in PA they called those gourds neck pumpkins. They made much better pies than real pumpkins

That type sounds like cushaws.

I don’t think they’re used very much for commercial canning, but they’re great for about any “pumpkin” type cooking purposes.

(Mmm, cushaw butter…)

Tonight’s badly lit delight: the other half of that mixed seafood pasta thing. Which did turn out to be pretty good. I added an extra handful of frozen shrimp this time, because protein.

Along with one adaptation of the herby zucchini and tomatoes my mom used to make, because I got an urge. Good thing that did turn out about as good as I was hoping, because there’s most of a pan left to finish up on my own 😅

(ETA: Still not sure how I ended up living with a picky eater who can’t stand shellfish, any type of squash, or cooked sweet peppers. Among other things. But, it’s not so coincidental that these items show up a lot when I’m cooking for myself. Good opportunity to cover all those bases here 😊)

OK, that took longer than planned.
Especially using the smallish iron skillet, making it 3 batches.

But, I decided to just go ahead and cook all the zucchini, with just a little salt and olive oil. With the idea of going ahead and sticking most of it in the fridge, to marinate in some lemon and oil. Adjust seasonings as needed for that and for what I’m eating tonight.

Actually got those zucchini primarily to marinate and snack on, but hadn’t gotten around to doing it yet. Finally cooked, at least 🙄

I was pretty late getting it again, but I did go ahead and make that stuffed marrow tonight. That squash was big enough that I only used half of it, which was at least a pound.

Pictured here: half of what I cooked. And after it was in the bowl, that still looked big enough that I cut it in half again for the first helping 🙄 Especially eating it with a little brown basmati cooked with veggie broth and olive oil, to soak up more of the tomatoey goodness. (The stuff on top of that is some of the hollowed out squash middle cooked down in the liquid, since it wasn’t too seedy. Unlike with overgrown zucchini/courgettes.)

This batch probably would have been plenty for two people, even considering that my partner can’t stand squash and will only scoop out the meatball part when he’s around. (More left for me…) I’m never great at judging quantities, and it would be a real shame not to cook enough! But, it will definitely get eaten. Probably most of it tonight. And the tomato/veggie broth cooking liquid should make a decent soup base, maybe tomorrow.

A couple of decent-looking recipes for similar (which also work fine with beef, which was what I had):
Spiced-Lamb-Stuffed Zucchini
LEBANESE STUFFED MARROW…AKA ANACONDA

Similar is also really good using something like herbes de Provence or Italian seasoning. But tonight my anaconda was more in the mood for cumin, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and plenty of garlic.

Squash finally achieved!

(Along with a big bunch of coriander/cilantro that I bet was going slimy on the bottom before some genius threw that marrow the size of my upper arm in the bag right on top of it 😈 Only found that after the guy was gone, of course.)

I would normally buy the cheaper loose zucchini if I could pick them out myself, but the bagged-up ones tend to be more consistent quality sight unseen. Glad to get any, since they just haven’t been carrying them at the store up the street this year.

But, plans: stuff half the marrow vaguely Turkish style, with some meat and leftover rice. (No way I could eat the whole thing tonight on my own.) To stew up on the stove with tomato and olive oil and a squeeze of lemon at the end. Pretty easy, and good. I only ever had baked stuffed squash before running across the recipe that’s based on, but it works really well. Putting the hollowed out pulp on the bottom of the pan to prop the pieces of squash up.

The marrows are a lot like less seedy overgrown zucchini, and good for about the same uses once you hollow them out. Not bad, and that’s apparently one of the types of summer squash that grows the best in this climate. I paid I think £1 for that one, and it’s not hard to find them for half that if you can look around more. Still a pretty good deal for a squash literally the size of my arm.