'Potato pumpkin' recipes to try

My very dear, lifelong friend, Scott Tucker, shared a few "potato pumpkins" with me recently. These large, green and white striped, crook-neck squash were new to me, so I had to do a little studying. His sweet parents, Bob and Clara Mae, are like another set of parents to me and they were quick to explain to me how to cook them.

Cushaw squash (pronounced coo-shaw) has a pumpkin-like flesh and a milder flavor than pumpkin. It can be cooked and mashed, roasted, pureed into a pie, frozen for later use this winter, roasted with savory herbs or sweet with cinnamon, brown sugar and butter. During my research, I found dozens and dozens of recipes, many interchange with sweet potatoes or pumpkin.

I am so happy Scott shared these with me, and I look forward more this summer and again next summer.

Cushaw Casserole

• 2 cups cushaw, baked
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup margarine, melted
• 1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, grated
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a baking dish.

Mix in order: cushaw, sugar, margarine, milk, egg and flavorings.

Bake 45 minutes to one hour. Serves six.

Source: www.food.com/recipe/cushaw-casserole-4098

Cushaw Pie

You will need 2 pounds of raw cushaw to start with to produce the 2 1/2 cups you will need once it is cooked and mashed. As cushaws can be large, one squash may be enough to make a pie, or even two. You can freeze any leftover cooked cushaw to use for future pies.

• 2 1/2 cups cushaw (cooked, mashed)
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 eggs (beaten)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 pie shell, unbaked

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Using a sharp knife, slice off the neck of the squash and then cut it in half. Slice the bottom section vertically and scoop out the seeds and guts. You can discard the seeds or save them to roast.

Bake the cut cushaw in the preheated oven for one hour. When the flesh is soft, you can remove it from the skin to mash.

Drain the cooked cushaw thoroughly.

Mash the cooked flesh with a potato masher for a rustic texture. Or, you can puree it in a food processor or blender for a smoother texture.

Stir together 2 1/2 cups mashed cushaw and cream; add beaten eggs. Mix well and add sugar, flour, salt, nutmeg, and allspice; mix well to blend. Blend in lemon extract and butter.

Pour the mixture into the prepared unbaked pie shell and bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes.

Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for about 40 minutes longer.

When the pie is set as tested with a toothpick, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool on a wire rack.

Note: You need to be sure the cooked cushaw is well-drained or the pie will be watery. One trick is to cook the squash a day ahead. Place it in a colander over a collection bowl in the refrigerator overnight so it has plenty of time to drain.

Serve the pie with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Refrigerate any leftover pie to eat within a few days. You can also freeze leftover pie if you need to keep it longer.

Source: www.thespruceeats.com/cushaw-pie-recipe-3056939?utm_source=pinterest

Roasted Cushaw Squash

This recipe is more savory than the sugar and cinnamon recipes that seem to be very popular.

• 6 cups cubed or sliced cushaw, peeled
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
• 1 teaspoon sea salt

In a large bowl, toss cushaw cubes with olive oil, rosemary, and sea salt. Spread evenly on a large baking sheet. Bake in 400 degree oven for 15 minutes. Stir and cook for 10 minutes more.

Notes: To make roasted slices instead of cubes: Brush or spray with olive oil. Lay flat on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with sea salt and rosemary. Bake for 25 minutes, flipping halfway through.

Source: www.wellnessmama.com/61326/cushaw-squash/

Lemon Pepper Cushaw Squash Recipe

Lemon pepper roasted cushaw squash is a vitamin-rich easy side dish that comes together in just 20 minutes and makes a great addition to any meal.

• 4 cups cushaw
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Peel cushaw and cut into 1/2-inch cubes to total 4 cups.

Heat oil in a medium skillet. Add cushaw and all seasonings to skillet and stir to combine. Saute, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, or until just tender.

Notes: To roast in the oven, preheat oven to 400 degrees, toss all ingredients together and place on a sheet pan, and roast for 15 minutes or until soft.

Source: www.wellnessmama.com/61415/lemon-pepper-cushaw-squash/

Cinnamon Baked Cushaw

This below recipe is for a 2.5 pound cushaw. It is sometimes hard to find a cushaw that small. If you are unable to find a small cushaw, use half of a larger one for this recipe and the other half for Cushaw Puree.

• 2 1/2 pound cushaw, cored, peeled, and sliced
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, sliced
• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup half and half

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Coat an oven safe glass dish with butter or a non stick spray. Arrange cushaw slices into an even, flat layer along the bottom of the dish. You do not want the cushaw slices packed in too tightly. Leave a little wiggle room for cream along the sides of each slice.

Give each cushaw slice a heavy sprinkle of cinnamon. Then follow up with some fresh grated nutmeg. Lastly, sprinkle the brown sugar all around the pan. Don't worry about being precise, just make sure each piece is brown sugared.

Lay the butter slices on top of each slice of cushaw. Larger pieces get two slices of butter....smaller pieces get 1. And your personal piece you already picked out gets 3 slices of butter.

Pour the heavy cream around the edges of the pan...and then come back a second time and do another round with the half and half. The liquid will come up to about half way up the sides of the cushaw.

Cover the dish with foil and bake for 1 hour, or until incredibly tender when pierced with a fork. Then remove the foil and bake for 10 minutes more. Serve immediately.

Yield: 6-8 servings.

Source: www.thenovicechefblog.com/cinnamon-baked-cushaw/

Stewed Cushaw

A unique side dish made from an 8 to 10 pound cushaw.

• 1 cushaw, any size
• Water
• Salt to taste, probably about a generous tablespoon
• 2 tablespoons to a 1/4 cup of sugar
• Half a stick of butter.

Prepare the squash by removing the neck first, peel and cut it into large cubes (about 1-inch). Transfer to a large Dutch oven or other large pot.

Cut the remaining bulb portion in half and remove the seeds and scrape the inside as you would when cleaning a pumpkin. Peel and cut into small cubes and add to the pot. Add only enough water to fill about half the volume of the squash in the pot.

Cover and cook on medium to high heat, removing the lid occasionally to stir, making sure that all the pieces get into the water to cook. After about 30 minutes, remove the lid and allow some of the water to evaporate. Stir frequently until the squash is tender enough to be mashed with a potato masher.

When the flesh is tender, drain off as much liquid as possible. Return to the pot over a low heat. Mash with a potato masher and add the salt, sugar and butter. Stir to combine well and to evaporate off more of the moisture until the pulp is creamy.

Serve piping hot. Refrigerate leftovers in a closed container.

Notes: You want just enough water in the pot to stew the squash. Most of the water will evaporate during the stewing process. Younger squash will take longer to cook (about 40 to 45 minutes) than older squash which have set for a few weeks before cooking. Just keep checking it and when the chunks are easily pierced with a fork, then it's done.

When adding sugar to the stewed and mashed cushaw meat, start with a small amount and gradually add more as needed until it is as sweet as you like. The amount you use also depends on the cushaw itself. Some are sweeter than others. Remember, it is a vegetable so you don't want it as sweet as a dessert.

Source: www.mjskitchen.com/2013/01/stewed-cushaw-and-cushaw-cake/

Yummy Deliciousness Cushaw Coffee Cake

A sweet quick bread made from stewed cushaw.

• 1 cup leftover mashed, stewed cushaw
• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick butter, 1/2 cup, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• Oil or Crisco to grease the pan

Preheat over to 350 degrees.

Put cushaw in a strainer or sieve to remove excess moisture. Let sit while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.

In a bowl large enough to eventually hold all the ingredients, beat together the butter and sugars with an electric mixer on medium or low.

Add the eggs and vanilla and blend until smooth. Blend in the cushaw.

Add the dry ingredients to the cushaw mixture a little at a time. Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy. It should be fairly thick.

Pour the batter into a well-greased or oiled 9 inch loaf pan. Bake for about an hour and ten minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the cake.

Leave the cake in the pan and cool on a baking rack for about 20 minutes.

Remove the cake from the pan and let it finish cooling on the baking rack.

Notes: As with many cakes, this one tastes great served warm, but to me it tastes even better the next day eaten cold or at room temperature. It stays moist unrefrigerated for several days when covered in plastic wrap.

You can also add nuts if you like. I recommend pecans or walnuts because their flavors don't detract from the flavor of the cushaw. I suggest that you chop the nut meat into small pieces and add it to the batter.

To rewarm, you can microwave a generous slice for no more than 20 seconds.

Source: www.mjskitchen.com/2013/01/stewed-cushaw-and-cushaw-cake/

Cushaw Squash Soup Recipe

Delicious and naturally sweet, cushaw soup that is simple to make with only five ingredients.

• 10 cups cushaw, peeled and cubed
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup onion diced
• 2 tablespoons butter or coconut oil
• 1/2 cup coconut milk

Combine cubed cushaw, chicken stock, and onion in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 40 minutes. Remove from heat and add butter.

Use an immersion blender to blend into a creamy soup. Add coconut milk and blend just until combined.

Notes: Add a pre-cooked protein such as chicken for a complete meal. And don't throw out your squash seeds, roast them for a tasty, nutrient dense snack.

Source: www.wellnessmama.com/61395/cushaw-soup-recipe/

Pumpkin Pie Spiced Cushaw

Skillet baked cushaw squash flavored with honey and pumpkin pie spice is a sweet and inexpensive alternative to baked apples. A great way to use this delicious heirloom squash.

• 4 tablespoons butter or coconut oil
• 4 cups cushaw, peeled and cubed
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 2 tablespoons coconut milk

Melt butter or coconut oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add cushaw and cover.

Simmer, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes. Stir in honey and pumpkin pie spice. Simmer for 2-3 minutes or until tender. Add coconut milk and cook for 2 minutes more.

Notes: Optionally, top with whipped cream and chopped nuts for extra fun!

Source: www.wellnessmama.com/61403/pumpkin-pie-spiced-cushaw/

Roasted Winter Squash Seed

A great way to use the seeds of any winter squash: cushaw, acorn, pumpkin, etc.

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup cushaw squash seeds, rinsed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• Salt, garlic powder, and paprika

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Bring water to a boil on the stove. Add the 1 teaspoon salt and seeds and simmer for 10 minute. This process makes them more easily digestible. Remove seeds from water and dry. Spread seeds on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and stir to coat. Sprinkle with salt, garlic powder, and paprika. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.

Notes: You could substitute any combination of seasonings here.

Source: www.wellnessmama.com/61445/roast-winter-squash-seeds/

Have a great week, and until next time, happy cooking.