Wednesday 22 January 2020

Butternut Squash

Up until about 10 years ago I'd never grown butternut squash. Then we stopped growing Brassicas out on our field at the smallholding because of the increase in pigeons and other pests, leaving us with space for something else. Pumpkins and Butternut Squash were the best solution, they didn't need much care after planting and extended the vegetable selling season.

 I found a photo from the old blog from May 2014. The Squash and Pumpkins, planted out on the field. Each one has a little 'wall' of soil pulled round them to protect against the wind twizzling them out of the ground.

 Since we moved here I've grown a few plants each year with varying success, last year after good germination the plants didn't do well at all - the didn't seem to like being in the same bed as courgettes, and I think I ended up with about 7 small squash. To make the most of them I roasted several with lots of other homegrown chopped vegetables and stacked meal sized boxes in the freezer - I've still got a few boxes left.
I'd almost forgotten there was one squash left sitting in a basket on the kitchen widow sill until I moved the basket the other day......best use it quickly.

That last squash was strangely shaped but actually that makes more useful flesh than the usual shape.
I chopped it all and added to a pan with chopped onion, a couple of chopped leeks from the garden, a few small potatoes peeled and chopped and an apple. Softened everything in a little rapeseed oil
Added curry powder, a tablespoonful of flour and stirred the mix up 'til the flour and curry powder were cooked then added a splash of vinegar, a spoonful of sugar and boiling water. Cooked that all for a while covered adding boiling water and stirring often. Finally chucked in the last three frozen spinach balls I found in their pack  tucked  in the corner of a freezer draw.
 Once the spinach had defrosted and I'd stirred it all in I ended up with 5 portions of curry, one to eat and 4 for the freezer.

Not many days later I was going through the seed catalogues deciding what I needed this year and found a  variety of squash called Tahiti Melon  - HUGE fruits with a long neck and small seed cavity.

Even if I only get a few it will be enough for loads of roast and tons of curry!

I do love trying things I've not grown before - all part of the optimism of gardening.


Thank you for comments yesterday and Monday, welcome to some new followers, hope you like reading my ramblings about a quiet  Suffolk life.

Back Tomorrow
Sue


20 comments:

  1. We find squash is not as prolific as courgettes but they are so tasty! The curry looks/sounds delicious.
    xx

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  2. We've (well, husband) grown butternuts for several years now and generally do well with them. Last year was the best ever, we had more than ever before and they were all huge. Still have 3 absolutely massive ones left, each one does us for several meals. I like the sound of that Tahiti Melon one, will look out for it.

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  3. I have half of one in the bottom of the fridge o really MUST do something with that today. Tam loves a Butternut Squash risotto but we have had so much rice recently I'm fed up with it! That's a very frugal curry btw. I hope your seeds do you proud this summer.

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  4. that looks a nice dish. Butternut squash are great value for those able to grow their own, not least because they store so well.

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  5. Growing different things is always such fun as you never quite know what to expect. Sometimes it is successful and sometimes not, but it is always an adventure figuring out how to cook with them!

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  6. I love it roasted - don't have enough space here to grow any but will watch how you get along with yours.

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  7. I love it as a soup, seems to have become popular only in the last few years.

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  8. We were successful growing butternuts on our allotment, we had so many we were giving them away.
    Briony
    x

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  9. Love the sound of that squash mixture - I hardly ever see squash here but must keep my eye open for it.

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  10. I like butternut, but not enough to justify growing it, and as I can get delicious, organic squash locally and reasonably priced I can't justify giving up the space it takes up. So many great ways to enjoy it.

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  11. At my last home I grew Tahitian squash one year. They were amazing. Only 2 fruits per vine (long vines with HUGE leaves - great ground cover), but each fruit was no shorter than 3' and a couple were near 5'. Those long necks fed a LOT of neighbors. LOL They were also sweeter than regular butternut squash. Now I stick to the little butternuts, but those Tahitians were memorable!

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    1. Oh my goodness that's a lot bigger than I thought. It sounds like they will take over the garden! May need to rethink where to grow them

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  12. It does go well in a vegetable curry doesn't it. Never heard of it until relatively recently.

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  13. Have never had or made any form of curry.

    But my husband boils squash and mashes it, and puts butter and salt and pepper in it. It is delicious.

    ¨*•.¸ðŸ’›¸.•*¨

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  14. I normally grow the obligatory pumpkin for Halloween, but have never grown squash. I’m a bit short of room, but I may try and grow these. I can always take some plants up to the Blue Cross for them to sell, as there will be too many for me. Incidentally, I used the same seed company for the first time last year and was really pleased with what their seeds produced.

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  15. Good luck with this years crop.
    The seed collection for the community garden project have arrived this week, lots of lovely things to look forward to this season for us.

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  16. Concerning Follower Button.

    I "follow" by my own list. So do not use the Follow Button, on Blogger.

    I don't 'show' up, but I am here. -smile-

    ¨*•.¸ðŸ’›¸.•*¨

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  17. I've harvested one pumpkin this Summer, from a volunteer vine and I have been able to make quite a few things but roasting is my absolute favourite way to eat it. I hope you get a bumper crop, Sue. Meg:)

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  18. Have you tried roasting the seeds? I like them. My favorite are spaghetti squash seeds.

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  19. I’ve never been fond of winter squash but my son planted a butternut for me two years ago and it was so prolific and kept so well that I asked him to plant another last spring. We had 15 lovely fruits from one plant in a 4x8 raised bed. I’m making a real effort to find interesting recipes and so far I’ve really liked the results. Maybe this year we will try acorn squash.
    Sarah in suddenly sunny and warm California

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