The pear-shaped butternut squash is a variety of the Cucurbita moschata species. It has a relatively thin skin and tender flesh. Butternut squash has a slightly nutty flavor and can be cooked, fried, steamed, baked, or added to salads in the form of raw slices.
Culinary uses:
Roasting is one of the most popular ways to prepare butternut squash. To do this, cut the squash in half lengthwise, remove the seeds, lightly brush with cooking oil or put in a thin layer of water, and place cut side down on a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Bake for 45 minutes, or until tender.
Butternut squash can also be eaten raw, for example, cut into thin strips or grated in salad or as an ingredient for smoothies.
And the seeds can be eaten raw or toasted briefly in a skillet and lightly salted. They contain high amounts of fiber, unsaturated fatty acids, protein, and minerals.
The skin is also edible and becomes soft during the roasting process.
Nutritional information:
Butternut squash contains high amounts of beta carotene, which is very good for the skin, hair, and eyes. Just 100 g of butternut squash covers about 80 % of the daily recommended requirement. And it is also rich in vitamin C. Compared to other types of squash, butternut squash contains a relatively high amount of calories, but almost no fat.
General information:
From Wikipedia: Butternut squash (Cucurbita moschata), sometimes known in Australia and New Zealand as butternut pumpkin or gramma, is a type of winter squash that grows on a vine. It has a sweet, nutty taste similar to that of a pumpkin. It has tan-yellow skin and orange fleshy pulp with a compartment of seeds in the bottom. When ripe, it turns increasingly deep orange, and becomes sweeter and richer. It is a good source of fiber, vitamin C, magnesium, and potassium; and it is an excellent source of vitamin A.
Although technically a fruit, butternut squash is used as a vegetable that can be roasted, sautéed, toasted, puréed for soups such as squash soup, or mashed to be used in casseroles, breads, muffins, and pies.1
History:
The most popular variety, the Waltham Butternut, originated in Waltham, Massachusetts, where it was developed at the Waltham Experiment Station by Robert E. Young. Dorothy Leggett claims that the Waltham Butternut squash was developed during the 1940s by her late husband, Charles Leggett, in Stow, Massachusetts, and then subsequently introduced by him to the researchers at the Waltham Field Station. She also claimed that the name came from “smooth as butter, sweet as nut.”1
Literature/Sources:
1. Wikipedia. Butternut squash, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Butternut_squash
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