Side dish highlights the many flavors of squash

By Jim Bailey
theyankeechef.blogspot.com

W

hat a great way of enjoying the fall harvest, much the same way our ancestors ate these “squantersquashes” (as written by Higginson and Joselyn) or “askutasquashes” (Rogers and Williams and William Wood) in the 1600s.

From salty to sweet, and tart to sour, you really can savor the flavors in every bite. And if you have any left over, simply puree in a blender with milk or cream, heat up and serve as soup. You can’t go wrong using a little Yankee ingenuity.

Squash is a Yankee favorite.

4 tablespoons oil
1 pound your favorite squash, peeled, cored and cubed
1/3 cup apple juice or cider
2 ounces ham, diced small
1/4 cup each apple cider vinegar and maple syrup*
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon each garlic and chili powder
Salt and black pepper to taste

Heat oil on medium high in a large skillet until shimmering. Add squash, ham and apple juice. Continue cooking for 5 minutes, while stirring frequently. When the squash is starting to brown, add remainder of ingredients, cover and reduce heat to medium-low.

Cook until squash is fork tender, about 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove lid, increase temperature to medium-high and continue cooking until most of the liquid has evaporated and the squash is tender, but not falling apart, about another 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Schiffer Books of Pennsylvania has released Jim Bailey’s new book The Yankee Chef: Feel Good Food for Every Kitchen. It contains more than 550 traditional New England comfort-food recipes tweaked for today’s palates with hundreds of kitchen tips and food facts. The hardback book is 312 pages and contains 200 color images. Its ISBN is 978-0-7643-4191-5 and the cost is $34.99. The book can be ordered through Misty Valley Books, 802-875-3400.