Kabocha Delight

This is the easiest, most delightful winter squash dish that comes together with just a drizzle of good quality oil and a grating of salty, hard cheese. The recipe is good with other squash but the dry, fluffy texture of kabocha and it’s unique flavor profile really shine here. Best substitutes for kabocha are other ‘cucurbita maxima’ varieties including the hubbard, red kuri and banana. For easy identification, these varieties have a ‘corky’ stem rather than a ‘woody’ stem.

Ingredients

1 kabocha squash, split in half with seeds removed
About 1 tablespoon high quality olive oil or walnut oil
About 1/3 cup freshly grated hard cheese (romano, aged gouda, manchego etc.) plus more for serving
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Rub inside of squash and cut edges with a bit of oil and bake, cut side down, at 375 for about 35 minutes until tender when pierced with a fork. Let cool slightly, skin should slip off easily. Place in a large bowl and sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper, a drizzle of oil and the grated cheese. Stir gently to incorporate. Put in a serving dish or individual serving cups and drizzle with a bit more oil and additional cheese as desired.

Submitted by Sara Jones, Tucson CSA