A nurseryman ’s relationship withsquashemulates a Greco-Roman summer romantic offer : We cry out in delight when we see that first zucchini or butternut , but then when the harvest quite a little grows gamy on our kitchen countertop , we develop weary and move on to a more tempting harvest .
But do n’t untimely “ squeeze ” your relationship with this underrated vegetable — adhere to the same tried - and - true family relationship advice when romance grows savorless : zest thing up with something new . By seeking out raw and originative ways to preserve your summertime and winter squash varietals , all of a sudden , what was older and stale becomes exciting again . Here are seven fun tips to get you started .
1. Dehydrate as Soup Thickener
When you jump seeing a pile of any craw on your countertop , draw out the dehydrator can be a firm , easy solution to preserving it — and squeeze is no exception . “ When our courgette and other summertime squash [ are ] in teemingness , I get out our dehydrator , ” say Erica Roth , a homesteader in rural Wisconsin . just slit the summertime squashes thin and lay them out to dry in your favourite dehydrator . Once wry , Roth powders the splintering to use as a soup thickening .
2. Twirl Noodles
Vegetable noodles are a dandy alternative to alimentary paste for someone on a gluten - free or other carb - set diet . A miscellanea of gadgets on the mart , such as aspiral slicer , make it easy to cut winter and summertime squash into noodle - like Strand . Noodles made out of winter squash freeze well — cook the noodles 2 to 3 moment after defrosting — but it ’s beneficial to expend summertime squeeze noodles refreshful .
3. Refrigerator Pickles
pickle are n’t limited to cucumber . Any vegetable — including squash — can be preserved through pickle .
“ We love to make pickles out of our Tromboncino , a sport summer squash that grows long and thin with much no seeds , ” saysVictoria Redhed Miller , author ofPure Poultry(New Society Publishers , 2013 ) and off - the - grid gardener in the foothill of Washington ’s Olympic Mountains . “ I ’m always surprised by how frizzly the texture is of these simple mess . ”
throng thin mash slices and onions , if you ’d care , into a jar . Boil your favorite spices in vinegar , and pullulate over the veggie . Miller cans her pickles , as she lives off storage-battery grid with minimal electricity , but they can also readily be stored in the refrigerator . Use canned pickles within one yr and icebox pickles within six hebdomad .
4. Purée and Freeze
When you jump harvesting winter squeeze , you might end up with some that are nicked or missing theme , and therefore wo n’t be good nominee for long - term computer memory . This might add up to more than you may eat at once , so preserve them by freezing a purée .
make out the squash in one-half and transfer the seeds out . knock in a 350 - degree - fluorine oven until soft , unremarkably about 45 second . Remove squash from the oven , and allow to cool . Scoop out the inside flesh , and philander it with a ramification or purée in a food for thought C.P.U. until smooth .
amount and backpack purée into deep freezer bags for next use . We find that packing in 6 - cup quantities is a unspoilt sizing for making soup . One average - sized Juglans cinerea squash will make about six loving cup purée .
5. Cube for Stir-Fries
Both summer and winter squelch can but cube and freeze for future stir - fries and casseroles you ’ll make throughout the winter . Peel and cut the squash into 1 - inch cubes . Blanch the square block and place on ice to quickly cool , then freeze out . Carrie Gould , a nurseryman and house - preserver in southwestern New York like to package the squash cube in a vacuum sealer , which choose out the strain and makes the squash vine last longer .
6 . Dehydrate for ChipsTrade unhealthy , processed chips from the supermarket for some folksy , healthy unity made from courgette and summertime squash rackets . Slice the squash vine lightly using a mandolin , leave alone the peel on . Then time of year , using this method acting fromDouglas Stevenson , writer ofThe Farm Then and Now(New Society Publishers , 2014 ) and a homesteader in rural Tennessee : First , dip the slices in tamari , then drag in a mixture of nutritional yeast and garlic pulverisation . dry up and eat as a Saratoga chip , or break apart as a prompt soup component .
7 . Bake and FreezeIf you have a chest freezer and extra store place , make an extra batch of your favourite zucchini cabbage or other squash vine - base pastry and freeze for wintertime use . While you may shred zucchini and defrost and role in future baking , the grain will change as it loses its pee content and , depending on your recipe , could affect the end result . Baking up a dual batch is an efficient utilization of time , and this way , you ’ll have an well-heeled snack on hand for a last - min potluck or assemblage .
test these squash formula from HobbyFarms.com :
