I love winter squash.  Summer squashes like zucchini wear me out pretty quick, but winter squashes have stamina.  They’re nutty, buttery, have heft.  They’re full of all the B vitamins and omega 3s and fiber.  They’re a good source of folate.  I don’t know what folate does, but I trust that it’s good, and I’m okay with just eating winter squash and trusting it’ll hold down the folate fort for me.

I found a winter squash recipe at the Union Square farmers market last week.  As best as I can tell, the Natural Gourmet Institute next to the Flatiron Building is laying claim to it.  It rocks.  You should eat it.

You need squash, apples, thyme (fresh, if possible), honey, salt & pepper, butter.

First, get your squashes, let’s say 6 cups-worth or so.  That worked out to be 2 medium-to-small specimens for me.  You can use Acorn, Butternut, whatever is on hand, but you want them hard and you want them colorful.  Unless you are John Ford or Dorothea Lange, color is always good.

The only part of the recipe that’s kind of a drag is the first.  You have to cut the rind away.  You could use the word “peel,” but that doesn’t really do justice to the task.  Cut the squash into large slices and use a sharp knife to hack the outer skin away.  This can be a bit tedious, but I did it while listening to Howling Wolf and that made a difference.

Dump the scooped seeds into a colander in the sink.

Then cut the squash into 1/4 inch-sized chunks.  In a pan, melt 3 tbs of butter (and just use butter, for God’s sake; the olive oil will get over it, your arteries will be fine, and your tongue will be very happy.  It’s winter!  Put on a hibernation layer.)  Toss the squash in, along with a tsp of salt and seven or eight sprig’s-worth of thyme, turn the heat low, and cover the pan.  This is called sweating. Stir things around every little bit.

While doing that, change the music to Ride the Lightening because your wife, no fan of Metallica (though you’re making progress with Sabbath), has left the apartment.

Also, cut 1 large or 2 medium-sized apples into 1/4 inch-sized chunks.

Also also, remove the squash guts from the seeds in the colander, wash the seeds, and spread them on a baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil (see, it’s time has come!) and cover with whatever sounds tasty.  I used an Indian masala, garlic powder, and salt. Bake at 350 degrees or so.  It’s just like working pumpkin seeds at Halloween, you know the deal.

When a fork slides easily into the squash, toss the apples into the pan, stir, and let them cook until they’re just shy of tender.  I like to keep a bit of that crispness, but if you prefer, go ahead and cook the apples until the fork slides happily into them as well.

Remove from stove, pour into a bowl, drizzle with honey, cover with salt and pepper.  Have your cooked spicy seeds on the side.Go to town on dinner.