Simple Microwaved Winter Squash

Isn't that pretty?



Why, yes, I do like winter squash... All kinds - this Carnival, and acorn, and butternut, and hubbard, and...

We're having a very strange year. It's October, and we're still getting corn and tomatoes. Not that I'm complaining - we love them - but... in October, I want squash.

And, sometimes, the simplest treatments are the best. I've made my soup, and I'll do many things before the season is over - but I just want to savor the taste... with maybe just a touch of butter and salt.

My favorite preparation is to bake it - which is fine if I have the oven on anyway, and have time... The sweetness concentrates, especially if it browns a little - but it takes at least half an hour in the oven (not to mention time to preheat.) And I don't always want to heat the oven, and I don't always have the time.

So, sometimes, it's the microwave...

All I did was split the squash, and scoop out the seeds. Then I put it, cut side down, in a pyrex dish. (This was a large enough squash that we only ate half of it - I'll do something else with the other half.) I microwaved it for five minutes. At that point, I let it sit while I cooked the rest of dinner.

Shortly before everything else was ready, I took it out and turned it over, with tongs. At this point, I looked at it to see how well cooked it was - this will vary, by the size of the vegetable and the power of your stove. Poke it with a knife if you're not sure - it should be soft all through. (You'll see parts that are cooked, and parts that are still firm.)  I only needed to give this one another three minutes - I find that, with my microwave, it's usually three-five. With my old one, it would have needed at least another five minutes, and maybe more... they vary a lot. When in doubt, start with less - you can always give it another few minutes. However, unlike most vegetables, it's hard to overcook this - don't worry.

When it was done, I then split it in serving sized pieces. Added a touch of butter - and it was done. Couldn't ask for simpler.