Butternut squash a versatile, flavorful addition

By: Julie Whittington | Mooresville Tribune
Published: September 17, 2009

Butternut squash — yum! This nutrient-rich powerhouse of a vegetable will certainly add a delicious twist to your menus this fall. Look in any food magazine this month and you will surely find at least one recipe incorporating butternut squash.

As such a versatile ingredient, it crosses meal lines. You may find butternut squash in bread for breakfast, a harvest soup for lunch, a pasta with broccoli and shallots for dinner and a pie for dessert.

Nutritionally speaking, butternut squash is wonderful. One cup (about 205 grams) of this creamy baked orange vegetable provides about 82 calories, 22 grams carbohydrate, 3 grams fiber, barely any fat (0.2 gram), 52% Daily Value (DV) vitamin C, 10% DV folate, 16% Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) potassium, 15% DRI vitamin B6, 13% DV vitamin E and 457% DV vitamin A.

Here is a recipe to enjoy this fall, incorporating butternut squash and other seasonal ingredients. You can purchase fresh, frozen or canned butternut squash, although the recipe is best with fresh squash.

The recipe is called Vichysquash (a spin-off on Vichyssosise — a traditional French-style soup made of puréed leeks, onions, potatoes, cream and chicken stock). It was one of Grand-da's (my grand-dad's) signature recipes — one I fell in love with as a child, and still adore today.

It is fabulous hot or cold and goes especially well with a grilled cheese sandwich or open-face cheese-topped baguette. The recipe freezes well, too — so try doubling the recipe and having leftovers to store in the freezer. If you choose to freeze any, wait to add the half-and-half until after the soup has been defrosted and warmed.

Grand-da's Vichysquash
1+ pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed (about 2 cups)
1 small yellow or sweet onion, chopped
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 tbsp brown sugar
Salt and white pepper to taste
3 tbsp half-and-half
Sour cream (as garnish)
Parsley (as garnish)

Cook squash and onion in broth until tender (bring up to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer for 30 minutes). Remove from heat. Add brown sugar, salt and white pepper. Puree in a blender or with a hand emersion blender. Stir in half-and-half. Divide into bowls. Put a dollop of sour cream and sprinkle of parsley on top of each serving.

Enjoy this recipe on a cool, crisp fall day and know you are treating your body to a bouquet of healthful nutrients and delicious flavors.