Squash, Acorn

Botanically a fruit, acorn squash has a mild, buttery flavor with a hint of 'nuttiness' that pairs well with a wide variety of seasonings, both savory and sweet. At about 2 pounds, one squash makes a meal for two when stuffed with filling ingredients and baked and served right in its own shell. Acorn squash is treated as a winter squash culinarily. Indigenous peoples prized acorn squash because they could store it for long periods of time and cook it whole in the coals of a fire. In modern American kitchens, acorn squash may be baked, broiled, roasted, steamed, stuffed, sautéed, pureed, or even used as the surprise ingredient in a pie.