Delicata squash waltzes between summer and winter.  It should be called “autumn squash” since it thrives in the shoulder season. It’s in the cucurbit family, which ranges from cucumbers and zucchini to butternut squash and pumpkin, and it sits squarely in the middle. Elongated and thin skinned, it can be sliced lengthwise and used as a boat for baked fillings, or here, sliced crosswise (seeds removed) and roasted in the oven.  I love those golden rings.

I favor a simple the oven roasting method (400 degrees, olive oil and salt, under 10 minutes, flip once). And afterward, they can be served as a side dish, as here with baked Great Lakes lemon sole atop braised leeks and orzo, or as a room temperature appetizer sprinkled with lime juice and chili oil. Any way you cook it, this is a vegetable to watch.

We grew these organically at our fledgling farm (yay!) and have to eat them up since delicatas are not storage squash like harder skinned varieties. 

Categories: Winter squash