Wakelyns Roasting Squash Selection

We're delighted to be able to offer this harvest of squashes - mainly because they're at once beautiful and delicious, but also because they've been grown at Wakelyns Agroforestry and reflect an approach to farming and a set of values close to our hearts.

Central to all that happens at Wakelyns is diversity - in the agroforestry rows and the annual strips between, in the biodiversity supported by the farm and in the people who work on and visit the land. 

Jannine planted a range of winter squash varieties this year. We've got six types in the box; all have been carefully cured to mature and sweeten the flesh and ensure they store well.

Jack-Be-Little: Delightful and diminutive - in fact quite possibly the smallest pumpkin variety. Jack-Be-Little make wonderful Halloween decorations, but more to the point, they taste great. Roast them whole and serve like a baked potato or try pureeing the flesh with creme fraiche (or alternative), seasoning with salt and pepper and using as a pasta sauce, particularly good with our mezzi rigatoni.

Acorn: Dark green and often deeply ridged, Acorns squashes are mild, nutty and slightly sweet. They're great baked and brilliant stuffed with rice or our pilau mix. Or try simply cutting them in half, scooping out the seeds, drizzling in olive oil, a little apple syrup - maybe a little sage - seasoning and roasting. 

Green Kuri or Buttercup: Dark green with pale stripes and dense orange flesh. These squashes lend themselves well as an alternative to mashed potato on top of winter pies. Cut the squash in half, remove the seeds, bake until tender then scoop the flesh out and use just as you would mashed potato. Also excellent raw; slice into very thin ribbons, marinate in Liberty Fields balsamic vinegar and serve as an appetiser or side salad.

Sweet Dumpling: Ridged cream and green striped skin with pale yellow flesh. Carefully cut off the top, scoop out the seeds, stuff as you prefer - though make sure that whatever you put in will cook at the same rate as the squash - and bake until tender.

Black Futsu: A small, warty and deeply ridged Japanese variety with dusky grey-green skin that can turn a rich amber as it ripens. Its deep orange flesh is firm, sweet and fragrant. Excellent roasted in wedges with the skin left on – it turns tender and adds extra flavour. The flesh also purées beautifully for soups or sauces; roast first to intensify its sweetness before blending.

Baby Blue Hubbard: A smaller cousin of the enormous Hubbard, with striking pale blue-grey skin and dense, richly flavoured orange flesh. Its sweetness deepens with roasting or slow baking. Cut into wedges, drizzle with oil and a splash of maple syrup or apple syrup, and roast until caramelised; or scoop out the roasted flesh to make a smooth, velvety mash or pie filling. It's also excellent for soups too, the dense texture giving body without the need for any cream.

We've suggested recipes ideas that work particularly well with each variety, but they're quite interchangeable. And don't throw away the seeds from your squashes, they can be roasted or toasted and used in bread, as sprinkles on salads or as a tasty snack.

When you get your box don't be tempted to refrigerate the squashes, they prefer being kept in a warmish (10 to 20C), well ventilated room. All the squash will store until Christmas, and probably into January (but do check for signs of rot the longer you have them).