Squash Highlight | Blue Hubbard Squash
Here at Andreotti Family Farms, we want to help you learn more about the food we grow, and particularly this year and this fall season, we want to remind everyone that squash and pumpkins are not only beautiful, but they are also delicious food! If you don't already, please follow us on Instagram @andreottifamilyfarms and on Facebook @andreottipumpkins to see images of some of the culinary creations coming from our farm to our table.
History & Origin Stories
Seedsman James J. H. Gregory of Marblehead, Massachusetts introduced the Hubbard squash to the American market in 1854. He was vague as to its origins, but explained that he had received his seeds from a Mrs. Elizabeth Hubbard (“a very worthy lady”) who had obtained hers from a Captain Knott Martin. Since Mrs. Hubbard had been the first person to promote the nameless squash – she said it was the best squash she’d ever tasted.
The original squash was green; Gregory later developed the creepy, but still tasty, blue variety. His business, fueled by Hubbard squash seeds, took off, and Gregory went on to make a name for himself in squashes, publishing, in 1893, an authoritative how-to book titled Squashes: How to Grow Them. Squash, in fact, paid so well that Gregory was able to donate a new library to the town of Marblehead and to establish the “Gregory Fund,” which provided every local family who gave birth to twins with a new carriage. (from NationalGeographic.com )
The finer points of this tale are debated: The story above says Elizabeth Hubbard (the Gregory’s wash woman or neighbor) was given the seeds by Captain Knott Martin and then shared them with Gregory. Another says Hubbard bred the squash herself from the seeds brought on Martin’s ship.
Yet another claims that a woman named Sarah Martin, sister of Captain Knott Martin, developed the squash with her sister Martha. Sarah was shy about approaching Mr. Gregory with the seeds, so she asked Elizabeth Hubbard to do so for her.
Because Hubbard was the first to promote the squash—claiming it was the best she ever tasted—Gregory named it after her.
It’s even the subject of a children’s rhyme,
Raising Hubbard Squash in Vermont:
“If we could only spin a top And make a wish and get a crop, The things that I’m about to say Would then be told another way; For crops there be so hard to cinch You couldn’t raise ‘em with a winch - It’s all I want to do, by Gosh! To raise a head of Hubbard Squash … ”
Information paraphrased from, The Complete Squash: A Passionate Grower’s Guide to Pumpkins, Squashes, and Gourds by Amy Goldman Fowler (2004)
Andreotti Family Farms
Blue Hubbard Squash Recipes
Created by
Dawn Dillman, The Farmer's Wife
Blue Hubbard, Prosciutto, and Fried Sage Tagliatelle
Ingredients
6-8 Cloves Garlic (Sliced-not minced)
2 Shallots (Sliced)
1/2 Cup Roast Broccoli (Chopped)
2-3 Cups Blue Hubbard Squash (Roasted & Rough Chopped)
2 Cups Parmesean Cheese (Grated)
1/2 Cup Sour Cream
2 TBSP Butter
1 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
Black Pepper
White Pepper
Sumac
1 Package Fresh Tagliatelle Pasta Noodles
1 Bunch Fresh Sage (Washed & Patted Dry)
Directions
Boil Water for Pasta- be sure to add salt to water. It should taste like the ocean. Fresh pasta only needs to spend 2-3 minutes in boiling water to be perfect. Before straining, reserve 2 cups of the pasta water to add to the sauce later. Strain noodles, and rinse immediately with cold water to stop cooking. (It's ok if the noodles get cold here as we will add them into the sauce pan to reheat before serving). Be sure to move noodles around in the strainer gently while rinsing to be sure they don't stick together. Set noodles aside.
In a large skillet, over medium high heat, add olive oil and 1 TBSP of butter till sizzling. Add the whole Sage leaves, and fry till fragrant and crisp. Remove fried leaves, and set aside on a paper towel to dry.
Add shallots and cook until translucent, stirring frequently.
Add prosciutto and sauté until crisp and fragrant.
Dust the Blue Hubbard Squash with Sumac, and add to the pan, allowing squash to brown gently.
Add broccoli and garlic, sauté 2-4 mins, until garlic is fragrant and begins to brown.
Add 1 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water and stir to combine, being sure to scrape up any browned flavor from bottom of pan. Take a look at your sauce, is it looking saucy enough? If not, add the remaining water in 1/4 cup sizes until the sauce looks the thickness you like (I like to see the sauce look shiny and be thick enough to coat a finger, thin enough to still be translucent). Turn heat down to low and simmer 2 mins to incorporate all flavors into the sauce.
Add sour cream, and stir slowly to incorporate.
Add 3/4 of the fried sage leaves and stir so they are coated in the sauce.
Add the reserved noodles, and mix to incorporate sauce.
Add 1 cup of parmesan and toss pasta to mix well. Cheese should begin to melt into the sauce and pasta.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. (I usually find the combination of white and black pepper to be perfect, an equal pinch of both. Be sure to taste before adding more salt as the pasta water, prosciutto, and parmesan should add a nice and briny flavor already.
Plate pasta while its hot, top with a sprinkle of parmesan, and a few fried sage leaves, fresh cracked pepper, and serve with a glass of Sancerre.
*A note on variation- you can easily substitute any type of pasta that you have on hand. If it's dry pasta, just be sure to follow the package instructions for cooking time. You may also substitute any dark green vegetable you may have on hand in place of the broccoli. And of course, you may use any other type of pumpkin or squash you have on hand for the Blue Hubbard. Lastly, you can also use thyme, rosemary, or savory in place of the sage.
Lamb & Blue Hubbard Squash Curry
Ingredients
2 lbs Lamb, cut into large chunks
1 32 oz container of plain whole yogurt
1 large white or yellow onion, halved and sliced
1 large green bell pepper
1 large yellow bell pepper
1 large red bell pepper
1 can (13.5 fluid oz) Coconut milk
2 TBSP Ghee
8 to 10 cherry tomatoes halved, or 1-2 large tomatoes diced
8 Cloves garlic, minced
2 Spicy Chiles (thai/ serrano/ jalapeno all work), sliced open long ways on one side only and left whole
1 TBSP freshly grated ginger
1/2 a Blue Hubbard Squash, cored, peeled, and roughly chopped
1 bunch Purple Basil
2 TBSP Turmeric
1 TBSP Black mustard seeds
1/2 TBSP Fenugreek seeds
1/2 TBSP Cumin seeds
1/2 TBSP Black Sesame seeds
Kosher Salt
Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
2 Lemons, 1 halved, 1 cut into wedges
Directions
For Lamb Marinade (prepare this tandoori style marinade, and let lamb marinade 24-48 hours, minimum of 8 hours for best flavor)
In a saucepan over medium high heat, add 1TBSP of Ghee, and Whole Black Mustard Seeds. Watch closely, and sauté seeds until they begin to pop open. Add Cumin, Fenugreek, and Black Sesame seeds, and sauté for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
Add the onion, and cook until translucent, add 1/2 the minced garlic, and cook one minute more until fragrant. turn off heat.
In a large Tupperware or Ziploc bag, add 3/4 of the plain yogurt, and add 1/2 the onion and spice mixture (reserve the other half for the curry). Add 1 TBSP of Turmeric, and squeeze the halved lemon into the yogurt. Mix with a spoon, taste, and season with salt and pepper to your liking.
Add lamb, cover, and refrigerate for up to 48 hours.
For Curry
In the Instant Pot, brown the lamb in remaining ghee, on all sides using the sauté setting. Be patient and don't overcrowd the lamb during this step. As the chunks brown, remove them from the pot and reserve in a bowl.
In the now empty Instant Pot, add the bell peppers and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
Add the Blue Hubbard Squash, the other half of the onion and spice mixture you made in the marinade step, the browned lamb, and remaining garlic, ginger, basil, chilies, and coconut milk.
Cover and seal, and set to manual high pressure cook for 45 mins.
Allow pressure to self release.
Serve over rice with a fresh sprig of purple basil. YUMMMMM!
If you try any of these recipes, please share with us. Tag us on Instagram @andreottifamilyfarms and use hashtags: #andreottifamilyfarms #andreottisfallrecipes #thefarmerswiferecipes
With love and dirt, Dawn Dillman
The Farmer's Wife Andreotti Family Farms