Chilean Squash Casserole
Made with pumpkin, which tasted weird at first, but turned out to be quite good. I doubled the spices, and that was the right decision. Chris liked it a lot. Mollie Katzen's recipe uses 4 cups of canned pumpkin instead of butternut squash if you are in a hurry. Several reviewers suggested doubling the chili, cumin, and garlic. Others used peas instead of corn. Recipe got 5 stars. This delicious casserole has become a tradition at my family's Thanksgiving. And everyone agrees we should make it more often, it's so good, and not hard to make. I've changed this recipe only slightly from the Chilean Squash in the Moosewood Cookbook. You can substitute mashed pumpkin or yams (unsweetened, of course!), but the butternut is best and worth the effort. A tip for easier cleanup: I just mash the squash right in the casserole and mix everything there. I wipe off the upper sides with a clean, damp dish towel and pop it in the oven. I've been tempted to add a cup or two of cooked rice or other grain to make it even more hearty, but I haven't tried that yet... Note: cook time does not include time for baking the squash; that can be done ahead and refrigerated.
Made with pumpkin, which tasted weird at first, but turned out to be quite good. I doubled the spices, and that was the right decision. Chris liked it a lot. Mollie Katzen's recipe uses 4 cups of canned pumpkin instead of butternut squash if you are in a hurry. Several reviewers suggested doubling the chili, cumin, and garlic. Others used peas instead of corn. Recipe got 5 stars. This delicious casserole has become a tradition at my family's Thanksgiving. And everyone agrees we should make it more often, it's so good, and not hard to make. I've changed this recipe only slightly from the Chilean Squash in the Moosewood Cookbook. You can substitute mashed pumpkin or yams (unsweetened, of course!), but the butternut is best and worth the effort. A tip for easier cleanup: I just mash the squash right in the casserole and mix everything there. I wipe off the upper sides with a clean, damp dish towel and pop it in the oven. I've been tempted to add a cup or two of cooked rice or other grain to make it even more hearty, but I haven't tried that yet... Note: cook time does not include time for baking the squash; that can be done ahead and refrigerated.
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 eggs, beaten
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 large butternut squash
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 2 -3 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 -2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 -2 dash cayenne pepper
- 1 cup red bell peppers coarsely chopped
- 1 cup green bell peppers coarsely chopped
- 2 cups corn kernels ( fresh or frozen)
- 2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
- Carbohydrate 21.323037375 g
- Cholesterol 140.4 mg
- Fat 15.77027675 g
- Fiber 3.64117997068167 g
- Protein 13.9644315 g
- Saturated Fat 8.0768975875 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (227g)
- Sodium 250.68485 mg
- Sugar 17.6818574043183 g
- Trans Fat 1.156038875 g
- Calories 271 calories
Step-by-step
- Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds.
- Bake cut sides down at 425? 45- 50 min. or until very soft at thick end.
- Let squash cool and scrape out of the shell; mash as smoothly as you can.
- Meanwhile, saut? onion, garlic and spices in olive oil until onion is translucent.
- Add peppers and salt, stir, cover and leave on low heat 5 min.
- Preheat oven to 350?.
- Stir beaten eggs into mashed squash.
- Add corn, saut?d vegies and grated cheddar; stir to mix well.
- Bake 20 min. covered; uncover and bake 20- 30 min. more.
How do you adjust baking times when doubling or halving a dense vegetable casserole? Adapting this dish requires understanding how thermal mass affects heat penetration in thick squash purées.
- When halving the recipe into an 8-inch square baking dish, reduce the covered baking time from 20 minutes to 15 minutes to prevent the eggs from over-coagulating before the center reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Scaling the ingredient quantities up by 150 percent demands a shift to a deep 9x13-inch pan, requiring an additional 10 to 15 minutes of uncovered baking time to evaporate excess moisture released by the bell peppers and corn.
- Roast the butternut squash at 425 degrees Fahrenheit until the thickest portion yields completely to the tip of a paring knife; excess water inside under-roasted squash will cause the baked custard to separate.
- Pair this vegetable-heavy bake with grilled flank steak or roasted pork loin, where the savory umami of charred meat cuts through the sweet starch of the squash and sharp cheddar cheese.
Proper moisture control remains critical regardless of batch size. Thoroughly drain thawed frozen corn before mixing it into the purée to maintain the intended structural density.
