Baked Winter Squash with Cumin

Corby Kummer did not exactly author this recipe. What he did was suggest, in the middle of an extraordinary essay on squash, that "it's more interesting to play off the sweetness of squash than to add to it, as brown sugar and maple syrup do. Something peppery is a good start [ . . . or] try cooking squash halves or chunks with a teaspoon or so of balsamic vinegar, and olive oil if you like. . . ." All the specifics of quantity and timing come from various standard sources and some experimenting.

Kummer is also the source for general comments about the cooking of winter squash: The microwave works as well as a conventional oven and calls for the same basic technique, either covered with a small quantity of water in the bottom of the pan or uncovered without the water. Squashes with really tough skins, such as acorn or golden nugget, require the water; the softer skinned varieties, such as butternut, do not. The conventional oven usually requires 45 to 60 minutes; the microwave, 10 minutes per pound.

1. Preheat oven to 400^o.
   
   
2. Halve the squash, and remove the seeds. Set it fleshy side down in a cooking dish, and add the water. Cover and cook, 45-60 minutes.
   
   
3. When ready, scoop the flesh into a serving dish (discarding the skin), mix in the cumin and butter, and serve.
   
   
4. Have plenty of black pepper available for additional seasoning at the table.

3 servings   

Source: Corby Kummer, The Atlantic (October, 1991)