When I was a kid my mother often used to make a winter squash puree.  Now before you start thinking that she spent all day peeling and steaming pumpkins, this was a frozen product.  It was one of her few “cheats” for dinner.  She’d take the frozen orange square of puree and drop it in a small sauce pan with a splash of water and a large nugget of butter and cook it over a low heat until it defrosted and was a smooth puree.  She’d season it liberally with freshly ground black pepper and a pinch of salt and I LOVED it.  I could eat the entire pot by myself.  Years later when I started experimenting with winter squashes and tried kabocha squash I knew I had found what made that frozen orange square so delicious, it was the inclusion of kabocha in the squash mix.

Kabocha squashes are smaller than traditional pumpkins and have a dark green skin that can have flecks of orange on it.  Kabocha has to be cooked to be enjoyed and has a distinct flavor and almost waxy texture.  Often I cut it in half, scoop out the seeds and place it flesh side down on an oiled baking sheet with whole garlic cloves or shallots tucked in the cavity and roast it for about 30 minutes until tender.  Then it’s easy to scoop the flesh away from the skin and use the meat in soups, casserole, or purees.