[1] “Winter squash is for winter. So use it now,

through March at the latest — while it’s most appealing.”

— Deborah Madison

The featured vegetable this Saturday at our [2] Winter Farmers’ Market in Rollinsford is the wonderfully versatile winter squash. There will be recipe cards available, as well as a cooking demonstration — Jennifer from [3] Get Well Grounded and Erin from [4] Allgood Eats will be showing you how to peel and cut, as well as simple, basic preparation methods for a variety of winter squash. Make sure to stop by with your cooking questions!

Popular varieties of winter squash include: acorn, delicata, spaghetti, butternut, true winter squash (buttercup, hubbards, red kuri), and pumpkin. Nutritionally, winter squashes are a source of complex carbohydrates and dietary fiber; also potassium, niacin, iron, beta carotene (converts to vitamin A); vitamin C, manganese, folate, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B1 and B6.

Storage: Keep winter squashes in a cool, dry place with good air circulation; refrigerate cut pieces, but the refrigerator is too humid for whole squash. The best way to store whole squash is in a single layer with fruit not touching to minimize the potential spread of rot.

Preparation: Thin-skinned varieties (acorn, butternut, delicata, sweet dumpling) can be peeled with a parer or peeler. Larger varieties (hubbard, turk’s turban) should be placed on newspaper and using a sharp cleaver split the hard rind open, or use chef’s knife with a mallet to drive blade into the squash. Don’t be afraid to drop onto the floor to break a particularly large and hard squash open. Once split is cut, squash can be banged on a hard surface and pulled apart; pieces are easier to peel than the whole. Leave the peel on if baking the squash and spooning out flesh.

Cooking: Place unpeeled pieces cut sides down on a shallow baking dish, bake at 350°F for 30+ minutes; check for doneness by piercing with fork or skewer; remove from oven when tender and let cool; spoon out flesh and mash. Cut and peeled pieces may be boiled or steamed until tender, a faster method but trades off the roasted, concentrated flavor from oven baking. Cooked squash freezes well; pack into containers and freeze for up to one year.

Here are some recipes to get you started with cooking winter squash — look for more delicious recipes at the Winter Farmers’ Market!

• [5] Stuffed, Roasted Winter Squash

• [6] Pumpkin Fondue

• [7] Roasted Pumpkin Soup with Maple Syrup

• [8] Pasta with Kale Pesto and Roasted Butternut Squash

• [9] Raw Butternut Squash Salad with Cranberry Dressing

• [10] Butternut Squash Wheatberry Risotto

• [11] Dessert Wonton with Squash Filling and Chocolate Dipping Sauce