Butternut squash ???

Question

Bad Cook here

Have great "Butternut squash soup", and I want to add fresh chunks of butternut squash to the soup ... what do I do ... can I just chop the butternut stuff into squares and then add to soup, or do I need to cook the butternut squash before?

I also want to add fresh butternut squash to my Lean Cuisine - Grill Alfredo meal ... same thing ... cook before adding or just add and cook???

Do I need to cut this thing any special way?

Answer 1

To retain the shape of the butternut squash (so it doesn't dissolve into an amorphous blob) just zap it in the microwave until it is al dente -- tender enough to bit through easily, but not so soft as to be squishy.
Same thing for the Grill Aflredo.
Try cutting it in cubes about the size of sugar cubes. That's a nice bite size.
Sounds like a yummy meal coming up. Am I invited?

Answer 2

If you are adding the squash at the last minute, you would probably want to cook it first. You could just add it to the soup and give the squash ample time to cook while in the soup, thats what I would do. I don't think butternut takes as long as regular squash to cook.

Answer 3

I would cut it into bite size pieces and cook on a low temp, till tender. If you cook it first you may loose some of the flavor. For the grill , we usually brushed the grill with olive oil and then grilled our veggies. You just need to cut off the hard shell covering , cut into fair size pieces, cook and enjoy. My family loves butternut squash also.

Answer 4

i would stir fry it before adding it to you already finished product..for the Alfredo i would cut it julienne (strips) and they will make a nice presentation... for the soup i would dice them into cubes about the size of the keys on your keyboard...you can also cook them in a little chix stock and add it all to your soup.........

Answer 5

Simple answer is yes. That way it has almost the same texture.