Pre-made spaghetti squash

AnnPT77

Need2Exerc1se wrote: »

AnnPT77 wrote: »

Cutting it open:

I use a cleaver and a small rubberized dead-blow hammer, but a heavy knife (thick at nonsharp edge of blade) and a regular hammer would work.

Try to get a slight groove in the skin of squash with your knife (or by sawing with a serrated knife); this is just so the knife blade won't slip, so it need not be long or deep.

If your squash is super rolly, put a towel under it so it won't roll or slip. Put your heavy knife/cleaver in the little groove.

Hold the knife/cleaver steady with one hand. Use the other hand to hammer along the thick back of the blade. (If you have a regular hammer or a thinner knife, start with lighter taps to make sure you don't bend or fracture the knife. With a heavy cleaver & rubberized hammer, big whacks are doable.)

Once you have a good depth going, you can start moving the knife to an end of a cut, then tapping a cut there, working your way around the circumference of the squash.

Takes way less time to do than it did to type. And I'm a li'l ol' lady, so we're not talking strength/effort here. Works on other hard veggies, too (rutabaga, giant kohlrabi, big celeriac, etc.)

Wow, a hammer? Never considered that. I just take my big sharp kitchen knife and cut it.

That works for me with most spaghetti squash, too. The occasional extra hard one requires this treatment (to avoid extensive *kitten*-speak), along with some of the heirloom winter squash, and definitely some giant kohlrabi (talking about the 8-10" winter keeper types).

lemurcat12

Need2Exerc1se wrote: »

AnnPT77 wrote: »

I didn't really enjoy spaghetti squash with tomato sauce - even though I liked the squash - until I put a little crushed fennel seed in the sauce. For me, that was kinda magic. YMMV.

I don't like it with tomato based sauces either. Though I do like it with grape tomatoes and some type of dark leafy green sauteed in olive oil. My favorite is with a mushroom sauce (I often use it instead of rice or pasta with chicken marsala).

Yeah, weirdly enough I wouldn't think to put a tomato-based sauce on it either, although I really enjoy it with cherry tomatoes and greens or other vegetables, and often feta cheese.

The chicken marsala substitute sounds good.

sgt1372

crazyravr wrote: »

sgt1372 wrote: »

Funny.

I've tried spaghetti squash a couple of times but there's something about it that I just can't stand. Never finished it and have always thrown most of it down the disposal.

Of course, I don't buy or make it anymore.

I find with most foods that people say they cannot stand is all in preparation. How did you make it? What spices did you use?

LOL! Prep and cooking is not the problem.

Just cut it in half, remove seeds, roast it at 350 w/cut side down until soft. When done turn it over and shred & remove squash w/fork. Add salt & pepper to taste. Doesn't get any simplier than this.

Just don't like it.

While I can eat almost anything, there are a few things that I choose not to eat because they do not appeal to me. Spaghetti squash is one of those things.

Andrew Zimmern on Bizzare Foods can't stand walnuts but loves liver. I love walnuts but hate unprocessed liver - liverwurst, pate and faux gras are another matter.

We are all entitled to our individual taste preferences.

Oma827

I roast it and pull it into shreds then mix with diced tomatoes. Pretty and tasty!

MrSith

I actually enjoy have a squash cooked and then stripping it of its goodness.