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Some Kitchen Kinks: Squash
Squash. The various varieties of the summer squash are generally cooked when so small and tender that the thumb nail can pierce the rind easily.
To prepare for the table wash the squash, cut into small pieces, and either cook in boiling water or steam it. It will cook in boiling water in half an hour. It takes about an hour to cook it in the steamer. The cooked squash is mashed fine and seasoned with salt, pepper, and butter. This method gives a delicate flavored but rather watery dish.
Summer squash is very palatable cut in slices and fried like eggplant.
It is claimed by many that the very young summer squashes, particularly the turban variety, or "cymlin" of the Southern States, are very delicate and palatable cooked whole. For this dish they should not be much larger than a silver dollar. In the opinion of the writer the crook-necked and other summer squashes are richer in flavor when grown to a large size.
From the more mature squash remove the thin skin and seeds. Cut the squash in small pieces and put in a stewpan with boiling water enough to cover. Boil for half an hour. Drain, mash, and season with salt, pepper, and butter.
Cook winter squash in the same manner. Squash is one of the vegetables that require a good deal of butter.