| Butternut squash | ||||||||||||||
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| Cucurbita moschata (Duchesne ex Lam.) Duchesne ex Poir. | ||||||||||||||
Butternut squash (Cucurbita moschata), also known in Australia as Butternut pumpkin[1], is an edible type of winter squash. It has a sweet, nutty taste that is similar to pumpkin or sweet potato. It has yellow skin and orange flesh. When ripe, it turns increasingly deep orange, and becomes sweeter and richer. It grows on a vine. The most popular variety, the Waltham Butternut, originated in Stow, Massachusetts.
Uses
Butternut squash is a fruit that can be roasted and also be puréed or mashed into soups, casseroles, breads, and muffins.
In Australia it is regarded as a pumpkin, and used interchangeably with other types of pumpkin.
A common vegetable in South Africa, it makes a very tasty soup and can be cooked on a barbecue (known as a braai in South Africa) wrapped in foil with spices such as nutmeg and cinnamon.
It is a source of fiber, vitamin C, manganese, magnesium, and potassium. It is also an excellent source of vitamin A.
Origin
The butternut and related species of squash originate from around Mexico - separate from pumpkins or "winter squash", which originate in South America.[1]
External Links
- Recipe using butternut squash