Kabocha Squash

Know this

Kabocha is the Japanese pumpkin, the squat dark-green one with the knobbly skin that chefs reach for when butternut is too wet and too sweet. Pick one that is heavy for its size with a dull, hard rind and a dry, corky stem; a shiny skin or a green stem means it came off the vine early and never built its sugar. The flesh is deep orange, dry and dense, and tastes somewhere between chestnut and sweet potato. Chef secret: the skin is thin enough to eat once it is roasted, and it is the best-tasting part, so stop peeling it. If the knife will not go in, three minutes in the microwave softens the rind enough to cut it safely.

Cook

Wedges, skin on, tossed in oil and roasted at 425°F until the edges go dark and the flesh is creamy, about thirty minutes. Simmered in dashi, soy and mirin it is kabocha no nimono, the dish every Japanese grandmother makes. Thin slices in tempura batter are the version that converts people.

Season

Late summer through winter. A whole one keeps for months in a cool room, which is why it is on the table in February.

Best pairings

Miso · Sesame · Brown butter · Sage · Ginger · Soy

Also worth trying: maple, coconut, chile, lime, honey, cumin.

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