R. J. Kessler of Planted Rock Farm in Chattahoochee Hills calls the pumpkin-shaped kabocha his “go to winter squash.” Of all the winter squashes – pumpkins, acorn, butternut, Hubbard and more – he finds it’s the most reliable and productive. It doesn’t hurt that it’s one of the sweetest of the bunch.
The squash are on the smaller size, generally about two pounds, not as overwhelming for his customers as larger squashes Most kabocha are forest green with light green streaks, but Kessler is growing ‘Sunshine,’ an All-American selection that’s a bright scarlet-orange.
“Whoever did the breeding on this one knocked it out of the park,” said Kessler. “I worked on a farm in Colorado where we specialized in winter squash. We grew over an acre of different winter squash – delicatas, butternut, acorn, plenty of pie pumpkins – and while I’m a huge pumpkin fan, the kabocha really is the best tasting.”
And how does the farmer eat his kabocha squash? “I like them roasted with other vegetables or in a casserole. I love squash soup and they make the best pies,” said Kessler.
The flavor keeps Planted Rock Farm’s customers coming back for more at the Saturday morning Peachtree Road Farmers Market. The farm also sells it to metro Atlanta restaurants.
Though it seems contradictory, growing winter squash is a spring and summer production. Plants need to go into the ground and bear fruit before summer’s heat and humidity take their toll. Kessler planted 500 row feet of kabocha, about 250 plants total and should have harvested about two squash per plant. This summer’s rain meant fewer kabocha than planned, but Kessler says they lost almost every pumpkin so getting a even a “decent” yield out of the kabocha was a plus.
“A lot of people bring their winter squash to market pretty quickly after harvest. We store ours for at least two months. It takes that long for the sugars in these squash to really set up, and that is another good quality about them. Even after two months in storage, we don’t lose a single fruit,” said Kessler.
Kabocha, like other winter squash, have hard, thick skins which are what make them such good keepers. You can bake them, steam them, braise or stew them. The flesh can be pureed into soup or used to bake pies and cakes. Buy several and store them in a cool, well-ventilated place where they can keep for several months.
At local farmers markets
Cooking demos:
4 – 8 p.m. Thursday, October 17. Chef Seth Freedman of Forage and Flame offers demos throughout the market. East Atlanta Village Farmers Market, Atlanta. www.farmeav.com
9 a.m. Saturday, October 19. Chef Jenn Robbins of Avalon Catering, working with broccoli. Morningside Farmers Market, Atlanta. www.morningsidemarket.com
10 a.m. Saturday, October 19. Chef Nick Melvin of Venkmans. Peachtree Road Farmers Market, Atlanta. www.peachtreeroadfarmersmarket.com
11 a.m. Saturday, October 19. Chinese Southern Belle. Green Market at Piedmont Park, Atlanta. www.piedmontpark.org
For sale
Vegetables, fruit and nuts: apple cider, apples, arugula, Asian greens, beets, broccoli rabe, carrots, celery, chard, chestnuts, collards, cucumbers, dandelion. edamame, eggplant, field peas, figs, garlic, ginger, green beans, herbs, Jerusalem artichokes, kale, leeks, lettuce, Malabar spinach, muscadines, mushrooms, mustard greens, okra, onions, pea shoots, pears, peppers, persimmons, popping corn, potatoes, pumpkins, radishes, snow peas, sorrel, spring onions, summer squash, sweet potatoes, sweet potato greens, tomatoes, turmeric, turnips, winter squash
From local reports
Nick Oltarsh’s Kabocha Squash Caponata
Hands on: 40 minutes
Total time: 1 hour
Makes: 8 cups
Chef Nick Oltarsh of ONE Midtown Kitchen offers a recipe good as a shared appetizer for a dinner party. “It’s something you would eat standing up with friends and a glass of wine.” he wrote. He suggests buying high quality olives with pits and slicing them off the pits yourself. For this recipe he prefers Kalamata, Liguria or Gaeta olives.
1 eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 1 pound)
Salt
1 kabocha squash (about 2 1/4 pounds)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided, plus extra for drizzling
2 cups finely diced celery
3/4 cups finely diced onion
1 (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes, crushed and drained
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons tomato paste
15 olives, sliced off pits
2 tablespoons capers
4 teaspoons granulated sugar
4 anchovies, minced
2 tablespoons lightly toasted pine nuts
Pepper
Toasted sourdough bread, for serving
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Lightly salt diced eggplant and put into colander. Allow to drain 1 hour.
Peel the squash, cut in half and remove seeds and silky threads from the center. Dice squash into 1-inch cubes. In a large bowl, toss squash with vegetable oil and scatter on prepared baking sheet. Roast until very tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
Rinse salted eggplant and dry. In a large skillet, heat 1/4 cup olive oil over high heat. Saute eggplant until lightly browned on all sides, about 7 minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside.
Add remaining 1/4 cup olive oil and saute celery and onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. Return eggplant to skillet and add roasted squash. Stir in tomatoes, vinegar, tomato paste, olives, capers, sugar and anchovies. Cook over low heat 20 minutes or until mixture thickens. Add pine nuts and season to taste with salt and pepper. Check for sweet and sour balance as well, adding more vinegar and sugar if needed. Allow mixture to cool. Serve chilled to be spread on toasted sourdough bread and drizzled with olive oil.
Per 1-cup serving: 286 calories (percent of calories from fat, 66), 4 grams protein, 22 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams fiber, 22 grams fat (3 grams saturated), 2 milligrams cholesterol, 518 milligrams sodium.
