Of all the winter squash varieties, I would say that the grey-blue hubbard is by far my favorite. It's not only it's unusual impressionistic color that appeals to me, but also it's tear drop shape. It's funny because something about this squash reminds me of a pregnant woman. It looks more of a work of art than a fruit, and it reminds me of the deep beauty you can find in nature.
I also like how vibrantly orange the interior flesh is. And as you begin to peel your squash to make this crumble, you will also enjoy the rich contrast between it's grey blue exterior, the bright green lining just beneath, and then the vibrant orange flesh.
The Hubbard squash is one of the sweeter of the squashes and it is very moist. I read that when you buy canned pumpkins you are actually buying hubbard squash because it is a cheaper variety. I am not certain if that is true, but I do think you can use it to replace pumpkin in any of your recipes.
This crumble is perfect for this time of year. It requires very little effort to put together, besides the peeling of the squash, and is a nice hearty, comforting dish. It plays on the idea of the baked potato with all its fixings, only the fixings are mixed into the crumble and you also get a baked buttery topping.
I enjoyed this dish as a main course, but it could also work great as a side with roasted chicken.
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Sharp Cheddar & Bacon Hubbard Crumble
serves 6
can be made as a vegetarian dish by simply omitting the bacon
2 lb of Hubbard squash
4 slices of bacon
3 oz of cheddar
2 onions
1 cup water
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbs sour cream
1 cup of flour
6 Tbs butter
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Peel and finely dice the two onions and evenly distribute in the bottom of a large oven proof casserole.
Split the hubbard in half with a good sharp knife. Scoop out the seeds, and peel the squash with the same knife. Be careful when peeling as he skin is quite tough. Once, peeled, cut the orange flesh into one inch cubes. Place the cubed squash on top of the onions, add 1 cup of water, and bake until the squash is soft, about 30-45 minutes.
In the meantime, cook the bacon in a skillet, chop once cooled, and set aside. Grate the cheese and set aside.
Cut the chilled butter into one inch cubs and place n the bowl of a food, add the flour and pulse for a five seconds, or until the mixture resembles course bread crumbs. Add half of the grated cheese to the flour mixture and place in the fridge until ready to use. Once the squash has cooked, mash the squash with a fork until only small chunks remain. Stir in the bacon, cheddar, salt and sour cream.
Top with the flour crumble mixture and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is a golden brown color. Allow to cool and serve.
