Produce Briefs...
Orange Honeydew Melon
Oval-to-round and a delicious cross between a cantaloupe and a honeydew, the very fleshy juicy orangish-yellow pulp of the orange honeydew melon is encased in a hard very yellow matching rind.
Mache
Mache has been cultivated in France since the 17th century, and in France it is known as doucette. It is also known as "lamb's lettuce" because its leaves resemble the size and shape of a lamb's tongue.
Seasons/Availability
Available fall and winter.
Description/Taste
Resembling the buttercup, the turban-shaped kabocha, pronounced kah-BOH-chah, is an Oriental squash encased in a dull, deep green, thick, mottled rind with pale, uneven stripes.. Round with a flattened top, it ranges from one to eight pounds but generally weighs an average of two to three pounds. The deep, yellow-orange cooked pulp is finely grained, floury-dry and tender. Seeds and strings in the cavity are characteristically oily to the touch. Rather sweet, its rich flavor combines that of a sweet potato and a pumpkin.
Applications
Kabocha squash is a sweet-fleshed, hard-skinned variety. Peel or bake with the skin on. Dice and roast squash chunks with oil and spices or combine with cream and cheese, baked into a gratin. Add roasted squash to soup, stew or risotto. Puree and mix into softened butter. Slice and roast with honey and citrus. Kabocha squash pairs well with the Asian spices, nuts and dried fruit flavors, as well as the textures of cooked faro, barley, lentils, or pasta. Kabocha squash will keep for weeks in cool, dry storage.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Orange Kabocha Squash. One
is easiest, three is harder.
