Your first inclination when you see butternut squash in your box may be to roast it or turn it into soup. I like the idea of making these preserves, adapted from a recipe in the New York Times. Simple, delicious and starts to make your kitchen smell like fall.
Ingredients:
4 cups peeled, diced butternut squash 3/4 cup sugar Pinch salt 1 cinnamon stick 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Preparation:
In a medium saucepan, combine squash, sugar, salt and cinnamon stick. Simmer over medium heat until squash is tender and most liquid has evaporated, about 20 minutes.
Remove pot from heat. Using a potato masher or fork, smash the squash until completely broken up. Stir in lemon juice. Return pot to heat and simmer until most liquid has evaporated and squash develops a pasty consistency, about 5 minutes. Discard cinnamon stick. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.