Simon Gault’s garden bounty
Squash is newly special to me because it’s the first solids our daughter has eaten. I used squash straight from the garden to make her a delicious puree – although I wasn’t allowed to give it the seasoning I would have liked! I was under strict instructions to make it purely puree.
This is exactly the kind of stuff you want to be giving your young ones and I feel it’s getting her off to a good start. There’s nothing quite like being able to give your child something out of your own garden. To prepare it, I simply cut up the squash, steamed it and then blitzed it to a silky puree. She seems to enjoy it!
If I were to puree it for older taste buds, I’d do it a little differently. I’d roast the squash with a bit of oil and seasoning – Italian or Indian would go well – before turning it into a mash or puree. For a complete meal, I’d cut it in half, rub it with oil and a bit of Indian seasoning and bake it in the oven. I’d scoop out half the flesh and use it in a prawn risotto, then serve it inside the baked squash. Indian flavours roasted in the squash go very well.
It was pretty much down to Ken, my gardener, that the Little Gem variety of squash ended up in the garden. He selected it because he’d heard it was a favourite of South African expats. I love trying something a bit different, so I was keen to give it a go. It has a mild squash flavour, almost like a butternut pumpkin.
It stores well and will be delicious during the colder months, too. Most herbs work with squash – such as sage, marjoram and thyme.
Simon Gault with Ken Nicoll
Ken says:
Ken Nicoll from Total Garden Care keeps Simon’s garden in order.
“This season we trialed gem squash after a South African friend gave me the heads up on these little, err… gems! Apparently expat South Africans miss their gem squash as they don’t see them often in New Zealand. I grew them on a north-facing slope and treated the plants like I would a pumpkin plant, digging in heaps of compost before planting and watering regularly during dry periods.
The results were great.
The three plants I had gave me more than 40 good fruit. They are harvested at tennis ball to softball size. The time to first harvest is around 50-60 days, but mature fruit will take approximately 70-80 days. If left to mature, the fruit will have a good shelf life, lasting for several months.
I feel obliged to grow more gem squash next season for those expats who miss them dearly. My wife and I have become partial to them, too! But right now I need to find some room to sow baby turnip seed – a sweet little turnip that is not as harsh as winter ones. See you next week!”
