Butternut Squash

Great for holidays. Even good as a dessert.

Roasting brings out a deep concentrated flavor in foods. This soup tastes incredibly rich, but is low in fat and calories. However, I sometimes garnish the soup with a dollop of unsweetened whipped cream.

This updated classic soup of Mexico is easier to make when you let the convection oven do the cooking. Add a squeeze of fresh lime juice to each bowl when you serve it.

In Emilia-Romagna, zucca (a pumpkinlike winter squash) is a traditional filling for cappellacci, stuffed pastas that are folded and twisted like tortellini but slightly larger. Butternut squash is the best substitute for Italian zucca, though you must squeeze out all the moisture after cooking it. With the sweetness and texture of crushed amaretti cookies and hints of lemon and nutmeg, this is a delicious and versatile filling, great in tortellini and tortelli as well as cappellacci. Sage-infused melted butter is the customary (and perfect) dressing for this autumn and winter dish. For a variation, omit the sage, and brown the butter in a hot pan before drizzling it over the pasta.

In autumn, Lombardy abounds in zucca—what we call “winter squash”—and the seasonal cuisine makes full use of the vegetable. Squashes of all sizes and shapes are in the market—favorite varieties like marina di chioggia, berettina piacentina, zucca tonda padana, zucca blu, and zucca delica—to be cooked in stuffings, soups, pasta sauces, and risotto. And, like many fruits and vegetables, zucca is pickled with mustard seed to make the delicious condiment called mostarda, for which Lombardy—especially Cremona—is famous. This riso will be delicious made with any of our squashes—try acorn, buttercup, delicata, hubbard, or kabocha as well as butternut. The fresh vegetables of other seasons can be used, too, following the basic technique of the recipe. Asparagus in springtime or broccoli in summer will be delicious cooked with rice.

"Pumpkin is for more than just pie. I like it in ravioli, soup, and this curry dish!"

Use butternut squash or a small, firm cooking pumpkin such as a sugar pumpkin for the best results.

Fresh compote replaces cream-and-egg-laden pie filling.

This one's got it all: bright fall colors and sweet-savory appeal.

I just ate a meal of some meltingly tender pork, butternut squash, and toasted walnuts. No, this isn't my food journal. I'm sharing this information with you because the above foods are supposed to reduce the incidence of many diseases that might come my way. Okay, maybe you're not interested in your arteries working at peak capacity; maybe what you want is to enjoy food to the maximum and not have to force it down your throat because it's good for you. That said, you'll love this dish, whether or not its health benefits ever cross your mind.

Home turf: California
Local flavor: In health-conscious California, chili is as likely to be made without meat as it is with it. No self-respecting Texan would sign off on chili with beans, squash, and bulgur—but this lean, mean dish is as delicious as it is healthful.
Make it a meal: continue the Cali fantasy with whole grain bread, an arugula salad with mushrooms and garlicky vinaigrette, and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (California, $8 per six-pack).

In this luxurious risotto, leeks take the place of the chopped onions that are traditionally used in the beloved Italian rice dish.

A refreshing way to finish the meal, this Greek-inspired dessert features kataifi, a seductively crisp, light Middle Eastern dough.

Sweet, savory and anti-aging! Just one serving meets more than your daily need for vitamin A, which keeps skin aglow.

The technique: Braising (sautéing, then cooking low and slow in a bit of liquid) is most often associated with meat, but it's also a great way to cook veggies.
The payoff: Fibrous vegetables like butternut squash are the perfect candidates for braising. The braising liquid infuses the squash with flavor and makes it very tender.

Cèpes (also known as porcini) are perfect with roast duck. Pair this dinner-partyworthy dish with a New Zealand Pinot Noir.

For perfect gnocchi, don't work the dough too much and add as little flour as possible. It's okay if the dough is a little sticky.

For this twist on classic risotto, The Kitchen uses farro (hence the name "farrotto") instead of rice. No endless stirring required!