How to Stuff your Turban
The first time I saw a turban squash was over 25 years ago on the cover of an old Harrowsmith Magazine. I was immediately taken by its unique shape which loosely resembled an Oriental turban after which it is named. Its exterior colour and texture reminded me of those old Italian wine bottles that we used to use as candle holders covered in overlapping blobs of white, green, orange and red wax. Their peculiar appearance sees them used more commonly for decorative purposes than culinary.
Turban Squash
When I was finally able to track one down and cut it open to see what it looked like inside, it revealed a bright yellow flesh with a slightly nutty aroma. It cooked like other vegetables and responded well to being roasted, steamed or boiled. It wasn’t until much later that I learned that the turban squash like all squash are classified as fruits and are members of the pumpkin family which are actually berries. Like most fruits in this category we can trace their origins to Central America where we see them used in many traditional recipes. In North America we tend to consume only the squash fruits but every part of the squash plant can be eaten, including the leaves and their tendrils.
When selecting turban squash keep in mind that the smaller squash are much sweeter than the larger ones, on the down side of this the smaller squash have a mealy textured flesh. I recommend using medium sized turbans in the kitchen. A medium sized turban squash will weigh in around three pounds and have a diameter of about 8-10 inches. The large knob that protrudes from the squash is the flower end, making the opposite end the stem end.
Traynor Farms has a great selection of squash available at their Farm Store located at
Traynor Farms
Forage your way to through the selection of squash and find a turban squash to use in the following recipe, the hard shell of the turban makes it the perfect soup terrine.
Chorizo Stuffed Turban
Ingredients:
1 medium sized turban squash
Canola oil as needed
2 tbsp. butter
1 cup Spanish onion, diced
½ cup celery, diced
½ cup carrot, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 lb. chorizo sausage, if you wish to forgo meat and make this vegetarian,
add 1-2 tbsp. of our Kick-Ass Cajun Seasoning from The Spice Co. naturally…
1/4 cup soft breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Pre-heat oven to 375°F with only a single rack on the middle shelf of your oven so that the turban will have adequate clearance.
Make sure that the turban is flat and level on its stem end, as this will be the bottom of your soup bowl. Take a thin slice or two off of the bottom if necessary to level it out. Next cut off the bulbous flower end, as you would when making a jack-o-lantern, as this piece can be used as a lid for your terrine.
Scoop out all of the seeds and pulp from the inside of the turban, discarding the pulp but reserving the seeds as they can be roasted and eaten too.
With a paper towel lightly coat all cut and exposed squash flesh surfaces to protect it while roasting in the oven.
Place the squash, cut sides down, on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for about an hour or until the flesh is tender.
While the turban is roasting in the oven, combine the carrots onion and celery and butter in a medium sized sauté pan and cook until the onions begin to brown. Add the garlic and chorizo sausage and continue cooking for 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Set mixture aside to cool.
Once the squash is cooked, scoop out its tender pulp. In a large bowl combine the squash with the sausage mixture. Next stir in the brown sugar and bread crumbs.
Return stuffed squash to the oven and bake for 30 minutes at 300°F. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
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The Spice Co. naturally…
