Butternut Squash and an Open Flame

My daughter is in Africa with the Peace Corps and is looking for recipes that she can cook over an open fire (no ovens, electricity, running water etc..) Right now she is looking for a recipe for butternut squash. Can anyone help?

Not knowing what other resources she has available apart from butternut squash and an open fire, it’s tough for me to give any sort of recipe advice. However, I can recommend that the easiest way to cook a butternut squash with an open flame would be to submerge the whole squash in hot coals (how I usually get coals are by building a fire up and then letting it die down so that the coals are hot but there’s not a flame) and letting it roast inside its own skin. Turn it occasionally, and when it’s easily pierced, it’s done and can be easily broken open and eaten. The seeds and skin are also edible and may also be eaten, or discarded if she so desires.

Depending on what else she has available, the squash is quite tasty mashed with butter, sugar, and or sweet spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg. But, like I said, not knowing what the sum total of her available resources is, it’s tough to give specific recommendations beyond cooking method.

One Response to “Butternut Squash and an Open Flame”

  1. Ron Says:

    Hey Jesse,

    It’s Ron from many years back at the Drama Studio. Very cool website. I didn’t know that you went into cooking that’s awesome. I kinda did the same thing…..after living NYC doing the agent thing I went to the CIA and got a culinary degree.

    Just wanted to say ‘hi’. I look forward to reading more on here…..

    Do you stay in touch with people from back home?

    Ron

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