Candy Roaster Puff

A candy roaster is a member of the pumpkin family, but has a much more delicate flavor and does not have the stringy texture. It is indigenous to these mountains and comes in all colors, shapes and sizes from ugly warty green to a gorgeous orange hue, from quite small to huge. In this area, the County Fair has competitions for the largest candy roaster and last year one weighing 450 pounds walked off with the blue ribbon. The owners treat them like babies to achieve their goal, placing the young squash on a clean bed of h ay and religiously picking off any competing siblings so that their prize will get all the nourishment from the parent plant. They water at precise times in precise amounts and appoint guards at night to watch for vandals.

Cut into chunks, it freezes very well without blanching. If you can't get a candy roaster, you may use sweet potato or butternut squash. If you have taken a candy roaster home with you from the mountains, here is a hint on peeling it. It has a very tough outer skin and is very hard to cut and peel, so saw it in half, scoop out the seeds and place it in a 325¼ F oven for about 30 minutes. Then you can scoop out the pulp and freeze it as is or make the following puff.

 Serves: 5-6

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked candy roaster, mashed with a little butter. (If you are using raw chunks, place them in a small amount of water and simmer about 15 minutes or until very tender and mushy.)
• 1 1/2 cups cooked candy roaster, mashed with a little butter
• 1/3 cup sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• sprinkle of nutmeg and cinnamon

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together and turn into a buttered 1 quart casserole. Bake at 325¼ F until set, approximately 45 minutes. Serves 5 or 6.

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