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What Is It?

And, what do I do with it?

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It’s some kind of squash.  I bought it at the Amish market.  I’ll buy anything . . once!  I’d call it an Octopus Squash or a Crown Squash but I’m guessing.

Anyone know what it’s called or how I’m supposed to cook it?

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  3. Is it about the size of a patty pan squash? I’ve looked all over the Internet (obviously, not in the right places) and can find something called a crown prince squash, but it doesn’t resemble this at all. If it’s hard like a winter squash, I guess I’d bake it, but if it’s easy to cut, guess I’d steam it and “fry” it with onions!!

  5. Looks like it might be a “ten commandment gourd”.
    Found a picture here: http://www.extension.umn.edu/projects/yardandgarden/yglnews/yglnewsnov12008.html

    And I found this description http://www.specialtyproduce.com/index.php?item=992. Looks like it’s ornamental, not good for eating unfortunately.

    The most unusual ornamental gourd is the “finger gourd” also called, “crown of the thorns”, “gourd of the Ten Commandments” and “holy gourd”. The upper surface of this gourd bears five pairs of protuberances, or prongs, and may be white or cream-colored at maturity. Other colors include green-and-white striped, orange, and bicolor, which is green and green-striped with bands or areas of yellow. Star gourds are consistent in having ten prominent ridges around their edge and resemble their namesake. A delightful collection of shapes, sizes, and colors, their surface may be warted, horned or smooth. Ornamental gourds are not edible as they have very little flesh and are grown mainly for show. The flesh they do contain is rather tasteless and may even be bitter.

  7. Uhhhhhhh….. I think I’d just keep it around for decoration. Maybe there’s a reason you’ve never seen one before, because, you know, there’s a slight possibility that it’s NOT EDIBLE!

  8. It’s a sunburst squash – which is a summer squash, not a winter one. It would be cooked just as you would a yellow crookneck or zucchini- no need to peel it. You can boil it in chunks until soft, then gently mash and add a little butter and salt, or you can slice it and use it in a casserole, or bread it and fry it, or throw it on the grill with a little olive oil and garlic salt.

  10. So good breaded and fried if it is a summer squash and it certainly looks like one.

    • Exactly! You don’t go eating stuff when you don’t know what it is! That could be some alien pod for all we know. If I haven’t seen it sold at Safeway, I ain’t eating it.

      Jude, don’t you remember me telling you the story about the tourists and tbe hedge apples?

      • Hi Judy, That’s a Patty Pan squash. They are a summer squash and when picked young you don’t need to peel them. Seeds and peel are edible. We always slice them about 1/4 ” thick, dust with salt, pepper and flour and fry in a little oil and butter. The one you have is quite mature…still edible but not the seeds and skin. It’s similar to the way zuchinni needs to be seeded and peeled when it gets too big. At that size slice it first and then run the peeler along the edges. It’s much easier than peeling first. Last summer we were over run with them. I peeled and cubed them, canned them with tomatoes, onion and garlic. We enjoyed them all winter.

  12. It reminds me of a pattypan squash, which I thought were white.

    AKA: Yellow Sunburst Squash, Pattypan Squash or Scallop Squash. Pattypan Squash. Pattypan Squash. I think when the Tibetan Buddhists were reviewing candidates for a primary mantra, “Pattypan Squash” must have been on the short list before they decided upon Om Mani Padme Hum. Just try to not feel benevolent and contented saying Pattypan Squash. You can’t, can you?!

    http://www.three-bowls.com/three-bowls-entries/2008/4/23/getting-to-know-you-sunburst-squash.html

    http://www.healthy-recipes-for-kids.com/scallop-squash-recipes.html

    http://www.cooks.com/rec/search/0,1-0,patty_pan_squash,FF.html

    http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Stuffed-Pattypan-Squash/Detail.aspx

    Thanks for expanding my knowledge today!

  13. Sometimes I use these in place of Eggplant, 3″+ in diameter. I slice these (rounds) and dredge them in egg white and Italian bread crumbs, saute in a light olive oil and layer with red pasta sauce (with or without meat) and sprinkle parmesan and mozzarella cheese and bake. My husband like this with rigatoni. Or I prepare as above and fry them in a little olive oil and butter and serve them with homemade Ranch made with sour cream only. He was not a squash eater when I met him. He will eat it now.

  14. LOL, i’m glad you got some answers because that’s one i’ve never seen before.

  15. It looks like a patty pan to me. Cut, de-seed, and peel as mentioned earlier, wash in egg, then dredge in crushed saltine crackers. Fry and serve with catsup. Yummy!!

  16. I vote for patty pan. (But I’ve never heard of some of the others that were suggested & I didn’t do any searching on the internets.)

  17. It kinda resembles a butternut squash. My MIL used to cut them up and cook with a little butter and sugar.

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