Stony Brook squash oils - pumpkin, butternut, delicata, acorn, and kabocha seed oils - add flavor to a wide variety of dishes. They are a flavorful alternative to olive oil and can be drizzled over prepared vegetables, meats or seafood, used to dress salads, or used as a dipping oil with hearty whole grain bread.

The toasty flavor of the oil particularly complements vegetable dishes like roasted Brussels sprouts, grilled asparagus, or wilted spinach. It can also be used in recipes where you would use other nut oils, such as sesame oil. The oils have a moderate smoke point, so it can be used in sauteing and stir-frying. Have fun experimenting with your squash seed oil and tell us about it!

• Use as a dipping oil for multigrain breads
• Drizzle over sliced papaya or avocado and sprinkle with sea salt
• Substitute for butter for corn on the cob, mashed potatoes, bread stuffings, and roasted root vegetables
• Add to sautéed green beans, brussel sprouts, or wilted spinach
• Add to cream of cauliflower or squash soup
• Drizzle over grilled sea scallops and fresh greens
• Add to quick breads or muffins for a nutty flavor
• Pour over vanilla ice cream and top with roasted pistachios

GOAT CHEESE CROSTINI
WITH PUMPKIN SEEDS & DELICATA OIL

1 sesame ficelle or thin baguette, sliced into rounds
2 Tbsp butternut squash seed oil
4 oz herb goat cheese
1/4 cup roasted salted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
Delicata squash seed oil for drizzling

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Brush ficelle slices with butternut squash seed oil and place on baking pan. Bake in preheated oven for 6 minutes or until lightly toasted. Remove from oven and allow to cool. In small mixing bowl, gently stir goat cheese with spoon to make spreadable. Immediately before serving, spread ficelle slices with generous amount of goat cheese. Sprinkle with toasted pumpkin seeds and a drizzle of delicata squash seed oil.

Serves 8 - 10.

SALAD OF FIELD GREENS, GORGONZOLA, PEAR & TOASTED WALNUT

5 ounces prewashed salad greens
1 ripe pear, cored and thinly sliced into bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup toasted walnut halves
4 ounces gorgonzola or other blue cheese, crumbled or shaved

Vinaigrette (makes 1/2 cup)
3 Tbsp butternut squash seed oil
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp + 2 Teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pepper to taste

Make the vinaigrette: with fork or small whisk combine oils and mustard in small bowl. Gradually add lemon juice until combined. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

In large bowl, combine greens, walnuts, sliced pear. Immediately before serving, toss greens with vinaigrette until lightly coated. Toss in crumbled blue cheese.

Serves 8.

WARM BANANA COMPOTE WITH BROWN SUGAR,
SQUASH OIL DRIZZLE & PISTACHIO ICE CREAM

2 ripe bananas, peeled and cut into quarters
1/2 stick of butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed tightly
4 Tbsp butternut squash seed oil
1/4 cup dark rum (optional)
1 quart pistachio or french vanilla ice cream
Ground cinnamon for garnish

Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add oil. Stir in brown sugar until dissolved. When mixture bubbles slightly on edges, add banana slices and baste fruit in pan, about 30 seconds. Add rum if desired - use caution before adding rum, step away from stove as the pan may flame.

Place one scoop of ice cream on each dessert plate. Add banana slices and pour sauce over ice cream and bananas. Sprinkle with cinnamon for garnish.

Serves 4.

HERB STUFFING WITH ROASTED MUSHROOMS

3 Tablespoons squash seed oil
8 oz of shitake mushrooms, sliced
2 medium onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 ribs of celery finely diced
2 medium carrots finely diced
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary
2 Tablespoons butter
4 cups chicken stock
16 oz stuffing croutons (preferably unseasoned)
1 medium apple, cored and diced
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In braising pan, heat squash seed oil on medium high. Add mushrooms; cook about 5 minutes, until moisture is reduced and mushrooms are slightly browned. Add celery, carrot, onion and garlic; cook, stirring 5 to 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Add herbs, cook 1 minute. Add butter and stock; bring to a simmer. Turn off heat.

Combine croutons and apple; gradually add to mixture in braising pan, stirring gently. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bake in greased 9 x 13 roasting pan on center rack of oven 30-35 minutes, or until stuffing is nicely browned and cooked through. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and drizzle with squash seed oil to taste before serving.

Serves 8.

PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS

3/4 cup white sugar
1 Tablespoons vegetable oil or melted butter
3 Tablespoons butternut squash seed oil
2 eggs
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease and flour muffin pan. Mix sugar, oil, eggs. Add pumpkin and water to mixture.

In separate bowl mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter using an ice cream scoop. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Let muffins cool in pan for 5 minutes, then flip out onto wire rack and cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 12 muffins.

STRIPED SEA BASS & CAPERS
Chef Noah Sheetz, Governor’s Mansion, Albany NY

2 springs parsley, chopped
3 T balsamic vinegar
1 t Dijon mustard
10 capers, rinsed
½ cup + 2 T butternut squash seed oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
4 six ounce fillets of boneless skinless striped bass
Salt and pepper to taste

In a small bowl, whisk together parsley, vinegar, mustard, capers, and ½ cup oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Rub bass fillets with 2 tablespoons of butternut squash seed oil and minced garlic.  Season with salt and pepper.  Bake fillets in 400-degree oven for 7 to 10 minutes until they are cooked through.  Pour the sauce over cooked fillets.
Serves 6.

MAPLE SQUASH PUREE
Gourmet Executive Food Editor Kemp Minfie, as modified by Ruth Reichl in GourmetWeekly

5 lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces (10 cups)
2 cups water
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
3 tablespoon unsalted butter, in pieces
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
butternut squash seed oil

Simmer squash in water with 1 teaspoon salt in a 5-quart pot (water will not cover squash), covered, until squash is very tender, about 15 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking liquid, then drain squash in a colander. Purée squash, syrup, oil and butter in batches in a food processor until smooth, adding reserved cooking liquid if purée is too thick. Transfer to a serving bowl and stir in pepper and remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt. Before serving drizzle with butternut squash seed oil.

SQUASH SEED OIL VINAIGRETTE
Chef Sam Izzo, Simply Red Bistro, Ovid NY

1 t ginger root, peeled and grated
1clove of garlic, chopped fine
1 t brown sugar
1 t soy sauce
¼ t black pepper
1 t Dijon mustard
1/4 cup blended olive and canola oil
1/4 cup Butternut Seed Oil

Place ginger, garlic, brown sugar, soy sauce, black pepper and Dijon mustard in a metal mixing bowl slowly whisk in the two oils. Placing a >damp towel under the bowl will stop it from spinning around too much. Whisk the two oils until they are thoroughly mixed in. Toss with greens and roasted pistachios. Serves 4.