Watch a video of the “Squash Off”But whether it was the kabocha squash bathed in beer batter, striped delicata caramelized golden brown or cubes of acorn squash simmered in soup - with its shell a serving vessel - this colorful fall vegetable packed a flavorful punch Wednesday when it took center stage in an “Iron Chef”-style cooking competition to raise student awareness of local, regional and seasonal food.
“It takes an extra step to know which foods are locally produced,” said Tim Hodges of University of Montana Dining Services. “But it's worth their time to find out.”
Judges from Missoula's food community included Laura Waters, owner of Red Bird restaurant (which became 100 percent sustainable earlier this year); Posh Chocolat owner Jason Willenbrock; Biga Pizza's Bob Marshall; and Missoula Independent food columnist Ari LeVaux, all of whom flanked Hodges to score the three teams in presentation, technique, taste and sustainability. The latter took note of how well the team used its ingredients and whether they found ways to compost castoffs, such as peels.
Marshall, recently featured in Saveur magazine for his unique pizza toppings, said squash is one of his favorite fall ingredients, and said he often caramelizes delicata squash in pizza ovens to top gourmet pies.
“You may have tasted some dish that included squash,” Marshall said, “so when you include it, you're not reinventing as much as recombining the elements of an inspiring meal.”
Though the competition was less an “Iron Chef” Bobby Flay vs. Rick Bayless bout, and more an Average Joe vs. Jane throwdown, the judging panel had its work cut out, particularly when considering the culinary artisanship found on ingredient lists.
PEAS Farm caretakers Rick White, Ethan Smith and Jason Mandala pulled fingerling potatoes and carrots from the earth just a day ago, and sprinkled homemade aioli - a rich French mayonaise that accompanied French-fried squash - with the three-alarm cayenne grown on the farm.
“A PEAS intern shot an elk in the Rattlesnake,” said White. “I helped butcher it, and got meat to put in the stew.”
Missoula Urban Demonstration Project team members Kara Lawrence, Krystal Wolf and Alex Kuennen prepared squash lasagna with goat cheese bechamel. The homemade pasta featured a home-cured prosciutto from a farmers market pig leg.
The MUD team speculated that it had a leg up on the competition, considering the nonprofit's self-published squash recipe cookbook out earlier this year.
Hannah Van Arsdell, a member of Students for Real Food and “Team Squash Babes,” said she and her roommates agreed to be in the cookoff to aid the awareness campaign and to hand out recipes featuring squash from Montana's fall season harvest.
With Van Arsdell were Julia McMahon and Teal Potter, topping lentil burgers with homemade apple, onion and golden raisin chutney. Despite final scores placing them third, raves from all five judges made the vegetarian patties the day's biggest hit.
In the end, the PEAS Farm team took home the spoils - a result of squash acumen, a tableside musical accompaniment, and a little ditty about the dirt it takes to grow your own food.
Reporter Lori Grannis can be reached at 523-5251 or at lori.grannis@lee.net.
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