Janie Jenkins’ Hearty Squash Casserole

Janie Jenkins’ Hearty Squash Casserole

As a child I would travel south by rail on the Southern Crescent each summer to spend several weeks with my grandparents. Prosperous “Dear” and “Big Daddy” lived in sleepy Concord, North Carolina. In front of their large house were big pecan trees, fig bushes flourished in the side, and a huge organic garden was in back, decades before organic was in.  I was served piles of fresh vegetables.  I would beg Dear for Pecan pie, made with hand shelled nuts from the previous fall’s harvest from her trees.  I would clamor for her labor intensive three layer prune whip parfait.  I considered Dear to be a wonderful cook.  It took me several years to realize that the actual architect of all these wonders was my beloved Janie, an African American woman of traditional build, who always greeted me with big hugs on arrival.  I finally realized she did much more than dishes in her kitchen.  She and Dear passed away years ago, but I still honor them by cooking their simple, substantial, surprisingly hearty squash casserole. Served with ripe, red sliced tomatoes, and sweet buttery ears of corn, even the most callous carnivore will push away from the dinner table reluctantly. The recipe is well suited for either small early or late season large squash. Be sure to watch the squash carefully as the water cooks off, it can scorch quickly. And don’t forget that bit of sugar, it is essential to bind the flavors.

Ingredients:

4 tbs. Salted Butter

1 large onion, chopped

2 to 3 lbs. Yellow Squash, chopped

½ tsp. Sugar

½ tsp Salt

Black pepper to taste (I recommend lots)

Method:

Melt 3 tbs. butter in a pot.

First add the onions to the pot, then all the other ingredients. You do not need to sauté the onions.

Cook covered at a low temperature at first and stir several times until the vegetables are covered with their own moisture.  You do not need to add water. Then turn the heat up to simmer. After the squash is very cooked and soft (at least an hour, especially for larger tough squash), remove the cover, and turn down the heat so it is barely simmering.  Allow all standing moisture to cook off. This may take about another hour.  Stir frequently and pay attention towards the end, it will try to scorch. The longer it cooks the better the taste.

 Place the cooked squash in an ungreased 1 ½ quart casserole dish.  Sprinkle dried bread crumbs liberally over the surface, then dot with the remaining butter.  Place covered dish in an oven preheated to 350’f.  After 20 minutes remove the cover .Cook for 30 minutes or until mixture is bubbling and the crumbs are brown.

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