31 October 2025
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From spiced lattes to glossy purées and sugared pies crowned with whipped cream, pumpkin has become the season’s ambassador, eclipsing its kin in a blaze of cinnamon and nutmeg. But in the wings waits a cast of squashes – nutty butternut, silky delicata and chestnut-sweet kabocha – each one offering a distinct expression of autumn and capable of transforming a dish into something quietly extraordinary.
Here, Chef Samuel Buckley of Stockport's Where the Light Gets In, a keen advocate of zero waste, shares not just one autumn squash recipe but a catch-all three-recipes-in-one, his way of ensuring that every part of the squash is utilised and nothing is thrown away.
Cured Squash, Sabayon and Pickled Leaves
Note from the Chef:
This part of the recipe makes a great snack or starter. The gentle cure and steam is a good way to enjoy the natural flavours and textures of the squash without too much disturbance. Crown Prince is definitely my favourite, but I have also become fond of Kutsu Black. If you have grown the squash yourself you can pickle the leaves but, if not, any nice pickles you have around will make a great substitute – red cabbage is a good one.
Ingredients
1 whole squash, preferably with leaves included2 egg yolks
100ml vinegar
50g sugar
Butter
1tsp sour cream
Pumpkin seed oil
Sea salt and pepper
Method
Squash
• Cut the squash in half, scoop out the middle and separate the seeds from the pulp.• Quarter the squash and slice into 1cm pieces.
• Sprinkle with sea salt and set aside for 20mins.
• Clean the seeds and leave them on a plate on the windowsill to dry for an hour.
• Rinse the squash and place in a steamer basket for 10mins or until tender.
Chef's Tip: The tip of a knife should pass through but the squash should still be firm.
• Add butter to a pan with a little seed oil. When foaming, add the seeds and fry, keeping the pan moving. After around 5mins the seeds should take on a nice golden colour. Once they start popping, remove from the heat and drain into a paper towel.
• Transfer to a pestle and mortar and grind until you have a roughly textured crumb. Add salt and any other toasted spices you wish to use.
Chef's Tip: Toasted caraway and cumin are a must-try.
Sabayon
• To make the sauce, simmer a pan of water.• Crack two egg yolks into a metal bowl, add a splash of vinegar and whisk over the pan of boiling water until the yolks are soft and foamy and have increased 4 times in volume.
• Fold in 1tsp of sour cream.
Leaves
• Blanch the leaves in salted water for 2mins or until they become tender. Remove and shock into ice water.• Make a pickle with 200ml water, 100ml vinegar and 50g sugar.
• Squeeze water from the leaves and add to a sterilised jar, then pour hot pickle over the top.
• They are ready when they have cooled and will last in a sealed jar for months.
Squash Spritz
Ingredients
Leftover squash skins and pulp2tsps sugar
Method
• Add the leftover skins and pulp to a sterilised jar with 2tsps of sugar and top up with filtered water.• Leave on a shelf at room temperature.
• After five days the mixture should have fermented and will have a gentle sparkle.
• Pass through a sieve and serve over ice, then bottle the rest to enjoy at a later date.
Tip From the Chef: This also works well with a hit of dry white vermouth or gin – or both!
Stuffed Stems with Optional Squash Ragu
Note from the Chef:
If you have grown the squash yourself you will be left with a lot of stems. At the restaurant we serve the stems with a squash ragu and a hard, sheep's milk cheese.
Ingredients
Stuffed Stems:
Leftover stemsChoice of filling
Salt
Squash Ragu:
1 whole squash1 glass good quality white wine
1 onion
1 clove garlic
Thyme
Sage leaves
1 bay leaf
Hard cheese
Salt and pepper
Method
Stuffed Stems
• The stems are hollow and have coarse hair all over them – use a paring knife to strip this away.• Cut into rigatoni-sized pieces and blanch in salted water for 20secs before shocking in ice water.
• Make a filling such as whipped goat's cheese & chives, egg mayonnaise or horseradish crème fraîche.
• Stuff the stems with your choice of filling and enjoy as a snack.
Squash Ragu
• Peel and de-seed the squash, then dice as small as possible.• Gently cook a diced onion and garlic clove in butter with some thyme and a bay leaf, then add the squash.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Add another knob of butter and a glass of white wine.
• Cover with a cartouche and simmer gently until the wine has dried out. Check the squash – if tender, add one more knob of butter and a handful of torn sage leaves, while stirring to emulsify.
• Check seasoning and adjust.
• Serve over the top of the blanched stems with plenty of grated hard cheese.
Hero Image: A warming autumn or Halloween dish from Samuel Buckley, chef-owner of Where the Light Gets In in Stockport, Greater Manchester (© Jacob Timms)
