There is so much diversity in the Gympie Region, and as I travel around each month, I discover there is a never ending supply of different produce, dedicated and interesting people, and beautiful places for me to write about.

This months journey took me to Kookaburra Farms in Jones Hill to visit Mick and Ross Sims and discover what’s involved in producing over 200 tonnes of button squash each year.

Each year for the past 20 years between October and June, the two brothers and their wives Rose and Beth have been farming around 25 hectares of button squash on their property South West of Gympie, supplying thousands of trays of these golden beauties to supermarkets all over the country.

Squash plants take around 5 – 6 weeks to grow from seed to a productive plant, and are then picked every day for about a month.  By rotating hectare blocks, the Sims are able to keep up a constant supply of about 5000 five kilo trays a month during their 9 month season.

By taking advantage of the Pie Creek Irrigation Scheme, an 8 kilometre network of open trenches and pipes which was built in the 1970’s to help with agriculture in the area, Kookaburra Farms is able to trickle feed from the scheme to their dams, and always have access to enough water to regularly drip feed their plants.

Once the squash grow to around 2 inches across, they are picked, sorted, washed, graded and refrigerated, ready to be transported all over Australia to be sold predominantly in Woolworths and Coles.

I’ve always loved eating squash since I was young, and now as a chef I love using them in different dishes because of the versatility and their  great texture and flavour. They’re great simply steamed and tossed with butter, fresh herbs, salt and pepper, grilled and marinated, sautéed in olive oil and added to a pasta dish or pickled in good vinegar and stored for when they’re out of season.

So next time you’re at the supermarket, take home half a kilo to have a play with and chances are you’ll be taking home a little piece of the Gympie region at the same time.

I came home with a 5kg tray of perfect Kookaburra Farms button squash and had to stop myself at four recipes; I could have kept going! Hopefully these four give a good overview of the different things that can be done with them.

Enjoy!

PS If you read my last blog and are wondering how my giant pumpkin’s going, I’ve added an updated pic of her on the Game On, Giant Pumpkin Growers blog! No pumpkins yet, but it won’t be long. 67 days to go till Goomeri!

WINNERS WILL BE GRINNERS:  I have a special competition for you this month.  All new subscribers to my Matt Eats Gympie blog from now until 5pm Friday 24 April will be in the draw for a chance to win $100 worth of Gympie Gold produce from the Gympie Gold producer of their choice. One winner will be selected at random (I’ll be pulling the name out of a chef’s hat) so get sharing this blog with your family and friends and encourage them to subscribe for their chance to win!  The lucky winner will be announced on the Matt Golinski Official Facebook page.

Good Luck

Matt

 

Pickled Button Squash

Makes 4 x 300ml jars

Ingredients:

1kg button squash, sliced into 1-2mm rounds

1 brown onion, peeled and finely sliced

2 tsp salt

150ml white wine vinegar(I use LiraH Sweet Chardonnay Vinegar from Stanthorpe)

150ml water

80gm castor sugar

2tsp mustard seeds

2 cloves garlic, finely sliced

pinch saffron

1 tsp black peppercorns

8 fresh bay leaves

Method:

Toss the squash, onion and salt together in a colander and sit over a bowl for 1 hour.

Bring the vinegar, water, sugar, mustard seeds, saffron, peppercorns and garlic to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

Give the squash and onions a good press to remove any excess moisture and pack into 4 sterilised 300ml glass jars.

Bring the pickling mixture to the boil and pour into the jars, pressing down the squash with the back of a fork to make sure the vinegar gets evenly dispersed.

Allow to sit for 15 minutes, topping up with extra vinegar if necessary to cover the squash, then seal tightly with lids and store in a cool dark place.

Grilled and Marinated Button Squash

 Serves 4

Ingredients:

500gm button squash, cut into 5mm thick rounds

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 red chilli, finely diced

1 tbs oregano, roughly chopped

2 bay leaves

30ml balsamic vinegar

30ml extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

Method:

Lightly spray or brush the squash slices with oil and grill on a grill pan or BBQ until they have dark grill lines on both sides. Transfer to a shallow tray.

Whisk together all other ingredients and pour over the squash.

Cover and marinate for at least 2 hours.

Serve as part of an antipasto platter.

Rigatoni with Button Squash, Bacon, Chilli, Garlic and Parsley

Serves 4

Ingredients:

400gm Rigatoni

500gm button squash, ends removed and cut into wedges

100ml olive oil

250gm bacon, cut into lardons

1 onion, diced

1 clove garlic, sliced

1 red chilli, finely chopped

¼ cup flat parsley, chopped

60gm parmesan, grated

salt and pepper

Method:

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and cook the rigatoni for approx. 12 minutes or until ‘al dente’. Drain and toss with a little olive oil to stop it sticking together.

In half of the olive oil, fry the squash in a frying pan until golden all over. Transfer to a bowl.

In the same pan, fry the onion, garlic, chilli and bacon in the remaining oil until well cooked.

Return the squash to the pan, and add the pasta, parsley and parmesan, and season well with salt and cracked black pepper.

Button Squash and Anchovy Tart

Serves 4

Ingredients:

250gm plain flour

125gm unsalted butter, diced

50ml cold water

500gm button squash, sliced 2mm thick

2 eggs

2 yolks

200ml cream

2tbs chopped parsley

75gm parmesan

16 anchovy fillets

salt and pepper

Method:

Put the flour and butter into the bowl of a food processor and blend until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.

With the motor running add the cold water and mix until the dough just comes together.

Wrap in plastic wrap and rest for 30 minutes.

Roll the pastry 5mm thick and line the base of a 22cm flan tin. Prick with a fork and chill.

Line the pastry with baking paper and blind bake until cooked through.

Whisk together the eggs, yolks, cream, parsley and parmesan and season with salt and pepper.

Pour ¼ of the egg mixture into the tart shell. Lay the slices of squash overlapping in circles to form a single layer. Pour over another ¼ of the egg mixture and repeat with the squash two more times, finishing with a layer of the eggs.

Lay the anchovy slices in a pattern on top of the tart and bake for 25 – 30 minutes at 160 degrees C.