Winter Squash: Long Island Cheese

Long Island Cheese
Average weight: 10-12 lbs
What pumpkin is when it's a vegetable.

A large heirloom pumpkin with a thick, dull pink-orange shell. When properly treated, a very long keeper. The even, squat shape makes the pumpkin easy to store but can complicate seed removal. Large seeds are easy to remove from pulp.

Raw, the sherbet-orange flesh is very moist and stringy. Roasted, the flesh maintains color and body, becomes more smooth with a few small strings. Add a few tablespoons of water to the cooked flesh before whizzing in a food processor.

The barely sweet flesh of this pumpkin is excellent for sweet and savory use.