Gloria Linss, grandmother of my editorial assistant, Valeria, was kind enough to provide us with the perfect ratio of sugar and cinnamon to squash for this recipe. She also pointed out that at her house they did not chop the squash; she would literally smash the whole gourd onto the kitchen floor until it broke into pieces. You can keep it old-school and do that, but I suggest you go with a very sharp knife: it makes cleanup easier. For a sweet finish, do as Gloria does and drizzle the squash with chilled evaporated milk before serving. The cold milk is the perfect counterpoint to the extravagantly sweet, melt-in-your-mouth cinnamon-scented squash.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Preparation
Stir 6 cups water, the brown sugar, and the cinnamon sticks in a large heavy pot until the sugar dissolves. Add the squash and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 2 1/2 hours, or until almost all of the liquid has evaporated, the mixture has thickened, and the squash is very tender. Remove the cinnamon sticks, let the squash cool slightly, and serve warm or at room temperature.
