So what do you do with a huge Musqué de Provence squash that kept Louis XIV happy, but is now sitting on the kitchen counter, begging to be cooked?

Louis XIV? Yes, the BBC recently filmed a segment about Louis XIV and his gastronomic predilections at On Rue Tatin, and the Musqué de Provence squash was a prop.  (More on that later when the photos come in). It’s a beauty, a Cinderella kind of thing that fits right in with the rustic charm of my kitchen. I love the way it looks, but I decided I wanted to cook it.

Musqué de Provence or any squash right now isn’t as out of season as it seems. This year, we’ve still got frost on the ground in the morning, inhibiting spring vegetables and keeping winter offerings fresh and good. Sometimes a trip to the market is slightly schizophrenic: there may be a few stalks of asparagus or a bunch of radishes, next to all those big winter squash and mounds of celery root and big, fat leeks.

The cold temperatures made me welcome the thought of grilling that big Musqué de Provence squash, though.  And what would go better with it, I thought, than maple syrup and rosemary?

Musqué de Provence Squash and Asparagus – Two Recipes for One

So, here is a great recipe for rosemary squash on the grill, with a few asparagus thrown in for good measure.  The recipe below is for the squash. (You can use any variety of pumpkin-type squash you find; check Johnny’s Selected Seeds for options). As for the asparagus, roll it in oil and salt and grill it with the squash for about 4 minutes per side, depending on how crisp you like your asparagus!

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