Preparation

1. Rinse the papaya pear squash and scrub it with a vegetable brush under cool running water if you plan to leave the skin on. Papaya squash have completely edible, thin skins, like zucchini. You can, however, peel the skins with a vegetable peeler, if desired.

2. Cut the stem and blossom ends from the squash and square off the ends with a kitchen knife. Cut the squash into slices or cubes.

   If you want to cut the squash in cubes, slice about 1/4 to 1/2 inch off all four sides. It won't be a perfect square -- it will have some rounded corners -- but you'll get a better yield if you sacrifice a little appearance. Then, cut the squash in half horizontally, giving you two thick slabs of squash. Place the two slabs on top of each other and cut them crosswise at 3/4- to 1-inch intervals. Turn the stack of slices clockwise a quarter-turn and cut them crosswise again, at 1/2- to 3/4-inch intervals. You're left with to 3/4- to 1-inch cubes of papaya pear squash.

   If you want slices, trim about 1/4 inch from both ends of the squash. Slice about 1/4 to 1/2 inch from one side of the squash. Take off just enough to give it "legs," or a stable side to sit on. Place the pear squash flat-side down on the cutting board and cut it crosswise into 3/4- to 1-inch-thick slices.

3. Coat the slices or cubes with oil and season them to taste. Use kosher salt and freshly ground pepper as a base, then add dried or fresh herbs as you like. Papaya pear squash has a slightly fruity, crisp flavor that goes well with floral spices, such as rosemary and thyme. You can also apply a marinade and marinate the squash for 15 minutes before cooking.

4. Set the squash aside in the refrigerator in a food storage container while you get the oven, grill or steamer ready.

Grilling

1. Set up your grill to cook with direct heat and a medium flame. If you have a gas grill, simply set the burners to medium, close the lid and allow it to heat.

   If you have charcoal, fire up a chimney starter filled with about 50 to 75 pieces of natural, lump charcoal and allow it to ash over. Empty the charcoal in an even layer on the charcoal tray and close the lid.

2. Clean the grill grate with a wire grill brush after the grill heats for about 15 minutes. Close the lid until you start grilling the papaya.

3. Take the prepped squash out of the fridge. If you cut the papaya pear into cubes, thread them on wood skewers, spacing each piece about 1/4 inch apart.

4. Lay papaya pear slices or skewers on the grill about 1/2 inch apart from each other.

5. Grill papaya pear slices for five minutes on each side, or until tender, turning with a spatula when needed. Grill papaya-pear skewers for 10 minutes, rotating them with tongs every two or three minutes.

Roasting

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and take the prepped squash out of the fridge.

2. Lay the squash slices or cubes in an even layer on a baking sheet lined with foil or in a shallow dish. Space each piece 1/4 to 1/2 inch apart.

3. Place the squash in the oven and roast it for about 15 minutes. Turn the slices over or stir the cubes after about 10 minutes of roasting.

Steaming

1. Fill a pot with three or four inches of water and place it on the stove. Add whole aromatic spices and herbs to the water, if desired. When the water boils, the steam will carry the aroma of the spices and herbs with it to the squash. Whole herbs and spices such as peppercorns, basil, thyme, rosemary, cloves and mace all go well with papaya pear squash.

2. Place a steamer insert in the pot and bring the water to a boil. Place the squash in the steamer insert and cover the pot with the lid. The pieces can overlap if necessary, because the heat will envelop them instead of radiating from one direction.

3. Steam the squash for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until tender. Stir once during steaming, about 10 minutes into cooking.