I have an ongoing love affair with winter squashes during this season, as they add color to an otherwise dreary time of the year.  For just a dollar a pound at our local farmer’s market, I went crazy last weekend and got a whole variety of them.   Winter squashes will keep for a long time, so stock up on them when they are in season and store them in a cool, dark place in the pantry.

Stuffed Baked Acorn Squash

Winter squashes are very versatile and lend themselves to both sweet dishes and savory ones.  You can make halvah with butternut squash or add kabocha squash to lentil soups or roast delicata squash to make a healthy side dish.

Or you can feature the squash as your main entree.  Today, our entree of choice was stuffed white acorn squash.  The white acorn squashes are actually yellow in color as opposed to the green-golden ones usually found in the markets.   Both varieties are high in nutritional value, providing a good dose of vitamin A and C.

White Acorn Squash

I used brown rice, carrots and sunchokes (also known as Jerusalem artichokes) with some herbs in the stuffing.  If you cannot find sunchokes, use white potatoes instead.

Sunchokes, aka Jerusalem Artichokes

Unlike V who wants to buy every kitchen gadget he comes across, I believe in keeping a minimalist kitchen.  I do not see the need for a knife block that adorns every American kitchen counter.  I own an OXO 6-Inch Utility Knife for my everyday vegetable cutting, an 8″ Global Chef Knife which is actually multi-purpose and a Victorinox Serrated Knife for tomatoes.   That’s it. (The backside of my Global Chef Knife is also excellent for smashing garlic!)

Recipe for Stuffed Acorn Squash
[Printable Recipe]

(Makes an entree for 2 people)
Ingredients:

• 1 medium acorn squash
• 4 Tbsp butter or ghee (use olive oil for a vegan option)
• 2 tsp dried thyme 
• 1 tsp chili flakes
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 1 medium size carrot, chopped into small pieces
• 3-4 medium sunchokes (also known as Jerusalem artichokes), peeled and chopped into small pieces (substitute with potato)
• 1/2 cup cooked brown rice
• salt to taste, paprika for garnish

Method:

• Split the acorn squash in to 2 using a sturdy chef knife and remove the seeds 
• Place cut side down in a baking dish and add a quarter of an inch of water to the baking dish
• Bake at 400F for 30 mins.   After 30 mins, check if a knife goes through smoothly.  If not bake for a bit longer.
• Let cool, then scoop the flesh out of the squash halves with a spoon, and chop roughly.   Place the shells back in the baking dish after emptying any remaining water
• Heat the ghee (or olive oil) in a pan.  (Note:  If using butter, heat the butter on low heat until it becomes clear and starts to brown a bit.  You have ghee now, and the whole room will start to smell divine.)   Save about a tablespoon of the ghee for topping the final dish.
• Add the thyme, chili flakes and black pepper and let the flavors release in to the ghee at low heat for 3 mins
• Add the carrots and sunchokes and close the lid.  Cook for around 5 mins on low heat.  There will be a bit of crunch left in the vegetables
• Add the cooked rice and squash to the pan
• Add salt to taste, mix and heat through
• Scoop the brown rice-vegetable mixture back in to the two squash shells
• Add a drop of ghee on top and sprinkle with paprika 
• Broil at high heat for 5 mins just before serving