Reprinted from Half Baked Harvest Cookbook. Copyright © 2017 by Tieghan Gerard. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of Penguin Random House, LLC.
Depending on the size of your acorn squash, you may have leftover wild rice filling. It’s delicious on its own and is also a terrific side dish for almost any meal. Oh, and (if you weren’t already thinking this) yes, it makes a great Thanksgiving side as well!
Ingredients
- 2 medium acorn squash, halved through the stem and seeded
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 cup uncooked wild rice
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 cups baby spinach
- 1 canned chipotle pepper in adobo, chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- 1 cup roasted pistachios, chopped
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped roasted pistachios
- 1 cup shredded Havarti cheese
- Chopped fresh parsley or cilantro, for topping
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 450º.
2. Roast the squash. Brush the cut sides of the squash with the melted butter and sprinkle with the brown sugar and cinnamon. Season with salt and pepper. Place cut side up in a baking dish and bake for 45–50 minutes, or until the flesh is fork-tender. Remove from the oven (leave the oven on) and brush the liquid from the baking dish around the flesh of the squash, coating the squash well and trying to use all the liquid.
3. Meanwhile, make the rice. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepot over high heat. Add the rice, cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 35– 45 minutes, or until all the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Add the olive oil and spinach and toss to combine. Cover the pot again and allow the spinach to wilt, about 10 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the chipotle, dill, pistachios and cranberries. Season with salt and pepper.
4. While the squash and rice cook, make the breadcrumbs. In a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Cook until it is browned and smells nutty, about 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and whisk the butter for about 30 seconds more. Stir in the breadcrumbs and pistachios.
5. Stuff the roasted squash halves with wild rice and top with the Havarti. Return to the oven and bake for 10–15 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the squash is crisp. Remove from the oven and top with the breadcrumbs and fresh parsley before serving.
