Preheat oven to 450. Cut three acorn squash in half, removing seeds and membranes. Place, cut side up, on cookie sheet and brush the cut parts and the hollow with 1 Tbsp melted unsalted butter and a little salt and black pepper. Roast in oven until partially cooked (about 35 mins). In the mean time, prepare the stuffing: first, bring 2 ½ cups chicken broth to a boil, then add 1 tsp butter and 1 cup brown rice (here, I used Trader Joe Brown Rice Medley, composed of long grain brown rice, black barley, and daikon radish seeds). Cover and simmer until rice is tender (about 35 mins). While rice is cooking, sauté hot Italian pork sausage (casings removed) in a wok, then when browned, set aside. Using the same wok, add a little olive oil, then sauté 4 celery stalks, 1 onion, 1 shallot (each chopped) until fragrant. Season lightly with salt and black pepper. Add 1-2 sprigs thyme (leaves only), then add cooked pork sausage, cooked rice, and lightly mix. Add ½ cup toasted pecans (roughly broken up) and ¼ cup chopped cranberries. By now the acorn squash should be partially cooked. Spoon the rice mixture into each acorn hollow (about ½ cup), lightly brush the cut squash and the rice mixture with butter, then continue to roast until the squash is fork-tender (about 20 mins). Serve immediately and enjoy. This recipe is based on Roasted Acorn Squash with Wild Rice Stuff by Aida Molllenkamp, available on chow.com, with modifications (addition of pork sausage, brown rice instead of wild rice, ½ cup pecan instead of 2/3 cup, use of olive oil instead of butter for sautéing). (Nov. 2013).
Cooking Adventures 