We ate this as a main dish, but it would also make a great side. I love vegetables where you can scoop up some meaty flesh with each biteful. There’s something very basic and satisfying about it. Great stuffing, too.
Stuffed acorn squash (adapted from The Tasty Kitchen blog)
1 whole acorn squash, cut in half lengthwise
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons margarine
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 tart apple, peeled, cored, and diced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 whole cornbread muffins, cubed into bite-sized pieces
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chicken broth
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
sprinkle of soy parmesan
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Scrape seeds and stringy flesh from the squash. Place squash in a baking dish, cut sides upp. Pour about an inch of water in the bottom of the dish. Put one teaspoon margarine and one teaspoon brown sugar in each half. Place in the oven for 15 minutes. Baste squash with the butter and brown sugar mixture after the 15 minute mark to prevent drying. Put back in oven for another 30 – 45 minutes, or until fork tender.
Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet and add the celery, onion, apples, thyme, curry, and cinnamon. Cook until softened. Remove skillet from heat and set aside.
Place cubed cornbread on a baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes (next to the squash), or until golden and crunchy.
Add the cranberries and the toasted cornbread to the skillet mixture and gently stir to combine. While stirring, slowly add the chicken broth. Season with salt and pepper. Fill the fork-tender squash with cornbread stuffing, and place back into the oven until heat through, about 10 minutes. Serves 2. Easily doubled.
I’m always interested to see what people stuff in their squashes and I love this cornbread/sweet/salty mix! I would totally eat this as a main too!