If you are looking for a showstopper squash dish, look no further. Full of fall goodness, these beauties have it all. Sweetly caramelized acorn squash is complimented by natural wild rice from the Minnesota Ojibwe Nation, and touch of sage and paprika. 

• 2 small acorn squash, or 1 large
• Vegetable oil

for the filling

• 1/2 tablespoon oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup wild rice
• 1 teaspoon bouillon (chicken or vegetarian)
• 1-1/2 cups water
• 1 stalk of celery, diced finely
• 1 small onion, diced finely
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• Fresh sprig of sage, leaves minced,1/2 teaspoon reserved
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat. Set oven rack to middle position and turn the oven on to 425° F.
2. Start the filling. Add the oil to a saucepan and turn on medium high heat. Mince the sage leaves, saving some of garnish. When the oil is hot, add the butter, celery, onion, minced sage, and Paprika. Stir, cook until veggies are softened, then add Wild Rice, Vegetarian Bouillon, and water. Bring to a boil, cover with lid and reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until the rice is cooked, about 30 minutes. Check towards the end to make sure there is enough cooking liquid, add a little water if it’s. Taste and add salt and pepper, if needed.
3. Prep the squash. For small squash, cut the tops off the squash crosswise, about an inch down from the stem so you create a bowl out of the cavity. For large squash, cut in half so you have two bowls. Cut just the tip off at the ends so the squash can sit upright (be careful to only cut off the tip, otherwise you may accidentally make a hole in the cavity). Use a spoon to scoop out all the “guts” — the seeds and fibers inside.
4. Roast the squash. Line a baking sheet with foil, and lightly oil the surface. Set the squash bowls and lids in the sheet, cut-side down. Transfer to oven and bake until the squash is cooked through, about 30 minutes.
5. Serve. Remove the squash from the oven and carefully transfer to plates (you may need to gently push the bowls down into the plate so they sit properly). Let cool for 5–10 minutes, spoon rice filling into each cavity. For small squash, top with lids. Serve.

Total time: 45 min.

Nutrition per serving:         

• 501 calories
• 10 g fat
• 100 g carbs
• 14 g protein
• 14 g fiber

Notes

• Squash can be difficult and time-consuming to cut. If you don’t have a very sharp knife (and even if you do) a bread/serrated knife might be the easiest tool.
• Natural wild rice will cook faster than commercial. If you purchased a wild rice that is dark black versus speckled brown, expect it to take about 20 minutes longer to soften, and will require more water.
• Pork would also go will in this dish. Add 8 ounces of Italian sausage, bacon or pancetta will pair nicely with the flavors.

Homegrown Foods is a local, woman-owned business serving the Twin Cities area for over 10 years. We specialize in delivering meal kits using organic ingredients, grown by local farmers.