Wild Rice and Cranberry Stuffed Acorn Squash
This dish - squash stuffed with wild rice and festive sweet cranberries - works well as either a main course or side dish, and is as lovely as it is tasty.
Ingredients
- 7 cup water
- 2 cup wild rice, about 12 ounces
- 3 small acorn squash, cut in half and seeded
- 2 tablespoon butter, 1/4 stick
- 2 cup finely chopped onions
- 2 teaspoon dried sage leaves, crumbled
- 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons dried cranberries, about 3 1/2 ounces
- 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons chopped toasted hazelnuts, about 3 ounces
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Bring 7 cups water and rice to boil in heavy large saucepan. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until rice is tender, about 1 hour. Drain. Transfer rice to large bowl.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Oil baking sheet. Place squash, cut side down, on sheet. Bake until tender, about 40 minutes. Cool.
- Using spoon, scoop out pulp from squash, leaving 1/4-inch-thick shell; reserve shells. Transfer pulp to medium bowl. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
- Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onions; saute until very tender, about 15 minutes. Add sage; stir 2 minutes.
- Add rice, squash pulp and lemon juice; stir until mixed, breaking up squash pulp into smaller pieces. Mix in 1/2 cup cranberries, 1/2 cup hazelnuts and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
- Divide rice mixture among reserved squash shells. Place in roasting pan. Bake squash until filling is heated through, about 25 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 3 tablespoons cranberries and 3 tablespoons hazelnuts.