Butternut Squash, the shapely cousin of pumpkin, really shouts fall! Love the taste, love the varieties of ways to prepare and season. Let’s kick off this October with a Hasselback* treatment of this squash, where our veggie is our canvas (for the look of it) and the technique intensifies the taste (roasted) and the squash bowl, is well, just the coolest bowl! So here, we have prepared meatless, but I also offer a suggestion for those who enjoy meat to kick it up at the end of recipe! Here goes, let’s celebrate!
*Hasselback is a technique, where the squash is cut about one half through into thin slices
From the Kitchen of Terri Bergman
Hasselback Butternut Squash with Quinoa (and Ginger)
SERVES: 4 (generous entrée servings)
LEVEL: Intermediate—you got this!
INGREDIENTS
Base:
2 Medium to small butternut squashes
Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Amazing Rub
For the Filling:
1 cup Quinoa
2 cups vegetable stock (or water)
1 cup baby peas
Optional: 1 tsp shredded ginger, or ½ tsp spice ginger (any veggies or herbs you like!)
Olive oil, salt pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
Peel butternut squashes, slice lengthwise in half, seed and clean. Hasselback the squashes by turning the inside squash to the cutting board and make thin slices on outer squash, without cutting thru! Take each squash piece (4) and brush with balsamic vinegar. Put on a parchment lined baking sheet and drizzle with Olive Oil and sprinkle with Amazing Rub.
Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes one side, remove from oven and turn each piece over.
STOP HERE AND MAKE **QUINOA FILLING WHILE SQUASHES BAKE!
Bake squashes for additional 30 minutes, again turn squash over so the bowl side of squash is up. If there are veggie juices in the olive oil drippings add to the Quinoa stuffing. Now, fill the squash bowls with Quinoa mixture. Bake an additional 5 minutes.
This is a good time to sprinkle the squashes with the Amazing Herbes for a super accent, if you have it.
**QUINOA FILLING, in a small pot boil 2 cups water, or veggie stock. Add 1 cup Quinoa and gently simmer for about 10 minutes, remove from heat and add, ginger, peas, a little olive oil, salt/pepper if desired. More veggies of your choice if desired!
Set aside for an additional 5 minutes – ready to stuff Squash Bowls.
ADD MEAT IF YOU LIKE, for flavor or a heartier meal. My suggestion would be finely ground pork, pan sautéed. Cook pork (1/2 #) and crumble and then add whole sage leaves (8-10)cooked in pork drippings until golden brown. With slotted spoon remove pork and sage and sprinkle over top of the squash bowls! ENJOY!
