I’m a big fan of Thanksgiving and an even bigger fan of side dishes. From the classics to classics re-invented, a side dish can make or break a meal.
Now, let’s talk about one of my favorites: stuffed squash. Stuffed squash is one of those weird enigmas – you can serve it as an appetizer, a side dish, or a main. You have full creative freedom and are encouraged to experiment with flavor.
I wanted to share a recipe for stuffed squash that I recently made. I took my favorite flavors and put them into an edible vessel.
Squash:
For this particular recipe, I used a small butternut squash. I washed the squash, cut it in half, and removed the seeds. Next, I drizzled olive oil, salt, and pepper onto the squash. I baked it until soft. But by cutting the squash in half, you aren’t steaming the inside but allowing it to cook and become caramelized.
Ingredients:
- Farro (1 cup cooked according to package)
- Sausage (1/2 lbs)
- Mushrooms (1 cup sliced)
- Shallots (1 diced)
- Garlic (1 clove diced)
- Crushed tomatoes (1/2 cup)
- Mozzarella (slices, enough to cover the squash)
Preparation. Preheat the oven to 350 and prep the squash. Cut the raw squash in half and remove the seeds or “guts.” Drizzle olive oil and salt and pepper. Bake on a cooking sheet for 20 minutes or until squash is tender.
While the squash is cooking, prep the filling:
- Cook 1 cup of farro according to the directions.
- Cook sausage in a hot skillet. Once cooked, remove the sausage from the pan and place it in a bowl.
- In the same hot skillet, add olive oil, and cook shallots and garlic until fragrant.
- Mix in sliced mushrooms and cook until golden brown. Season with salt and pepper.
- Mix in crushed tomatoes. Allow simmering for about 10 minutes until sauce is formed. Add in sausage and cooked farrow.
- Remove the sausage mixture and stuff the squash.
- Top with sliced mozzarella and bake until cheese is melted.
- Serve hot.
Makes 2 small squashes (4-halves).
Enjoy my friends!
Xo love kim
