Exquisite Sides: Stuffed Acorn Squash

We have been collecting recipes for autumn harvest dinners and the up-coming holidays. We were delighted to receive this beauty from South Fork & Spoon and Ango. Enjoy!

STUFFED ACORN SQUASH BY SOUTH FORK & SPOON + ANGO

Ingredients

4 Acorn Squash, 1-2 pounds each, halved lengthwise and seeds removed
5 teaspoons salt, or more-to taste
2 teaspoons, Ground Black Pepper
2 cups wild rice
3 ounces Grapeseed oil
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 cups thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms (stems removed)
4 cups cleaned and rough chopped kale
2 Tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
2 Tablespoons chiffonade (cut like ribbons) mint leaves

Equipment Needed

Medium sized pot
Fine meshed strainer
Baking sheet
Pepper mill
Sauté pan
Spatula
Large Bowl

Method ~ Oven 475 degrees

In fine meshed strainer, place rice and run under cold water until clean.
In medium sized pot, add rice + 2 t of salt + 4 cups of cold water. Cover the pot with a lid and bring to a boil on high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat until rice is simmering. Simmer for 30-45 minutes or until the rice has absorbed the water and is cooked. Note: rice can be cooked up to two days in advance
On baking sheet, place squash flesh side up and rub with 1 ounce grapeseed oil + 2 t of salt + fresh ground pepper. Place in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until tender. Use a fork to test for tenderness.
In a separate sauté pan heat 1 oz grapeseed oil on medium-high heat. Add shiitake mushrooms + garlic + 1/2 t of salt and sauté until mushrooms are cooked but not browned. Remove from heat and place in large bowl.
In the same sauté pan used for the mushrooms, heat 1 oz of grapeseed oil on medium-high heat. Add kale + 1/2 t of salt and cook quickly using tongs or a spatula. Keep the kale moving so it doesn’t brown. Once wilted, remove and place in bowl with shiitake mushrooms.
In bowl, add cooked wild rice + sesame seeds and mix together.
Taste rice mixture and season accordingly
Fill the cooked squash halves with the rice mixture. Garnish with mint.

Suggested Wine Pairing: Tranche Cellars 2009 Slice of Pape ~ An alluring nose of briar berry, plum and cassis with underlying notes of clove, leather and tobacco leaf. This wine is textured and weighty on the palate while retaining a purity of fruit. Flavors of plum, black olive and wild fig combine with elements of tar and reduction, while soft lacy tannins flesh out the palate to a smooth, well-rounded finish. Follow this link for additional information

Appellation: Columbia Valley
Varietals: Grenache, Syrah, Mouvedre, Cinsault

If you’re located out East in the Hamptons, South Fork & Spoon has partnered with ANGO to make this Thanksgiving as seamless as ever – providing a meal that’s local, organic, and delivered right to your front door (in casserole dishes, never aluminum!). South Fork & Spoon will set the table, place flowers around the home, select the wine & alcohol, and drop off an incredible farm-to–fork menu created by Ango. Lexi Stolz, founder of South Fork & Spoon, takes all of the stress and planning out of Thanksgiving, so families and friends can enjoy each other without any distractions. More information here