Fall-Filled Acorn Squash
Serves 2-4
Adapted from Splendid Table
2 acorn squash (can also use delicata or carnival squash), cut in half through the stem and seeded (be careful when cutting through the squash as the outer skin may be tough)
2+ teaspoons olive oil, plus more
Salt
6-8 ounce chorizo, skin removed
1 small leek, halved and thinly sliced (removing leafy end, base, and tough, outer layers)
1-2 apples, peeled and chopped into bite-sized pieces
Pepper
2-3 cups, sliced tender greens (I used kale and spinach, but Swiss chard and tatsoi are also good choices)
4 fresh sage leaves, coarsely chopped
2 cups cooked rice
½ cup grated cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 375 °F. Rub olive oil over the flesh pf all four halves of the squash. Oil a baking sheet and sprinkle ½ teaspoons of salt over the sheet. Lay the squash flesh side down and bake until it is very tender when pricked with a fork. How tender you want is up to you, but at a minimum, bake for 40 minutes.
Remove the squash from the oven and turn up the temperature of the oven to 425°F.
While the squash is baking, heat a skillet over medium heat. As it is heating up, add 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Once hot, add the chorizo and, using a wooden spoon, break it up into bite-sized pieces. Fry until brown and cooked through. Remove the cooked chorizo from the pan and set aside.
Add the leeks to the skillet and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the apple, and a pinch of salt and pepper, and cook for an additional minute. Add the tender greens, sage, cooked rice, and cooked chorizo back to the skillet. Mix and incorporate everything together well and cook for an additional minute. Taste and season with salt and pepper, as needed. Remove the skillet from the heat.
Once the squash is done, keep them on the baking sheet and flip them over. Scoop the chorizo and rice filling into the cavity of each squash half. Feel free to pile it on as the filling will settle a bit as it bakes. Sprinkle with cheese and bake until the cheese melts, about 10 minutes.
Once you’re ready to eat, this dish is best eaten using a spoon and a fork.
Enjoy!
