Roasted Acorn Squash stuffed with Peppers, Mushrooms & Cheese

Roasted Acorn Squash stuffed with Peppers, Mushrooms & Cheese

Serves: 4

Roasted Acorn Squash stuffed with Peppers, Mushrooms & Cheese

I was lucky this week with my Farmer’s Market Bag from Specialty Produce. The most beautiful acorn squash greeted me. They are gorgeous but oh so challenging to serve. I mean those little curvy corners really making it challenging for me to remove all the squash – impossible to peel and difficult to scrape out when cooked. I thought of two possible solutions – one was to let my guests scoop out the cooked squash or cut fat rings horizontally and put a dollop of something in the middle. For this recipe, I chose door number 1 – my guests would do the scooping.

My wonderful daughter is flying home for Thanksgiving. Yippee! She is a vegetarian – but a meal with turkey as the centerpiece is hardly her favorite. She has never complained about eating around the main course with vegetables nearby but it sure does not seem fair. A beautiful acorn squash filled with yummy fall vegetables would be an elegant entrée. My carnivore husband suggested adding sausage…another time perhaps. 

Acorn Squash is a winter squash with distinctive longitudinal ridges and sweet yellow-orange flesh. It is usually green in color, often with a splotch of orange on the side or top. As the name suggests, its shape resembles that of an acorn. It is good and hardy to save through the winter in storage for several months in a cool dry location, but only about two weeks in the refrigerator. Ideally, only cut or cooked acorn squash should be refrigerated. They will suffer chill damage at temperatures below 50 degrees F. Dry hot air will cause loss of moisture, resulting in a shorter shelf life. Squash with a bit of the stem still intact will help slow down moisture loss. Plan on using acorn squash within 2-4 weeks of purchase, since you never know how long it has already been in storage and under what conditions.

The most important ingredient

• 2 Acorn squash
• 2 Tb olive oil
• 2 Tb unsalted butter
• 2 C green cabbage (core removed before slicing)
• 1 C ¼-inch-sliced sweet onion
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced in ¼ inch julienne
• 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced in ¼ inch julienne
• Kosher salt and pepper
• 2 C cremini mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 ounces crumbled goat cheese
• 2 Tb chopped fresh parsley for garnish, optional 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Trim the tops and bottoms of 2 acorn squash just so they will sit level. Cut them in half horizontally so the cut-ends will keep the pieces flat. Clean the inside of the squash. I find it easiest to do this with a grapefruit spoon. Using your fingers under running water, with drain plugged, separate the seeds from membranes and rinse well. Dry the seeds with a paper towel and set aside.

Cut acorn squash with seeds scooped out

Place the squash cut-side up on a baking sheet, drizzle with 2 Tb olive oil and sprinkle with 1 tsp kosher salt and some freshly ground pepper. Place the dried seeds on a separate baking sheet or foil. Roast the squash 30 minutes. Roast the seeds at the same time, checking and moving them around after 10 minutes and again after 15 minutes. Depending on the size of the seeds, they may be done after 15 minutes, or up to 20 minutes. Sprinkle the seeds, while warm, with 1 tsp kosher salt, and set aside. Cook the squash an additional 15 – 30 minutes until done.  Test by inserting a fork into flesh to see if it is soft. Total cooking time pending the size of your squash could be 30-60 minutes.

Baked squash

....and baked squash seeds

For the filling, put a large sauté pan over high heat and add 2 Tb butter. When melted, add 1 C sliced onions, both sliced peppers, sprinkle with salt and pepper and gently toss to combine. Add sliced 2 C cabbage – mix and sauté 5 minutes, allowing cabbage to wilt down. Add 2 C quartered cremini mushrooms and cook 4 minutes. Add the minced 3 cloves of garlic and toss to combine. Sauté 3-4 minutes longer, and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

The stuffing (editorial from publisher: maybe add a little sausage?)   :-)

Preheat broiler to low. Fill the roasted acorn squash halves with the warm filing. Sprinkle the 6 ounces crumbled goat cheese over the top, then top with roasted squash seeds. Broil just until the cheese is warm. Garnish with chopped parsley.

It is a beautiful, healthy and very tasty vegetarian entrée worthy of any holiday meal! It would be wonderful served with a buttery Chardonnay, a dry Gewürztraminer or off-dry Riesling or Voignier. If you do take my husband’s suggestion of adding sausage to the filling – cook it first, add it to the mix and finish as before. 

Last year I shared two recipes of "what to do with leftover turkey" - and shared a wonderful Turkey Soup and Turkey Chili recipes. (Nov. 18, 2011 posting) This year, I thought two fall vegetarian options for a Thanksgiving entree might be appreciated. Look for Kabocha Squash with Sunchokes, Mushrooms & Cheese next week!

Bon Appetit!

Larue

Shrimp Jalapeno Poppers

Shrimp Jalapeno Poppers

Serves: 8

Shrimp jalapeno poppers

This is another great appetizer.  It is surprisingly good – disappears quickly in my house and assuredly will in yours. I have two jalapeno plants in my garden this summer.  My mistake. I had no idea how very productive they were and needed to figure out some additional recipes featuring these relatively mild peppers. Removing the seeds and ribs not only makes room for the stuffing but also greatly decreased the heat.

A mature jalapeño fruit is 2–3½ inches long and is commonly picked and consumed while still green, but occasionally it is allowed to fully ripen and turn crimson red. Good-quality Jalapeno peppers should be firm, smooth-skinned and have solid green coloring. Dry lines are not a blemish. They are signs of a mature pepper and indicate hotness. 

Jalapenos in my garden. Ready to harvest!

Jalapenos

Avoid product that is soft, bruised, has wrinkled skin or spots of mold. It is considered a moderately hot chili. However, chili peppers are an amazingly complex product. The region, climate, growing conditions, time of harvest all has an impact on the heat. The only real test is to taste one.

• 15 jalapeno chilis
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 8 oz Gouda cheese, grated
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 C cooked bay shrimp

Wearing gloves, halve the 15 jalapeno chilies lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and ribs with a spoon. Set them aside. 

Scrape out the seeds. Do NOT rub your eyes afterwards.

Toast ½ tsp cumin seeds in a small frying pan over medium heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. 

Toasting cumin seeds

Transfer the toasted seeds to a food processor, add 8 oz softened cream cheese and 8 oz shredded Gouda cheese, and whirl to blend. Put cheese mixture into a bowl and stir in 3 thinly sliced green onions and 1 C cooked bay shrimp. If your jalapeno chilies are small, you might want to cut the shrimp in half horizontally so filling will more easily fit.

Bay shrimp

Spoon the cheese filling into chilies. You can bake this in the oven or heat on your grill.  If baking, line a baking sheet with foil, place each stuffed chili on the foil.  

Shrimp and cheese filling

Ready to cook

Once done, place in a 350 degree F oven. Cook until chilies are tender and cheese is melted and starting to brown, about 15 minutes. Alternatively, preheat your grill to medium (350 – 425 degree F).  Once heated, lay a sheet of greased foil on cooking grate. Set chilies, filling side up, on greased foil, cover the grill and cook until tender and cheese melted, about 15 minutes.

Let stuffed chilies cool slightly before serving. You and your guests will be surprised by how really good these are. Serve with beer, Sauvignon Blanc or a Pinot Gris and enjoy.

Bon Appetit!

Larue

Curried Chickpea, Lentil and Swiss Chard Stew

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Curried Chickpea, Lentil and Swiss Chard Stew

Soupe de Pois Chickes, Lentilles et Blettes

Serves: 8

Curried Chickpea, Lentil & Swiss Chard Stew

My Farmer’s Market Bag this week a beautiful bunch of Rainbow Swiss Chard. I needed to either admire it in a vase or eat it. Yes, it was that gorgeous. As soon as the weather turns a bit cool, I get into soup mode big-time. I love to make enough so we have leftovers for lunch or in the freezer for days when I do not have time to cook. This recipe is completely vegetarian – it is thick, healthy and tasty. You could add cut up sausages if you had an avowed meat-eater in the family. But, really, this is so tasty and filling, it really needs nothing but some bread and wine! 

In France, there are all matter of grains, rice and dried beans. Each package is usually labeled with year of harvest and a “use by” date, ensuring the freshest product for use. It appears to be a less prevalent practice in the US. When shopping for any dried grains, rice or beans, always go to a store that has good turnover and hope you get the freshest of the fresh. The rule is simple: the older the grains, rice, or beans, the longer they will take to cook and the duller the flavor.

This dish, more of a thick stew than a soup, bursts with fresh, spicy flavors and combines some of my favorite ingredients: chickpeas, chard and lentils. Swiss Chard is usually associated with cuisines from the Mediterranean. While the leaves are always green, chard stalks vary in color. It has been bred to have highly nutritious leaves at the expense of the root. It is a nutritional powerhouse, a superb source of calcium and potassium, vitamin C, vitamin A and beta-carotene, as well as two carotenoids.  Chard is, in fact, considered to be one of the healthiest vegetables around and ranks first, tied with spinach, in total nutrient-richness.  If unavailable in your market, spinach would be a substitute – though the bite and taste would be a bit different.

Gorgeous rainbow Swiss Chard

Lentils, like other legumes, are low in fat and high in protein and fiber, but they have the added advantage of cooking quickly. They have a mild, often earthy flavor.  The best, most delicate lentils are the peppery French green lentils. These hold their shape well as you will witness in this stew.

Lentils

 Chickpeas, also called garbanzo beans (in Spanish cooking) or ceci beans (in Italian cooking), are another legume – rich in protein and fiber.  Actually a hefty portion is an insoluble fiber felt to be quite beneficial to colon health.  It is the main ingredient in hummus.

• 1½ C dried French lentils, preferably lentilles du Puy, rinsed and drained.
• 2 Tb olive oil
• 4 sprigs of Parsley
• 4 sprigs of Thyme
• Celery leaves
• 1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
• Sea salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 2 Qts Vegetable or Chicken stock
• 2 tsp curry powder – prefer Madras
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 large bunch of Swiss chard, leaves only, coarsely chopped (about 12 cups)
• 2 C canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 C Greek-style plain yogurt for garnish
• 2 tsp toasted cumin seeds for garnish

Place 1½ C dried French green lentils in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse thoroughly under cold water. Set aside.

Encase the 4 sprigs of parsley, thyme and celery leaves in a wire mesh tea infuser or wrapped in tightly in cheesecloth to create a bouquet garni. In a large stockpot, combine 2 Tb olive oil, your bouquet garni, 1 thinly sliced halved onion, and 1 tsp sea salt. Sweat, cooking over a low heat, until soft but not browned, for about 3 minutes. Add 2 qts stock and bring to a simmer over moderate heat. Add the lentils from the sieve, 2 tsp curry powder, and ½ tsp cayenne powder and stir. Simmer, covered, until lentils are tender, about 20 minutes. Add 12 C chard leaves and 2 C chickpeas and cook until the leaves are wilted, about 5 minutes more. Remove the bouquet garni and toss. Taste for seasoning.

Cut Swiss Chard

 While the stew is cooking, toast 2 tsp whole cumin by placing them in a dry frying pan over moderate heat. Shake the pan regularly until the cumin seeds are fragrant and evenly toasted, about 2 minutes. Watch carefully as they easily burn. Set aside to cool.

Toasted Cumin

When ready to serve, divide the stew among warmed bowls. Garnish with a spoonful of plain Greek yogurt and a sprinkling of toasted cumin.  You and your family will not only love this stew – rich spicy flavor with crunch of chard and cool yogurt topping – but they will also love the healthy benefits you are providing - perhaps.

Wine pairing is fun with this meal. The cayenne pepper definitely gives it some spice – which I love – if you are in the mood for a white wine – try a Gewürztraminer or Riesling. A wonderful California Zinfandel or Syrah would also pair beautifully.  And, of course, beer – a cold Pilsner – would be great.

Bon Healthy Appetit!

Larue