Things like tonight’s dinner are the reason I created this blog. I knew I wanted to do acorn squash stuffed with something so I bought them at the beginning of the week. The rest fell into place based on what we had at the end of the week, and if it’s the most delicious thing I’ve ever had I never would have been able to recreate it before I started blogging. The grain/veggie/meat/cheese could all be subbed for whatever you have or prefer and it’ll be delicious. The combo of ground red meat and red quinoa didn’t make for the best photo, but you get the picture (ba-dum-ch).
Ingredients
- 2 acorn squash
- 1 lb ground venison
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups water/broth
- 3 shallots
- 2 small broccoli heads
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 Tbsp thyme
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp allspice
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
- 1 Tbsp chopped fresh sage
- Splash of dry sherry
- Splash of balsamic vinegar
- 4 oz crumbled feta
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400.
- Slice acorn squash in half, remove seeds with a spoon, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast for about 15 minutes. You don’t want them cooked all the way because they’re going back in the oven once they’re stuffed.
- While the squash are roasting cook quinoa according to instructions (1 cup quinoa, 2 cups water or broth or combo. Bring to a boil then simmer about 15 min until all liquid has been absorbed).
- While squash and quinoa are cooking heat some olive oil over medium high heat and sauté the meat.
- When there’s almost no more pink add diced shallots and broccoli.
- Deglaze with sherry if it starts to stick.
- Add spices.
- Finish with a splash of balsamic and turn off heat.
- Toast pine nuts until you can smell them and they’re perfectly golden brown over stove or in toaster oven. (If you can do this without burning them you’re better than my dad, and he’s the best.)
- Combine the meat/veggie mixture, quinoa, pine nuts and dried cranberries.
- Scoop the stuffing into the acorn halves so they are overflowing a bit.
- Top with feta.
- Return to the oven for 10-15 minutes, crank up the heat the last 5 minutes to brown the feta if you’re into that.
NicStan Cooks 