Roasted Stuffed Butternut Squash

If you are like me a butternut squash is one of those food items that does not exactly spring to mind when planning your next meal. It is kind of hard to think of any major dish prepared with it, and besides sweetish taste and smooth texture there is not much else to hang on. Generally, one of those vegetables that you may say, plays a role of a deep background player, or maybe a reserve. In my mind butternut squash is mostly associated with hearty soups or my wife likes occasionally just to cut it up and roast it in chunks. Roasted chunks have a nice, sweet and rich taste but prepared like that fit more role of a snack.

Stuffing and then roasting squash provides it the whole new character. The filling gives it an amazingly rich flavor and this roasted squash works great as a side to roasted chicken or/and arugula salad seasoned with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. It is just amazing!

The dish does not take long to make and is also possible to have it partially prepared a day ahead and then roast it for 20 minutes just before serving. It is ideal if you are hosting a party or like to prepare your weekly meals over the weekend. Very interesting recipe and what is even better a dish with a deeply satisfying taste!

The recipe has been adapted from Chef Greg Easter’s book and channel “Cooking in Russia” .

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Roasted Stuffed Butternut Squash

Roasted Stuffed Butternut Squash, holiday ideal side dish recipe!

Course

Side Dish

Keyword

butternut squash

Prep Time

15 min

Cook Time

76 min

Passive Time

1 hour

Servings

servings

Ingredients

• 1 Butternut Squash medium size
• 120 g onion chopped
• 60 g smoked bacon cut in strips
• 60 g dates pitted
• 30 ml Mosto Cotto or Balsamic Vinegar
• 3/4 tsp dry thyme
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tbsp dried bread crumbs
• 30 g chopped walnuts roasted
• 1/2 tsp black pepper cracked
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme or substitute with cillantro
• 3/4 tsp fine sea salt
• coarse sea salt for roasting pan
• vegetable oil for coating

Course Side Dish Keyword butternut squash Prep Time 15 min Cook Time 76 min Passive Time 1 hour Servings servings Ingredients 1 Butternut Squash medium size 120 g onion chopped 60 g smoked bacon cut in strips 60 g dates pitted 30 ml Mosto Cotto or Balsamic Vinegar 3/4 tsp dry thyme 1 egg yolk 1 tbsp dried bread crumbs 30 g chopped walnuts roasted 1/2 tsp black pepper cracked 1 tbsp fresh thyme or substitute with cillantro 3/4 tsp fine sea salt coarse sea salt for roasting pan vegetable oil for coating

Instructions

Roasting Squash

1. Trim stem end of squash, slice in half, lengthwise. Remove seeds and stringy mass around the seeds.

   
2. Coat each piece with vegetable oil, sprinkle some coarse salt on a baking pan. Place squash pieces cut-side down, on a baking pan.

   
3. Roast at 190ºC (390ºF) in preheated oven, rack in the middle, with fan turned on, for 40-45 minutes.
4. Remove from the oven, let it completely cool off. Gently move each piece to prevent it from sticking to the pan as it cools off.

Stuffing

1. Add dates and Mosto Cotto to a small glass bowl, cover with plastic film, microwave for about a minute. Set aside, let the dates steep in the juices, using knife poke a little vent hole in a plastic film.
2. In a medium size saucepan, over medium heat (6 out of 10) cook the bacon for about 5 minutes, stir occasionally.

   
3. Add cut onions and salt, cook another 5 minutes, stir occasionally.

   
4. Stir in dates, Mosto Cotto and dry thyme. Remove from heat and let cool off while preparing the rest of stuffing.

   
5. Remove last remaining stringy bits from the squash cavity. Using a spoon gently scrape off soft squash, expanding a cavity to about 50% of the surface area. Be careful not to dig to deep or close to the edge and make a hole.
6. Add scraped squash bits to food processor together with date mixture, egg yolk and bread crumbs. Pulse and grind to small pieces but not paste. Taste for saltines and adjust accordingly, add cracked pepper.
7. Spoon the stuffing into the each cavity. Refrigerate if you plan to serve at the later time or proceed with the next step if you want to serve it today.

   

Final Roasting

1. Place squash in a baking pan, stuffed side facing up. Roast at 200ºC (390ºF) in preheated oven, rack in the middle, for 20 minutes.
2. Roast the walnuts in a medium size frying pan, over medium heat (5 out of 10), stir frequently to make sure they don't burn.

   
3. Take the squash out of oven, let cool slightly.
4. Coarsely chop roasted walnuts together with fresh thyme, sprinkle over squash, press gently to have pieces imbedded. Let cool another 5-10 minutes.

   
5. Cut each squash piece in half, lengthwise, making 1/4 squash wedges, serve warm.

   

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