I’m back and trying to adjust to the 100 degree difference from the paradise I just left to the reality of where I live. Do you ever come back from vacation and scheme what you would have to do in order to live permanently in the exotic locale you just visited? Make a list of pros (perfect weather, powder beaches, work while overlooking crashing waves and shimmering water) and cons (unreliable internet, far from family, limited fresh green vegetables, biting insects the size of your head). I do this little exercise every year but eventually conclude that I’m happy where I am and happy to be able to get away occasionally.
Flipping through the photos and recalling the fun of the daily excursions helps extend the life of the trip a bit, as does remembering some of the fantastic food passionately consumed. I can’t believe I didn’t have my cell phone or camera to take a snapshot of a truly remarkable appetizer we had at an incredible French restaurant one night.
It was called Stuffed Local Squash and all of us agreed it was the star of the meal (next to the Curried Goat, per the carnivores). We couldn’t identify what type of squash it was and the waiter couldn’t give us a U.S. equivalent. However, he said it was simply baked squash, spices and bread. As a French dish, I’m willing to bet it also had a healthy dose of butter and cream. The taste was sweet and delicate and the texture quite light. My dinner companions gave me marching orders to re-create the dish as soon as I got home and post it on the blog, so here it is.
The only choices for squash this time of year in the Midwest are acorn and butternut, so I bought both to try. The acorn squash were small, the skins of which would make good serving-size containers. But the discrepancy in the size of the two types of squash also made for vastly different cooking times. I decided to make different batches to see which came closest to the restaurant dish.
The biggest challenge to making this recipe (besides the type of squash) is my lack of easy access to the perfect French baguette from which to make bread crumbs. Rather than use a second-rate substitute, I decided to go without. The difference is that the bread crumbs make the stuffing light and fluffy, while my version is quite heavy – not necessarily a bad thing when the wind chills are below freezing! (Since I did not make a version with any type of bread crumbs, I can’t advise how much should be used, whether their use requires additional wet ingredients, or whether the cooking time is affected. I guess I’ll have to wait for the summer farmers’ market to find the right squash, artisanal bread, and try this recipe again!)
I made the stuffed acorn squash with shallots sautéed in butter, and added coconut milk – not only because the coconut gives it that hint of island flavor, but also because we don’t have dairy in the house. Feel free to substitute dairy cream if you prefer. I left the shallots and butter out of the butternut squash, using only the coconut milk and a dash of salt. I decided that the flavor of the butternut squash was closest to that of the island squash, but that the shallots sautéed in butter used in the acorn alternative added a subtle layer of flavor that is very close to the restaurant’s version. This recipe can be scaled easily depending on how many people you want to serve. For every 2 cups of cooked squash, use 1/3 cup chopped shallots and 1/3 cup coconut milk.
Ingredients (makes 2 very generous servings)
2 medium butternut squash – baked (makes approximately 2 cups cooked)
1/3 cup chopped shallots
1/3 cup canned coconut milk (or dairy cream)
2 tbsp. butter
pinch of salt
Directions
- Preheat oven to 425.
- Cut squash in half lengthwise and place on a baking sheet lined with foil. Bake for 45 – 55 minutes until fork tender.
- Ten minutes before squash is finished cooking, chop shallots and sauté in butter over low heat until completely cooked. Make sure neither burn.
- Scoop out flesh of all 4 halves of squash, being careful not to puncture the skin of at least 2 halves (to use as serving dishes).
- Place 2 cups of cooked squash in food processor with sautéed shallots and coconut milk. Pulse until almost smooth, but not pureed.
- Salt to taste, if desired.
- Fill 2 hollowed out squash skins with stuffing mixture. Spray with light coat of coconut oil cooking spray (or brush lightly with melted butter). Return to oven on baking sheet and cook for 5 more minutes. Keep hot until ready to serve.
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