Stuffed Acorn Squash

Ingredients

• 3-4 acorn squash, cut in half and seeded
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for topping the squash
• 2 Italian sausage links (about 1/2 pound)
• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped (about a heaping 1/2 cup)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 heaping cup chopped mushrooms
• 3 handfuls of kale leaves, coarsely chopped
• sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper
• a few tablespoons of fresh herbs like thyme and oregano and parsley, plus more for topping
• 1-2 cups torn stale bread pieces
• 1/2 – 3/4 cup chicken stock
• 1 cup grated gruyere cheese

Instructions

1. 1

   Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. 2

   In a large saute pan over medium heat, warm oil. Add the uncased sausage and cook, breaking up with the back of a spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes . The sausage doesn’t have to be cooked through completely.

3. 3

   Add the onions and garlic and cook until the onions become translucent and the garlic fragrant, about 4 minutes.

4. 4

   Add the mushrooms and cook until some of the water begins to escape and the mushrooms begin to brown, about 4 minutes.

5. 5

   Add the kale and stir until just wilted. Season generously with salt and pepper.

6. 6

   Stir in the bread chunks.

7. 7

   Stir in the chicken stock, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Stir in the cheese and herbs.

8. 8

   Place acorns cut side up on a rimmed baking sheet. Stuff each acorn with filling. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover the tray with foil and place in the oven.

9. 9

   Bake for 25 minutes. Reduce temperature to 375 degrees F, remove foil an bake for 10-15 more minutes. Test doneness of squash with a sharp knife. You’ll want to knife to meet to resistance – that’s cooked through.

10. 10

    Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes before serving. Leftovers can be wrapped in foil and refrigerated. Reheat in a low oven for 15 minutes.