Stuffed Acorn Squash

Stuffed Acorn Squash is a warm and delicious dish that is perfect for the Fall and Winter season. These are stuffed with meat, rice and raisin mixture and cooked in a brine of apples, golden raisins, and dried sour plums, or dried apricots. This enhances the sweetness of the squash and gives the dish a hint of sweet and sour flavors. This dish also requires long cooking time to intensify the flavors. The longer the better. Although this dish might look a bit overwhelming, it’s actually very basic and easy to prepare. These can be cooked in a crockpot or oven.

You can try other squash as well, but I find that the acorn squash works well for this dish because it’s sweet and it holds up well to heat and long cooking time, and it won’t fall apart because of its firm and meaty texture.

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Stuffed Acorn Squash

Prep Time

20 mins

Total Time

20 mins

 

Stuffed acorn squash with meat and rice mixture.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Servings: 8

Author: admin

Ingredients

• 2 medium Acorn Squash

Filling

• 1 lb. or 1 cup beef, diced into small pieces
• 1/4 cup brown or black rice (optional), rinced well *If you can't find, use white rice
• 1/2 cup white rice, rinced well under water *medium grain
• 1/3 cup black raisins *You can also use golden raisins. The black raisins are just sweeter
• 1 teaspoon loose black tea (optional) *Enhances the flavor and makes it more fragrant
• Salt and pepper

Brine

• 3-4 cups water
• 1-2 Granny Smith Apples, quartered
• 1/4 cup golden raisins
• 5-6 dried apricots or sour plums *you can use both
• Salt

Instructions

1. Cut the tops off the acorn squash, remove and discard the seeds with a spoon. Also, cut small portion off the bottom of the squash. This step is important to make the squash sit upright. Set aside.

2. Chop up the meat into small pieces. Rinse the rice under cold water a few times.
   

3. In a bowl combine all the filling ingredients and mix well.
   

4. Fill the acorn squash and placed them in the crock pot.
   

5. Add the brine ingredients around the squash and add water. Make sure the water level reaches half way up the squash. You don't want the water covering the squash.
   

   

6. Set your cockpot for 6 hours on low. If you want to speed it up, set it to 4 hours on high.
   

7. Once ready, remove and enjoy. This dish also reheats well in the oven.