The season of fall has so much to offer in terms of harvest and seasonal produce. Squash and other gourds have a soft spot in my heart during this time of year. Super versatile, they can be roasted, mashed or puréed into a soups and sauces. In this acorn squash recipe, the squash is halved, roasted and filled with a hearty plant based pilaf. The spiced barley, sweet apple and crunchy walnut create a harmony of flavours and textures that you are going to love. Serve individually with the pilaf spooned into the squash bowls or easily adapt this to serve family style by scooping the squash out of the shells and plating it alongside the pilaf.
Yields 4 servings
Ingredients:
- Acorn squash, 2 medium, halved with seeds removed
- Olive oil, 1 tbsp.
- Brown sugar, 2 + 1 tbsp.
- Ground cinnamon, 1 tsp.
- Ground allspice, ½ tsp.
- Thyme, ½ tsp.
- Barley, 1 cup
- Apple, 2 cups, peeled and diced
- Walnuts, 1 cup, crushed pieces
- Maple syrup, 2tbsp.
What you’ll need:
- Knife and cutting board
- Veg peeler
- Baking tray
- Parchment paper
- Tongs
- Spatula
- Wooden or s/s spoon
- Small pot
What to do:
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Cut acorn squash in half lengthwise, scrape out the seeds. Whisk 1 tbsp. of oil with 2 tbsp. of brown sugar and drizzle of squash then rub. Season with salt and pepper and lay them face down on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Roast in 400°F oven for 30-40 minutes.
While squash is roasting, rinse barley then combine with 2 cups of salted water in a small pot. Add remaining brown sugar, allspice, cinnamon and thyme. Bring to a boil then lower to simmer for 15 minutes.
In the meantime, peel and dice the apples and crush the walnuts. At 15 minute mark of your barley cooking, add in the apples, walnuts and maple syrup and continue to simmer for 10-15 minutes longer. Adjust seasoning as needed.
Spoon heaping amount of apple and barley mixture into acorn centers. Warm together for 5 minutes in the oven and serve.