Stuffed Baked Acorn Squash

Ingredients:

• 1 medium acorn squash
• 4 Tbsp butter or ghee (or olive oil for vegan option)
• 2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp chili flakes
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 1 medium size carrot, peeled and chopped into small pieces
• 3-4 medium sunchokes (also known as Jerusalem artichokes), peeled and chopped into small pieces (substitute with white potato if sunchokes not found)
• 1/2 cup cooked brown rice
• salt to taste, paprika for garnish

Method:

• Split the acorn squash in to 2 using a sturdy chef knife and remove the seeds
• Place cut side down in a baking dish and add a quarter of an inch of water to the baking dish
• Bake at 400F for 30 mins. After 30 mins, check if a knife goes through smoothly. If not bake for a bit longer.
• Let cool, then scoop the flesh out of the squash halves with a spoon, and chop roughly. Place the shells back in the baking dish after emptying any remaining water
• Heat the ghee (or olive oil) in a pan. (Note: If using butter, heat the butter on low heat until it becomes clear and starts to brown a bit. You have ghee now, and the whole room will start to smell divine.) Save about a tablespoon of the ghee for topping the final dish.
• Add the thyme, chili flakes and black pepper and let the flavors release in to the ghee at low heat for 3 mins
• Add the carrots and sunchokes and close the lid. Cook for around 5 mins on low heat. There will be a bit of crunch left in the vegetables
• Add the cooked rice and squash to the pan
• Add salt to taste, mix and heat through
• Scoop the brown rice-vegetable mixture back in to the two squash shells
• Add a drop of ghee on top and sprinkle with paprika
• Broil at high heat for 5 mins just before serving

The sweetness of the acorn squash flesh makes the dish a bit sweet. Add more chili flakes or black pepper if you prefer it on the spicy side. Also add celery, onion and bell pepper as a variation to the filling.