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.