Chef notes
This recipe is really versatile because you can make it for meat lovers or vegans alike (all at the same time). Feel free to stuff half the squash with chorizo and the other half with vegan sausage to please all your family members or guests!
Technique tip: All ovens are different, so make sure your acorn squash is fully tender before you determine it is done roasting. Roasting time will vary based on size of the squash.
Swap option: Feel free to swap the chorizo sausage for chicken/turkey sausage or a vegan option. Chicken stock can be swapped for vegetable stock. You can also swap the acorn squash for delicata squash if desired or if you have any difficulty finding acorn squash.
Ingredients
- 1 acorn squash
- grapeseed oil
- salt, to taste
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 quart chicken stock, divided
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1 cup wild rice
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 links chorizo sausage, sliced into rounds
- 2 honeycrisp apples, peeled, cored and diced
- 1/2 lemon
- 2 teaspoons cardamom
- grated Parmesan cheese
Preparation
1.Preheat oven to 350 F.
2.Cut the top part off the acorn squash enough to scrape out all of the seeds. Once seeds are fully scraped out, cut your squash in half, lengthwise. Drizzle grapeseed oil, covering all surfaces of the squash. Season with salt and add 2 sprigs of thyme in the hollow area of the squash, then drizzle with honey.
3.Wrap each half fully in foil and let roast for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, open the foil face-side up.
4.While your squash is roasting, add quinoa and 2 cups of stock to a medium saucepan. Season with 1 tablespoon of salt. Once the liquid comes to a boil, turn heat to medium and let cook for 12-18 minutes, then reduce the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer. Simmer uncovered until all of the stock is absorbed. Turn off your heat, then fluff quinoa with a fork.
5.In a second medium pot, sweat shallots in grapeseed oil for 5 minutes. Place the wild rice and remaining 2 cups of stock in the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 25-30 minutes. Turn off your heat then fluff rice up with a fork.
6.Meanwhile, return your attention to the roasting acorn squash. Turn the oven heat up to 425 F. Divide the butter into each half of the squash and let them roast for an additional 10 minutes. Take squash out of the oven and let them cool down.
7.Place the chorizo in a large pot over medium heat. Let it render for approximately 8 minutes. Proceed by adding diced apples; let them cook down for 5 minutes, or until tender. Next, add black rice and quinoa to the pot. Mix it all together, squeeze half a lemon in your pot and season with the cardamom and salt, to taste.
8.Scoop the chorizo and grain salad to the squash halves. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and salt to taste.
