Ring Bros. Marketplace - Stuffed Acorn Squash with Wild Rice, Apples & Fennel

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Recipes

Stuffed Acorn Squash with Wild Rice, Apples & Fennel
Serves 8

1 stick Butter
1 1/2 cups Apple Cider
1 cup Pecans, toasted & chopped
4 small Acorn Squash

Stuffing

1 1/2 Tbsp. Butter
1 cup Onion, minced
8 oz. Fennel, small dice
2 tsp. Anise Seed
1 Granny Smith Apple peeled, small dice
1/4 cup Brandy
3 cups Basmati Rice, cooked
3 cups Wild Rice, cooked
1/2 cup Parsley, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh Sage, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 to 1 cup apple juice
Chopped Toasted Pecans for garnish

Put the butter into a mixing bowl and whisk to cream and soften.

Pour 1 cup of the apple juice/cider into a small saucepan; bring to a boil over high heat. Boil until the juice is reduced to 1/4 cup. Cool slightly, then whisk into the softened butter. Fold in the chopped pecans. Spoon the mixture onto a piece of plastic wrap, form into a log, and wrap well; refrigerate until needed.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Halve the squash lengthwise. Scoop out and discard seeds and strings. Fill each cavity with 1 tablespoon apple juice. Arrange in a single layer in a shallow baking dish, cover with foil, and bake until tender, about 45 minutes to 1 1/4 hours, depending on size and age of squash.

To make the stuffing: Melt 1/2 tablespoon of the butter in a sauté pan. Add the onion and cook until translucent but not brown; remove from pan and set aside. Melt another 1/2 tablespoon of butter in the sauté pan; add the fennel and anise seed; sauté a few minutes until the fennel has softened. Add the fennel mixture to the onions. Melt another 1/2 tablespoon butter in the sauté pan; add the apple and sauté until tender but not mushy. Add the Calvados or brandy, and sauté a few minutes longer. Add to the fennel/onion mixture. Add the basmati rice, wild rice, parsley and sage. Fold in 2 tablespoons of the pecan butter, then season with salt and pepper.

When the squashes are baked, mound equal amounts of the rice mixture in each cavity. Ladle 1 to 2 tablespoons apple juice over each and top with a thin slice of pecan butter. Garnish with chopped toasted pecans. The entire dish may be made a few hours ahead to the point of topping with pecan butter. To reheat, cover and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, or until hot.