The combination of squash and roasted poblano chiles is so darn good. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself scraping the last little bits of squash out of the shell…
Stuffed Acorn Squash
Ingredients
- 2 medium acorn squash
- 1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
- 2 small poblano chiles (or 1 large) (use Anaheim chiles for less heat)
- 1 small zucchini
- 1 small white onion
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- 3/4 cup crumbled Cajeta or feta cheese (or tofu feta)
- 2 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 tsp. cumin
- 1/2 tsp. chili powder
- 4 Tbsp. brown sugar
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
Instructions
ROAST THE CHILES:
- Place a rack in the highest position in the oven and pre-heat the broiler. Lightly brush the poblano chiles with olive oil, and place them on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Roast them until the skins bubble and turn brown.
- Turn the chiles to get all sides. Remove the chiles from the oven and put them in a paper bag to cool. When chiles are cool, remove from the bag. With a sharp paring knife, gently scratch away the skin. Or you can peel the chiles with your hands, but wear gloves if your skin is sensitive or if you need to remove contact lenses later! Cut the cleaned chiles in half lengthwise and discard the seeds and stems. Set chiles aside.
ROAST THE SQUASH:
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut each squash in half lengthwise, lightly brush with olive oil and season with salt. Place the squash open side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast bake for approximately 45 minutes until flesh is soft. Set aside.
MAKE THE RICE STUFFING:
- Cut the roasted chiles, onions and zucchini into medium dice. Heat a small amount of olive oil in a medium sauce pan, and saute the chiles, onions, zucchini, oregano, cumin, and chili powder until the onions are soft and the zucchini is slightly browned. Add the raisins, brown rice, and about 1/4 cup of water and stir to heat thoroughly. When the mixture is hot and the water has absorbed, remove from heat and stir in the Cajeta cheese.
FILL THE SQUASH:
- Place the squash halves in a baking pan and spread 1 Tbsp. brown sugar inside each, then evenly distribute the rice filling between the four halves. Bake, covered with foil, at 350 degrees for 15 minutes until everything is hot and cheese is slightly melted. Serve immediately!
