Sausage and Apple Stuffed Kabocha Squash
I have noticed a lot of these sausage stuffed squash recipes floating around lately. I decided to take my favorite aspects of several different recipes and combine them for the ultimate number one super stuffed squash recipe go! It’s a bit like a tsunami of some of my favorite ingredients. You will find that most stuffed squash recipe’s call for you to use acorn squash or butternut squash, I however preferred to use Kabocha squash. It is a wonderful and extremely under appreciated gourd. Perhaps it is because of its Japanese origin and the fact I love most things Japanese that I am partial to this winter squash. Or maybe its because they taste great and are easy to work with. Whatever it may be, it is the perfect compliment to this sausage and apple stuffing. You are sure to impress your family or even the local shogun with its beautiful presentation. Super easy to make, there won’t be any worry of meditating under a waterfall in the dead of winter for three days to accomplish this recipe!
If you are unfamiliar with a Kabocha squash, this is what it looks like.
After the squash is finished baking.
Ooooo, that stuffing looks SO good!
Recipe
Ingredients: Serves 4
2 small Kabocha squashes OR 1 medium squash (if you can’t find Kabocha, acorn squash will suffice)
1 Tbs. butter, melted
1/2 tsp. ground sage
2 sausage links, casings removed (be as adventurous as you like with the flavor sausage you choose)
olive oil
3/4 cup white onion, chopped
1 1/2 green apples, cored and chopped
1 cup chopped baby bella mushrooms
6 cloves of garlic, minced (4 for the stuffing, 2 for baking the squash)
2 slices day old bread, chopped (or if you forget like I did, you can toast 2 slices until dark brown, not burned)
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated finely
1/4 cup white wine (I used chardonnay)
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Cut squash in half through the stem, or lengthwise (this takes a bit of strength). Combine melted butter, ground sage and 2 gloves of minced garlic. Brush the inside and out side of the squash liberally. I dumped the remaining melted butter mixture into the inside of the squash halves (who doesn’t love a little more butter and garlic?)
Place on a baking sheet, cut sides up for about 60 minutes or until tender by fork.
Heat a large pan over medium heat. Add a little bit of olive oil to prevent sticking. Crumble sausage into bite size pieces after removing from casing and put them into the pan. Heat until the sausages are brown and cooked through. Remove from the pan and reserve for later.
Still on medium heat add the onion to the pan and cook until soft, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the apples and mushrooms to the pan and cook about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Return the sausage to the pan with the apple mixture. Salt and pepper to taste. Add the white wine to the pan with all the ingredients. Reduce down by half. Remove from heat and stir in the day old bread pieces, the parmesan and the egg.
Fill the squash halves with the stuffing and return to the oven for 20 minutes at 375 degrees F.
Garnish with fresh sage.
Note: If you are serving 4 people with one medium Kabocha, you will need to quarter the squash with the stuffing after removing from the oven.
This is the perfect autumn/winter dish and it brought a big smile to my wife’s face!
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