by Sheila Connolly
Halloween is
behind us, and the Thanksgiving holiday looms. I live only a few miles from
Plymouth, so I can’t escape it. Whatever piffle we were handed in elementary
school about the happy Native Americans bringing bounteous dishes to the hungry
Pilgrims has been toned down to a more realistic story; most likely the
colonists and the Wampanoags (the local Indians, who are still around and
trying to open casinos) shared whatever they had, and that probably included
squash.
Of that first meal Yankee Magazine tells
us: “…venison was a major ingredient, as well as fowl, but that likely included
pheasants, geese, and duck. Turkeys are a possibility, but were not a common
food in that time. Pilgrims grew onions and herbs. Cranberries and currants
would have been growing wild in the area, and watercress may have still been
available if the hard frosts had held off, but there’s no record of them having
been served. In fact, the meal was probably quite meat-heavy. Likewise, walnuts,
chestnuts, and beechnuts were abundant, as were sunchokes. Shellfish were
common, so they probably played a part, as did beans, pumpkins, squashes,
and corn (served in the form of bread or porridge), thanks to the
Wampanoags.”
There’s that squash. The problem is, I
really don’t like squash.
My mother used to serve acorn squash, using
a very simple recipe: slice in half, scoop out seeds, fill the center with
brown sugar and lots of butter, bake. In my mother’s defense, Paula Deen and
Martha Stewart are still pushing the same recipe. I couldn’t stand it. I admit
that makes no sense, because I love all things sweet—except vegetables and
starches. But my blacklist includes: sweet potatoes, yams, beets, and baked
beans. Most of them make me gag.
But I am a foodie! And most fresh
vegetables are now being shipped from Guatemala or Mexico, so mainly it’s
squash that is available locally. And the little ones are kinda cute (like
kittens and puppies, right?). So I was determined to find a recipe for baby acorn
squashes that didn’t involve brown sugar, that I might actually enjoy.
And I did, or actually I found two which I
kind of combined (I vetoed the one with chopped dried cherries).
Roasted Acorn Squash with Black Rice
2 small acorn squashes
2 Tblsp vegetable oil
1 cup pecan pieces, chopped
1 1/2 cups black rice aka Forbidden Rice
(you may substitute wild rice, brown rice, or even white rice)
2 Tblsp butter
2 shallots, chopped
2 Tblsp fresh thyme leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
Slice the acorn squashes lengthwise, and
set one aside. Preheat the oven to 450
degrees.
 |
Squash halves (by the way, they're a lot
easier to slice and clean than butternut squash) |
Peel and dice one of the acorn squashes. In
a bowl, toss the pieces with the vegetable oil, to coat. Spread them on a
baking sheet (preferably one with a rim). Roast in the oven for 15 minutes,
then turn and spread out again and roast for another 10 minutes. Two to three
minutes before the squash is done, sprinkle the pecan pieces over the top so
they can roast.
 |
| ...and after (with pecans added) |
 |
| Diced squash: before... |
On a second cookie sheet, oil the sheet
lightly and place the two remaining halves of acorn squash face down. Cover the
sheet tightly with aluminum foil. Roast until tender. Note: acorn squashes vary
in size from a large lemon to a small football, so adjust your cooking time as
needed. The littlest ones take only half an hour at most, while the big
(tougher) ones might take 40-45 minutes.
 |
| Lots of shallots! |
In a medium saucepan set over medium heat,
melt the butter and sauté the chopped shallots for about 2 minutes. Add liquid
according to the rice package instructions (the amount will vary depending on
which type of rice you use; you may use water or stock). Add salt, and bring to
a boil.
Once boiling, lower the heat to low, cover
the pot, and simmer gently until the rice is cooked through (check the package
for timing!). This may take anywhere from 15 to 25 minutes.
 |
The mysterious Forbidden Rice
(is that a rainbow in the steam?) |
When the rice and the chopped squash are
both ready, toss them together with the thyme and the chopped pecans. Taste for
seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed.
Place the roasted squash halves on individual
flat bowls or plates, and season the inside with salt and pepper. Mound the
stuffing into the halves. Serve warm.
I liked the recipe. The nuts add both a
little crunch and flavor. I should add that this amount of stuffing will fill
far more than two halves of a small squash, so if you want to serve more
people, just roast more squashes. Or eat it on its own.
The latest Orchard Mystery, Picked to Die, which takes place during the apple harvest in Granford.
For some reason I'm humming the old song that starts "Come, ye thankful people, come" which celebrates the harvest. It's that time of year.
