Stuffed Sweet Dumpling Squash

Serve over a nest of stuffing and garnish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley. Pairs well with a light bodied red wine like Pinot Noir.

This dish may be meat free, but it’s jam packed with protein, fiber, and deep umami flavors to leave you feeling ultra satisfied

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• 30 minute prep time

• 45 minute - 1 hour cook time

• 4 servings

• Tools

  • Large deep sauté pan

  • Large, sharp knife

  • Veggie Dicer

  • baking sheet lined with foil

  • Rice cooker

  • Spatula

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Ingredients

• 1/2 cup beluga or French lentils

• 1/2 cup whole grain rice

  • I used Ralston's premix blend of red, purple and brown rice that I picked up from my local grocery store

• 2 tablespoons miso paste

• 2 tablespoons butter (or vegan butter)

• 2.25 cups broth - bone or veggie

• 1/4 cup red wine

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

• 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms

  • Rinse under cool water, soaked in boiling water, drained and chopped

• 3 medium sized carrots

• 6 celery ribs

• 1 leek, white part only

  • Sliced, rinsed in a bowl, drained and then chopped

  • Leeks tend get a lot of dirt and sand in them, so proper cleaning is important. You can check out a video on how to do it here

• Garlic cloves, to taste

  • I love garlic and recommend 8 cloves

• 1 small onion

• Cooking spray, preferably avocado oil

• Vegeta all purpose seasoning, to taste

  • This contains salt. Start out with 1 tablespoon and work your way up.

• White pepper, to taste

  • Begin with 2 teaspoons

• Salt, to taste

• 3 tablespoons fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

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Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F

2. Cook rice and lentils

   • Pick through lentil to remove any stones and then rinse lentils and rice

   • Place rice and lentils in rice cooker with the broth, miso paste and butter

   • Cook using the brown rice button

   • Whole grain rice takes a while to cook, this can take around 45 minutes or so

3. Prepare squash - while rice/lentils are cooking

   • Secure cutting board by placing a towel under neither it

   • Slice off bottom on squash squash to create a flat base and then slice in half like the picture above

   • Scoop out seeds with a large spoon

   • Spray foil lined sheet with cooking oil

   • Spray flesh of squash with oil and season with salt

   • Place squash face down on sheet and spray skin with oil

   • Bake for 35-45 minutes

     • Check to see if the flesh is soft after 35 minutes. If still not soft, add 10-15 minutes

4. Prepare stuffing - while everything else is cooking

   1. On medium heat sauté carrots, celery and onion with some oil until soft (5-7 minutes)

   2. Add leeks and garlic then continue to sauté for 2-3 minutes

   3. Create an empty space in the middle of the pan and add the tomato and wine. Stir vigorously for a few seconds before incorporating into the vegetables

   4. Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, then remove from heat

   5. Add cooked rice/lentils and mix well

5. Serving

   1. Once squash in cooked, remove from oven

   2. On each plate, create a “nest” of stuffing and place a squash half on top, flesh side up

   3. Fill hollow with more stuffing

   4. Garnish with chopped flat leaf parsley