Stuffed Delicata with Spicy Jerk Cranberry Chutney
Spice Profile: allspice, brown sugar, cayenne, cinnamon, chile de arbol, cloves, cumin, salt, nutmeg, ginger, scotch bonnet chiles, tamarind
The chutney is the star of this show, where we’ll use our spices this week. So, you can decide how much squash you’d like to stuff. This recipe is for two full stuffed squashes. I’ve stuffed this with mushroom risotto, but you could easily switch this out for wild rice, sausage, or other stuffing of your choice!
From the box, you will need: delicata squash, onion, spinach, cranberries, and the Jerk spice.
From the pantry, you will need: short-grain rice, mushrooms, broth, (or water), parmesan and/or romano cheese, balsamic vinegar, and maple syrup, (or honey or sugar).
Prepare the squash: Wash two delicata squash to get any dirt off. Cut in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and stringy bits. Coat all sides in olive oil, place cut-side down on a baking sheet and bake in a 350 degree oven for 35 minutes, until just tender.
Meanwhile, prepare the risotto. Chop and sauté 1 medium onion until translucent. Add a generous amount of chopped mushrooms of your choice, (I used 1 full pound of baby bellas). Continue to saute until mushrooms are tender and just releasing their liquid. Add 1 cup arborio rice and stir throughout, (arborio is the classic risotto rice, but any short grain rice will work). Add 1/2 cup boiling water or stock, and stir. Stirring often, (if not more or less continuously), add a bit more hot water or stock in 1/4-1/2 cup increments as the mixture gets sticky. Continue until the rice is nice and creamy, about 25 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup grated parmesan, 1/4 cup grated romano, and 1 cup chopped spinach, and 1/2 - 1 tsp of salt (to taste).
Remove the squash from the oven, flip it cut-side up. Spoon the risotto into the squash in a nice heaping mound, and place the squash back into the oven to bake another 30 minutes, until nice and browned and crispy on the top.
Now prepare the Jerk Cranberry Chutney. In a small saucepan, add the cranberries (about 1 1/3 cup), 2 TBSP balsamic vinegar, 1/2 cup water, 2 TBSP maple syrup (or honey, or sugar), and the full spice packet (2 tsp Stock+Spice Jerk Seasoning). This makes a really spicy chutney! If you prefer less spice - add only 1/2 the spice packet now (1 tsp). Bring the whole mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally, and adding a bit more water if it begins to look too thick. It’s ready when the cranberries have mostly broken down and you have a nice, thick, beautiful sauce. Adjust taste with a bit of salt, more maple syrup, or more Jerk spice.
Remove squash from the oven, plate it, and drizzle with the chutney.
Enjoy, my friends!
