Hard at work even as I eat my dinner. Note sticky hand posture. Food is better when you eat with your hands. Suggested musical accompaniment: Nick Caves and the Bad Seeds "Dig Lazarus Dig!"
Caramelized honey, butter, and cumin...do I have to tell you how good that smells? How good it tastes? Smashed into a creamy bite of baked acorn squash? Oh man, if I do, you need to cook this right away and see what you're missing. Growing up, my mom made us acorn squash with brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon I think, and that was also fabulous. There are a million delectable options with a nice, ripe, beautifully colored winter squash of any kind, but acorn is my favorite. They're just right for two people and so easy and versatile that they make an ideal, wholesome weeknight winter meal. A new twist that I got from one of my vegan cookbooks is to stuff them full of flavorful lentils. The salty, garlicky lentils are a delectable match with the sweet and savory squash. I serve it along with a piece of garlic pepper bread, all recipes below.
For bread, set out a half of a stick of butter (for two). Top it with 4-5 cloves minced or smashed garlic, plus one very small or one half a regular red pepper, minced, and some crushed white and/or black pepper. Let that get soft while you do everything else.
Wash one acorn squash and split in half carefully with a very sharp knife. Scrape out seeds and strings. Place a sheet of parchment paper or foil on a cookie sheet with sides or a small baking dish. Oil paper and squash halves and place them on sheet skin side down. In seed cavity, place a thick pat of butter. Drizzle generously with honey (good fresh clover honey if you can get it), Sprinkle generously with cumin, and lightly with salt. Set in 425 degree oven.
Put one cup dried brown lentils plus two and a half cups water, a big pinch salt, and 4-5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped in a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil. Stir and simmer at least twenty minutes or until tender.
Bake the squash until tender...45 minutes or so? I apologize for not timing it, but it depends on what kind of squash you use anyway. It might also be good to baste it a bit half way through cooking. You won't ruin it taking it out of the oven and sticking a fork in it to check doneness. If the fork moves in and out easily, like it would with a cooked potato, then it's done. Squash is pretty easy.
When squash is done, take it out of the oven and plate it, being careful to retain the juices in the squash cavity. Spoon the lentils into each squash cavity, right in the middle of the pool of spicy honey butter so that the butter mixture and the lentil juice spills over the side.
Smash room temperature butter with diced peppers, garlice, and pepper and smear split bread loaves generously with it. Toast under broiler until lightly browned. Serve alongside squash halves and sop up the brown butter juice under the squash with it.
If you are really really hungry, a winter green and herb salad with cool creamy ranch might be good with this, but I'm stuffed without it. Enjoy!
