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Chestnuts are a Thanksgiving staple. That’s largely because they’re traditionally picked in autumn. But these delicious, healthy nuts have been eaten for millennia. In Italy, polenta was originally made with chestnut meal, called “farina dolce,” or “sweet flour,” in Italian. In this exquisite recipe for baked acorn squash, we’re adding peeled, roasted chestnuts to a rich, savory stuffing along with thyme, home-made croutons, sautéed leek and fresh apple.
See PlansPreheat the oven to 400°F. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Peel and mince the garlic. Cut the chestnuts into thirds. Halve the acorn squash; scoop out the seeds. Trim the rounded sides of the squash halves so they sit flat on a sheet pan. Small dice the celery. Trim off and discard the roots and upper, dark-green leaves of the leek; halve the leek lengthwise. Thoroughly rinse the leek layers under cold water; small dice the leek. Pick the thyme and parsley leaves off the stems. Discard the stems; roughly chop the herbs, keeping them separate. Cube the bread. Peel, core and medium dice the apple.
Place the squash halves on a sheet pan; drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast the squash halves, skin-side down, 22 to 24 minutes, or until the flesh is tender when pierced with a knife. Remove from the oven and set aside.
While the squash halves roast, place the bread cubes on a second sheet pan. Bake in the oven, on a separate rack, 9 to 11 minutes, or until browned, crispy and dried.
While the squash halves continue to roast and the bread toasts, in a medium pan, heat the butter and a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high. Once the butter has melted, add the garlic, leek and celery; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes, or until the vegetables have softened.
To the pan of stuffing, add the toasted bread cubes, chestnuts, apple, thyme and all but a pinch of the parsley (reserve the rest for garnish). Add the vegetable demi-glace and 1 cup of water; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes, or until the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat.
On the same sheet pan used to roast the squash, stuff the roasted squash halves with as much stuffing as possible. Place any leftover stuffing around the base of the squash halves to stabilize them. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and roast 9 to 11 minutes. Remove the foil and roast 8 to 10 minutes, or until browned and crisped on top. To plate your dish, divide the stuffed squash halves and remaining stuffing between 2 plates. Garnish with the remaining parsley. Enjoy!
Tips from Home Chefs