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Baked Acorn Squash with Chestnuts, Apples & Leeks

For the past two years, our vegetarian main course came to us courtesy of Martha Stewart. This roasted squash recipes ticks all the boxes when it comes to Thanksgiving flavors: chestnuts, celery, apples and squash of course!

Ingredients

  • 4 acorn squash, halved & seeded
  • 3 TB extra-virgin olive oil, plus a little more
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 3 TB unsalted butter or margarine
  • 1 ½ cups diced celery
  • 2 leeks, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise ¼" thick
  • 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled & diced
  • 2 tsp finely chopped thyme
  • 10 oz. day-old rustic bread, cut into ½" dice (crusts removed)
  • 7 oz. vacuum-packed cooked chestnuts
  • ½ C chopped parsley
  • ⅓ C heavy cream or soy milk
  • ⅓ C vegetable stock, plus more to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush the cut sides of the squash with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the squash cut side down on baking sheets and roast for about 25 minutes, until just tender.
  2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt the butter/margarine in 3 TB of olive oil. Add celery, leeks and about ¼ teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Cook over moderate heat until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the apples and thyme and cook until the apples just start to soften, about 5 minutes. Scrape the mixture into a large bowl. Add the bread, chestnuts, parsley, cream/soy milk and stock and toss well. Season with salt and pepper. If dry, add more stock by the tablespoon.
  3. Turn the squash cut side up. Spoon the stuffing into the cavities and bake until the squash are tender and the stuffing is golden brown, about 20 minutes.