Stuffed Acorn Squash with Curried Sweet Potato, Walnuts and Raisins.
Ingredients:
1 Acorn Squash.
1 Large Sweet Potato (rather straight if possible).
1 medium Onion.
4 large Garlic Cloves (or more if you like).
3/4 cup of dark Raisins.
3/4 cup of whole (halves) Walnuts meats.
2 tablespoon run-of-the-mill, "store bought" curry powder, or your favorite
custom curry.
1 tablespoon Rubbed Sage (powdered...more or less).
1/2 cup Olive Oil.
1/2 cup Orange Juice.
Peel and dice the Sweet Potato and Onion.
Put Olive Oil into frying pan (I use a wok for best results) and heat on high for about a minute.
Start Sweet Potato and Onion cooking on high to lock in flavor, and give a slightly roasted edge to the vegetables.
Stir from time to time while preparing the Squash.
Now cut the acorn Squash in half and spoon out the seeds.
Once both sides are spooned out, re-assemble the Squash halves. (pssst, don't forget to stir the Sweet Potatoes and Onions...)
Place re-assembled Squash into micro-wave oven and cook for five minutes on regular (high?) setting.
Then turn it over, keeping it re-assembled, and cook another 5 minutes. BE CAREFUL when handling a cooked squash! They get REALLY, REALLY hot! Use oven mitts!
While Squash is being Nuked, turn the wok heat down to about half way between simmer and high. Stir the mix before continuing.
Throw the Raisins in on top of the mix in the wok, but don't stir. Just leave them there while it all sort of simmers.
Continue by peeling 4 to 6 LARGE Garlic cloves and chopping them into match head sized pieces.
Measure out about half of the Walnuts and chop them into a "meal", almost into a Walnut "butter". Chop the other half of the Walnuts into peanut sized pieces.
Now bring the heat under the wok down to a low simmer and throw the Garlic and Walnuts into the mix and stir a few times.
Let that sit for about a minute.
Throw in the spices and toss the mix a few times with a wooden spoon.
Now add the Orange Juice and stir well.
Let that simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 2 or 3 minutes, maybe a tad longer so that the juice starts to caramelize. keep and eye on it. You want the Sweet Potatoes to remain somewhat recognizable at the end, so don't over do it.
When you think it is perfect, put one half of the Squash on a plate, scooped side up, and spoon about a cup or so of your heavenly mixture into the Squash half and serve. Be sure to let the Squash cool before serving. If all went well, the Squash should have been cooked and cooling while you finished the mixture. If you need to let the Squash cool a bit, just take your perfect mix off the heat and cover it. It is wonderful when served less than piping hot, so things should work out fine.
