I’ll admit it – Durham is a town for foodies. The amazing fare is literally everywhere you turn and you cannot help but be inspired. I knew from the moment we arrived that no matter how tired we were on Saturday, we were going to the Durham Farmer’s Market for some fresh, local goodies.
Naturally, the Market didn’t disappoint. It has an abundance of all-things-local. Meaning, unlike some markets I’ve been to, it has to be locally produced. (Don’t you just hate it when people sell stuff from larger wholesale places?)
Our first DFM-bounty meal included roasted heirloom tomatoes and pasta – yum! It was good, no doubt, but the one below – it takes the cake!
Roasted, stuffed acorn squash with sausage, apples, cornbread & sweet potatoes
Recipe:
Acorn squashes: Our squashes were just a hair bigger than a baseball, so I allotted one whole squash per person. Usually, we make one half per person.
The fillings of your choice: Our favorite is lean sausage and apples. There’s something about the sage of the sausage and the sweet, tartness of the apples that mixes just right.
However, last night, I was HUNGRY, so I searched my pantry for a few more staples. Thankfully, I had cornbread left over from Saturday’s chili night* and a random (red) sweet potato that we purchased at the market.
Cut the squash in half and clean the pulp/seeds out. Lay skin side down on a cookie sheet or in a glass pan. Sprinkle (liberally) salt and pepper and brush with olive oil. Bake at 400 degrees until soft (20-35 minutes, depending on size). If you are going to add potatoes, peel and large dice the potatoes and add to the squash pan. Season the same as the squash.
While the squash bakes, brown three-quarters to one pound of sausage, making sure to really break it up so it is a small crumble. Set aside to cool.
Once the squash (and potatoes) is cooked, remove from the oven and allow to cool a bit. These puppies are going to be hot, hot, hot. Dice one green apple into Chicklet-sized pieces. Add sausage and apples to the pan (that you cooked the sausage in initially) and cook on medium-high for five minutes to warm through. Add ½ teaspoon of thyme (or Herbs de Provence, rosemary or your favorite savory spice) and 3 tablespoons of liquid (I used white cooking wine. You could use wine, apple juice or water) directly to the bottom of the pan, to create a steam and cook for three to five more minutes. Add potatoes and cornbread, stir to combine. Fill squashes and enjoy!
No, these aren’t cooked after they are stuffed, that’s more of a pretty-bowl-thing rather than a cooking vessel. If needed and you don’t want to scoop the squash out while eating, you could easily cook the squash, scoop it out and mix with your “stuffing” before eating it. Whatever floats your boat!
*Cornbread makes the best croutons and filler – and it’s cheap to boot! Cube cooked cornbread, spread it flat on a baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees until dried and crouton-like. I prefer mine to be soft on the inside, so I bake it 15-17 minutes. This “seals” the cornbread and makes it last longer. Try it out!
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