Acorn Squash Stuffed with Sausage and Mushroom

More and more people are coming out of the closet - and admitting they don't really like turkey.  Not that there's anything wrong with that.

If you are looking for an alternative Thanksgiving main course, rich enough for a King - stuff some acorn squash with a rich mixture of rice, sausage, mushrooms and golden raisins. What's not seasonal about acorn squash?

Want vegetarian?  Swap the sausage for black beans - just keep those herbs going. 

1 large acorn squash, quartered lengthwise, and seeded
2 Tbsp dark brown sugar

1 cup short grain brown rice
1 Tbsp canola oil
2 cups water
1 tsp salt

10-12 oz fresh button mushrooms, chopped
1 Tbsp butter

1 onion, diced
1 lb pork sausage
1/4 cup golden raisins
2 Tbsp sundried tomatoes, minced
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp fresh (or 1 tsp dried) rosemary, chopped
6-8 leaves fresh sage (or 1/2 tsp dried)

Heat oven to 400F.  Place acorn squash quarters on a baking pan.  Salt and pepper generously and sprinkle the brown sugar evenly on top of each quarter. 

Bake for 45-60 minutes, until the squash are soft to the tip of a knife and well browned.

Set the rice to cook.  Toss the rice and oil in a small pot and sauté over medium heat about 5 minutes, stirring almost constantly.  When the rice is fragrant and starting to change color, add the water and bring to a boil.  Add the salt, stir, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile sauté the mushrooms in a large skillet over very high heat with a bit of canola oil.  When they have lost most of their water, add the butter and continue cooking over lower heat to lightly brown the mushrooms.  Set aside in a bowl.

Add the onions and a bit of olive oil to the skillet and sauté over medium-high heat, for about 5 minutes to color a bit, and then add the sausage and the rest of the ingredients. 

Brown the sausage well for about 10 minutes.  By this time, the rice should be done.  Remove the top, fluff with a fork and allow to dry out a few minutes.

Add rice to the sausage in the skillet along with the mushrooms, and mix well.  Salt and pepper to taste. 

Now check the squash - they should be done.  Plate each squash and top with a quarter of the sausage-rice mixture.

Serves 4