- 5
- 10 mins
- 40 mins
Ingredients
- 3 acorn squash, halved
- 1 large russet potato (1 pound), peeled and diced
- 1/4 cup creme fraiche
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- Salt
- Pepper
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- Handful of pecans, roughly chopped
Preparation
Step 1
The acorn squash is roasted while a lone potato boils away. The potato surprisingly adds a bit of lightness to the acorn squash. The acorn squash boats are refilled with the filling and topped with sweet and salty maple butter and a small handful of pecans.
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment. Place the halved acorn squash side by side, flesh side down, on the baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes, until squash is tender. When the squash is cooked, use a fork to carefully flip over the squash halves so they can cool slightly.
Meanwhile, bring a medium saucepan filled with water to a boil. Add the diced potato and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain in a colander and set aside to cool slightly. Run the diced potato through a potato ricer and into the empty medium saucepan (you can use the same one you boiled the potato in - no need to clean it!). Add the creme fraiche, 1 tablespoon butter and a few pinches of salt and pepper. Set aside.
Discard the seeds from the acorn squash. Scoop out the flesh, being sure to leave enough squash so the shells still have structure, and add it to the potato mixture. Place the saucepan over medium heat and mix until combined. Adjust the salt and pepper to your liking.
Refill the acorn squash shells with the potato/acorn squash mixture. Note: you’ll have enough for 5 shells; discard the 6th shell. Make nice swoops using the back of a spoon. Turn on your broiler and place the acorn squash shells underneath until the tops are a bit toasty - be sure to keep an eye on it, about 3 minutes. Meanwhile, add the remaining butter (3 tablespoons) to a small saucepan, along with the maple syrup and a few pinches of salt.