Once the leaves fall and the temperature drops, we turn to hearty and comforting creations to keep us warm and nourished. This satisfying combination of savory pork sausage, rich roasted squash, seasonal produce, and fragrant herbs is one of our favorites at Whole and Nourished. We opt for Carnival squash, an acorn hybrid, from Gallatin Valley Botanical, and source organic pork sausage from Amaltheia Organic Dairy. We prefer to cut the squash in half crosswise in order to show off its distinctively aesthetic ridges, which mirror the mountainous silhouettes barely visible from our frosted kitchen windows.
SERVES 4
2 acorn squashes
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ teaspoon garlic salt
½ teaspoon dried sage
1 pound pork sausage
½ yellow onion, diced
1 celery rib, diced
4 ounces mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 apples, diced ¼ inch
1 cup “cauliflower rice” (finely chopped cauliflower)
Sprig of fresh sage, leaves removed from stem and chopped
Salt and pepper
1 egg, beaten
A few sprigs of parsley, chopped
Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut off top and bottom ends of the squash, creating a flat base on each side. Slice in half crosswise, then scoop out and discard seeds.
Combine olive oil, garlic salt, and sage. Drizzle the oil over the cut side of squash. Place squash on a sheet pan. Roast, cut side up, about 1 hour, until tender but still holding shape.
Turn oven down to 350°. Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high. Add pork sausage, breaking up as it cooks, allowing to brown and cook through.
Remove pork, keeping drippings in pan. Add onion, celery, and mushrooms. Sauté until veggies have softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in apples, cauliflower, fresh sage, and about ¼ teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Sauté a few more minutes. Remove from heat. Combine pork and vegetables in a large bowl.
Season meat and veggies with salt and pepper, if needed. Stir in the egg and parsley.
Use a large spoon or scoop to fill each squash half with an even amount of the meat-veggie mixture. Return squash to oven and bake 45–60 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 160°. (While the pork is already cooked through, this temperature will ensure the egg is cooked.)
If you’d like, add shredded Parmesan or Romano cheese during the last few minutes of cooking, and garnish with parsley before serving.
