Season's Delight
October is the month of busy chores in Minnesota, cleaning fall leaves from our yards and clearing some dried plants. All the sprinkler systems need to drain out the water need to be winterized to safeguard the pipes from being frozen in wintertime. I intend to skip this year trick or treat because of covid-19 related concerns and I do not want any complications with ding dong ditch actions of naughty kids. For the pumpkin-related dish this year, I would love to cook the chicken and wild rice baked in the acorn squash bowl.
Sometimes, when cooking I love to mix and match with this and that. Sometimes it is fun to put all the things together could be tasty. Sometimes it won't. I am so curious to make the wild rice with a chicken dish like the Chinese clay pot rice that I ate in Singapore.
The sweetness of acorn squash and its baked vegetable flavor may sink into the rice and chicken. Also, the taste of pumpkin seeds is savory and delightful. I plan to add a little into the rice together with some dried cranberry.
Once at the golf club, I worked, the head chef gave all the employees a treat as his friend gave him a lot of acorn squash that he harvested from his farm. The simple he did was to rub the slices with olive oil, pepper and salt then baked in the oven. First, I was reluctant to try that baked small pumpkin but when I tasted it was so flavorful and sweet.
In my life, I never ever forget the person who treats me with good food that is insanely tasty.
In honor of this autumn season and in honor of my teacher ( the Chef) I just want to make this recipe as a fusion of east and west.
Baked Stuffed Acorn Squash. ( 2-3 serving)
Ingredients
1lb Chicken tenderloin
1 Acorn Squash
1.5 cup Wild rice ( soak overnight)
1/2 cup Thin sliced Chinese sausage
1/2 cup Thin Sliced Shitake mushroom
1 tbsp Light soy sauce
2 tbsp diced shallot or onion
1 tsp minced garlic
2 tbsp Olive oil
1 tbsp Dried Cranberry
1 cup Sliced spring onion to garnish
1 tsp oyster sauce
1 tsp salt
1 cup diced baby corn
3 applewood smoked bacon strips
Instructions
1. Cut the chicken tenderloins into bite-size cubes and marinate with salt, oyster sauce, and soy sauce. A little white pepper.
2. In the skillet with medium-high heat, add oil. Then fry thinly sliced Chinese sausage just cooked.
3. Cook the wild rice separately in the pot with 3 cups of water and a little salt. When the rice opens it is ready.
4. Clean the acorn squash and cut horizontally in the middle. scoop out all the seeds.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 360 degrees F. for 15 min each side to make( pre-cook before stuffing) it soft.
5. In the same skillet, stir fry the diced shallots and add chicken to cook until all the water evaporated.
6. Then add mushroom, baby corn and rice together and stir for 5 minutes.
7. Add cranberry and roasted pumpkin seeds. ( optional)
8. Add the chicken broth, cover the skillet till all the liquid has evaporated.
9. Cut the bacon strip into half. and set it ready.
10. Preheat the oven to 360 Degree.
11. In the tray lined with the Baking sheet, place the acorn squash and scoop in the cooked wild rice mix into the cavity of the squash.
12. Cover the bacon strip on top of the rice and pumpkin
13. Then Cover with aluminum foil on each squash
14. Bake for 20 minutes, then open the aluminum foil and bake again.
15. When the bacon is crispy and red. It is ready to serve.
16. Every single scoop of soft squash meat and rice-mix tastes delightful and sweet.
( Note: we may use the chili sauce to have the spicy flavor)
