Mustard and Maple-Glazed Butternut Squash stuffed with Farro and Winter Greens
Opposites attract in most walks of life, and recipes are no exception. Our favorite dishes are flavored with a careful balance of sweetness and spice. We've infused a mix of winter vegetables and farro with sweet maple syrup and mustard, to make a really delicious and easy vegetarian dinner for a cold evening.
Ingredients
- 3 small butternut squash or 4 honeynut, halved lengthwise, seeds discarded
For the glaze
- 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted (or olive oil)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup
- About a tablespoon of whole grain mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
For the filling
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
- 1 large yellow onion finely diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
- 3 cups about 1/2 pound winter greens, roughly chopped (you could use kale, chard, mustard greens, or spinach)
- 1/2 cup white wine or dry vermouth or stock
- 2 1/2 cups cooked farro see note below
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
- 3 ounces goat cheese optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF and set a rack in the middle. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
- Using a sharp paring knife, score the flesh of the squash in diagonal cuts, about an inch apart, in both directions. Be careful not to cut through the skin.
- In a small bowl, mix together the butter, maple syrup, mustard, salt and pepper.
- Place the squash halves, cut side up, on the baking sheet and spread the glaze over the flesh of each squash. Roast until tender, 25-30 minutes for honeynut squash, or 40-45 minutes for small butternut squash. It should be quite soft all over when pricked with a fork.
- While the squash bakes, make the filling. Set a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. Add the onion and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion start to softens, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for about a minute longer. Add in the kale and wine (or stock), and cook, stirring, until the greens are wilted and tender, about 5 minutes (if using spinach, this will take less than a minute). Toss in the farro, mix it to combine with the vegetables, and cook until hot, about 2 minutes. Stir in the vinegar and mustard, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- When the squash is soft and brown, remove from the oven. Let them sit for a few minutes to re-absorb the glaze. If there is still a lot of liquid in the squash bowls, you can spoon it out and mix it into the cooked farro.
- Lower the oven temperature to 375ºF or use a broiler. Stuff the farro mixture into the bowls of the squash, heaping it, as needed - we were able to fit about 1/4 cup in ours. You can serve any extra filling on the side. Top with crumbled goat cheese and bake or broil until everything is piping hot and the cheese browns a little. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Notes
(If you didn't yet cook your farro, start that first: measure out a cup of rinsed farro to two cups of cold water, bring to a boil, and simmer according to package directions: usually 20-40 minutes is about right depending on whether the farro is pearled or unpearled.)
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