Products used for this recipe
Ingredients
2 medium acorn squash, halved down the middle, seeds removed
8 oz. sweet Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
1 cup quinoa
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 tsp Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
2 large shallots, diced
3 cups tightly packed torn kale
1/2 cup chopped chestnuts
1 tbsp fresh Sage, chopped
1 cup fresh or dried figs, chopped into small pieces
2 tbsp maple syrup
Steps
Heat oven to 375°. If using dried figs, add the pieces to a small bowl with very hot water. Allow them to soak for 15 minutes, then drain them and set aside.
Cut a thin slice off round side of each squash half to create a stable base. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; coat with cooking spray.
Place squash flesh side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper
Bake until golden and tender, 30 minutes. Remove from oven; flip squash and set aside. Heat broiler.
In a small saucepan, cook the quinoa according to the package instructions. Remove from the heat, place the quinoa in a large bowl. Set aside.
In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat 1 teaspoon Colavita oil. Add sausage and cook, breaking into small, coarse pieces. Cook until it has completely browned, about 6 minutes. Transfer the cooked sausage to the bowl with quinoa.
To the same skillet, add the remaining 2 tbsp Colavita Olive oil, the diced shallots and the sage. Cook until the shallots are translucent, about 3 minutes. If the pan seems to dry, add a drizzle of Colavita Olive Oil. Then, add the kale and toss. Saute until kale has wilted, about 3-5 minutes.
Add the kale mixture to the bowl with the quinoa. Then add in the cooked sausage, chestnuts and the figs. Mix to incorporate all the ingredients.
Divide the filling among squash. Drizzle the tops of the filled squash with a little maple syrup. Broil until the tops of the squash have browned, about 2 minutes.
