Butternut Boats Recipes

ROASTED BUTTERNUT BOATS STUFFED WITH SAUSAGE, TOASTED PASTA AND RICE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a saucepot over medium heat. Toast the pasta in the butter until deep golden and nutty, and then transfer to a plate. Pour in a drizzle of EVOO and melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. When the butter has melted, cook the garlic and onions until softened, 5 minutes. Stir in the rice, coating with the butter, and sprinkle with the sage, salt and pepper. Pour in the wine, letting it absorb into the rice, and then add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook the rice, covered, until al dente, 16 minutes. Remove from the heat and fluff with a fork.
• Cross-hatch the butternut squash flesh into 1/2-inch-wide scores. Dress with EVOO and sprinkle with salt, pepper and a little nutmeg. Drizzle with a little honey and roast, cut-side down, until the flesh is just tender enough to remove carefully from the shells, 15 to 20 minutes. Scoop the squash pieces into a dish, cut-side up, making sure not to break the squash shells.
• Heat a drizzle of EVOO in a skillet over medium-high heat and brown the sausage, crumbling the meat as it cooks. Combine the cooked sausage with the pasta, rice and squash. Fill the squash shells with the stuffing, and top with a drizzle of EVOO. Top with the cheeses and bake until hot and browned, 30 minutes. Garnish with the toasted pine nuts and serve hot.

BUTTERNUT BOATS

Steps:

• Cut squash in half; remove and discard seeds. Place with cut side down in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Add 1/4 in. of water to pan. , Cover and bake at 375° for 40 minutes or until tender. Scoop out pulp, leaving about a 1/4-in shell. Set shells and pulp aside., In a large saucepan, saute leeks and thyme in butter until tender. Add pulp, broth, salt and pepper; simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat; cool slightly. , Cover and process in a blender until pureed; return to pan and heat through. Spoon into squash shells. , Place sour cream in a heavy-duty resealable plastic bag; cut a small hole in the corner of the bag. Pipe a coil of sour cream over squash filling. Beginning at the center, use a toothpick to draw right angles across the piped lines about 1/2 in. apart. Sprinkle with chives.

VEGETARIAN ZUCCHINI BOATS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
• Cut each zucchini in half lengthwise and trim a little off of the bottoms so that they will sit flat in the baking dish. Scoop out the centers, where the seeds are, with a spoon.
• Combine 1/4 cup olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in a cup or bowl. Brush over the inner surfaces of the zucchini boats. Arrange tomatoes into the grooves and sprinkle bread crumbs around and in between to fill in the gaps.
• Bake in the preheated oven until tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn the oven's broiler on.
• Place mozzarella cheese around and on top of the tomatoes. Return to the oven and broil until golden brown and bubbling, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the oven. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.