Recipe developed and contributed by Maureen Gualtieri
This rib-sticker of a dish boasts the tropical flavours of DFC’s Coconut Chili Lime sauce, mingled with the earthy sweetness of butternut squash. Lentils and wild rice join the party as a complete protein, and the salty tang of feta cheese brings the whole thing together. A tip for max flavour: Cook your lentils and rice separately, adding a bit of stock, a dehydrated shiitake mushroom, a clove of garlic, or a quarter of a fresh onion to either — or both!
Coconut Chili Lime Stuffed Squash
(Yield: 6 servings, as a main)
Ingredients:
1 large butternut squash, halved and seeded
3 tbsp olive oil
3/4 c. wild rice or wild rice mix
1/2 c. green lentils
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1/4 c. DFC’s Coconut Chili Lime sauce
1/2 c. – 3/4 c. feta cheese cubed very small, plus extra crumbles
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees, and grab a casserole dish that will fit both halves of your butternut squash laid out side-by-side. (A baking sheet lined with foil or parchment will also work.) Rub your halved butternut squash all over with olive oil, then place the halves in the casserole, cut side down. Roast until a sharp knife slides into the rind and through the flesh easily, about 45 min.
Meanwhile, cook the rice and lentils separately, with any added flavourings (garlic clove, stock, etc.) you’d like, until done — both approximately 20 min. Drain the lentils as much as possible, and fluff the rice with a fork. When the squash is roasted, remove from the oven and allow to cool until you can handle the halves without burning yourself.
Scoop the flesh out of the squash halves and into a large bowl, leaving about a quarter-inch of cooked squash undisturbed on the inside of the rinds. Mash the flesh, and when nice and smooth, stir in the 2 cloves of minced garlic, DFC’s Coconut Chili Lime sauce, and salt and pepper if needed. (Taste your feta first, before salting; feta varies widely in saltiness.) Fold in the wild rice, lentils, and feta (amount to taste), until incorporated.
Stuff the squash rinds with the squash/lentil/rice mixture, and top with extra crumbles of feta. Pop back in the oven (still at 400 degrees), and bake for another 15-20 min, until it’s nice and hot all the way through, and the feta crumbles brown on their edges.
Remove from the oven, and serve hot with crusty bread and a big crunchy salad, or as a side to a roasted meat dish, like lamb or chicken.
