Recipe: Souffleed Acorn Squash

Souffleed Acorn Squash
Source: Cooking the Nouvelle Cuisine in America by M. Urvater and D. Liederman
Serves: 4

This is a wonderful way of turning an ordinary, inexpensive vegetable into an elegant dish. What is unique about these souffles is that there is no white sauce base. Also, the acorn squash shells make a perfect container for the individual souffles.

2 small (3/4 pound) acorn squash
4 Tbsp butter
4 tsp brown sugar
scant 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
grating of fresh nutmeg
1 large egg separated
salt
freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Wash outside of squash well to rid it of any grit. Using a sharp knife, cut a very thin slice off of both ends of the squash so that, when presented on a plate, each half stays stable on the dish and doesn't wobble. Cut the squash in half and with a spoon, scoop out the seeds and discard them.

Place the halved squash, skin side up, in 1/2 inch of water in a baking dish so that the flesh steams and remains moist while it bakes. Bake for 30 minutes.

Remove the baking dish from the oven. With a large spoon and tongs, turn the squash cut side up and place 1 Tbs of butter in each half. Return the squash to the oven and continue baking for another 30 minutes or until squash is tender.

Using tongs, very carefully remove each squash half from the baking pan. As you remove them, pour the melted butter from the center of each into a mixing bowl. Carefully so as not to pierce the soft shell, spoon out the cooked squash from each and place it in a bowl. Make sure to leave some flesh all around the inside of the cavity of each half. Do not pierce the skin or the souffle mixture will run out.

In a blender or food processor, puree the squash (in two batches if necessary to prevent the mixture from "exploding" form the heat as you puree it) and reserved melted butter with sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, and egg yolk. Pour this into a mixing bowl.

In another bowl, whip the egg white with a pinch of salt until stiff. Fold into squash mixture.

Pour equal amounts of the souffle mixture into each hollowed-out cavity and bake on a baking sheet for 25 minutes or until the tops are nice and brown and begin to crack.

Serve in the squash shells as an appetizer or side dish.