Stuffed Acorn Squash with Bhutanese Rice

Kabocha kicks all other winter squash to the curb, but lately George has done some frankly awe-inspiring things with North American winter squash. His latest improvisation on stuffed acorn squash dazzled us with its beauty and provided a counterpoint of deep and jeweled flavors to the usual ho-hum of baked squash. Jung-Min oohed and aahed, and I scarfed this dish down in an undignified manner. George probably enjoyed this lunch the most, though; he was pretty pleased with himself.

This dish pairs in a visually striking way with lemon-doused steamed broccoli.

Stuffed Acorn Squash with Bhutanese Rice

half as many acorn squash as eaters
a few cups cooked Bhutanese red rice (or rice of your choice)
2-4 yellow onions, sliced
raisins
curry powder
oil


1. Halve the squashes lengthwise from stem to stern. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and fibers. Place squash face down in a baking dish filled with 1/4 to 1/2 inch water. Bake at 350 until nice and soft, for an hour or more. Let cool and set aside.
2. Meanwhile sauté onions in oil on medium heat. Cover the fry pan, turn down the heat, and occasionally stir to keep from burning. When the onions take on a golden-brown color and get sticky, remove from heat and set aside.
3. Preheat the oven to 400 or even high.
4. Mix together rice, onions, a few raisins, and a little bit of curry powder to taste so that you have a nice balance of the ingredients. Stuff the mixture into the cavities of the squash and place the squash halves on a baking sheet. Stick them into the oven for 5 - 10 minutes until hot and serve immediately.