Twice-Baked Butternut Squash

..... with Quinoa, Pecans, and Parmesan 

4 lbs of butternut squash

salt and pepper

2/3 cup uncooked quinoa

2/3 cup pecan halves, roughly chopped

2 tsp. olive oil

1 small shallot, minced

1/2 tsp. dried oregano (KPG cooked in with shallot) 

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 cups panko breadcrumbs

3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

4 oz parmesan cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Wash the outside of the squash. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds (use an ice-cream/muffin scoop). Place the squash halves cut-side up in a large baking dish. Sprinkle the surface of the squash with salt and pepper. Pour 1/2 inch of water in the bottom of the pan and cover the pan tightly with foil. Bake the squash until it is tender when pierced with a fork, 30-50 minutes depending on the size of squash. Remove from the oven, discard foil, and allow the squash to cool. 

2. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees F

3. Meanwhile, cook the quinoa by brining 1 and 1/3 cup water to boil in a small pot. Add the quinoa, reduce to a simmer and put a lid on the pot. Simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. 

4. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Toast the pecans until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Set aside. In the same skillet over medium heat, combine the olive oil and shallots. Cook, stirring frequently, until the shallots soften, about 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat. 

5. Using a spoon or an ice-cream scoop, gently scrape the flesh out of the roasted squash halves, leaving a layer of about 1/4 inch of squash remaining in the shell. Leave the squash shells in the baking dish. In a large bowl combine the squash, cooked quinoa, pecans, shallot, oregano, and salt. In another small bowl whisk together the panko breadcrumbs and butter. 

6. Add 2 TB of the cheese to the panko. Add the remaining parmesan to the squash mixture adn stir to combine all of the ingredients. 

7. Gently spoon the squash mixture into the squash shells. Sprinkle the panko and parmesan over the top. 

8. Return squash to the oven and bake, uncovered, until the tops are golden brown, 20-25 minutes. 

Notes: we LOVE LOVE LOVE this dish. It isn’t as much work as it might sound. I often cook my squash a day in advance when I already have the oven hot for something else (like pizza or bread). Sometimes I cook it in advance just because. I’ve made the entire thing in advance when working on other meals and then just cooked a few days later. We like the presentation in the shells but it’s just as delicious in a glass casserole dish.

Once, when doing casserole style, we fogot to add the nuts and enjoyed it just as much by adding the nuts on top.