If you're looking for a comforting, delicious, and easy-to-make fall recipe , you'll love these wild rice and feta stuffed squash . They're perfect for using up seasonal squash and transforming it into a complete and nutritious main dish.
I like to prepare this recipe when I want something colorful on the table, full of flavor and with that special touch that ingredients like wild rice, toasted hazelnuts and feta cheese provide. The filling is creamy and full of textures, the inside of the pumpkin is cooked until tender, absorbing all the flavors of the filling, while the outside maintains its perfect shape to be served in a spectacular way.
The best thing about these stuffed pumpkins is that you can prepare them as a main dish or even serve them as a side dish for a more complete meal. Plus, you can do some of the preparation in advance and have everything ready for the oven when you need it. It's one of those recipes that, in addition to being easy to adapt, always succeeds. Go ahead and try it and you'll see how you surprise everyone!
Ingredients
- 6 small pumpkins (all the same or various, such as patidou, pumpkin, butternut, potimarron, etc.)
- 250 g wild rice
- 200 g feta cheese
- 50 g raisins
- 1 red onion
- 1/2 red pepper
- 60 g toasted hazelnuts
- 60 g grated cheddar cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon four spice blend
- 4 tablespoons of olive oil
- 6 sprigs of fresh cilantro
- Salt
- Freshly ground pepper
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 200°C.
- Meanwhile, clean and dry the pumpkins well.
- Using a knife, cut off the top of the squash (about 1/3 of the vegetable) and reserve the lid.
- Line an Emile Henry ceramic tray with baking paper and place the pumpkins on it.
- Bake them for about 40 minutes (baking time may vary depending on the size of the pumpkins).
- Meanwhile, cook the rice according to package directions.
- Cut the feta cheese into small cubes and crush the hazelnuts.
- Peel the onion and chop it finely.
- Cut the pepper into small cubes, then heat the olive oil in a pan.
- Brown the onions for 10 minutes over low heat. Then add the pepper and spices and continue cooking for a further 10 minutes.
- Once the rice is cooked, drain it and mix it in a large bowl with the onions and peppers, feta, hazelnuts, raisins, cilantro and cheddar. Season to taste.
- Remove the pumpkins from the oven, fill them generously with the mixture and bake for a further 15 minutes.
- Serve immediately. You will see that with the help of a spoon or fork, the inside of the pumpkin comes off the skin as if nothing had happened, and that rice and cheese filling, mixed with its flavor and texture, becomes an absolute delight.
