Blueberries and Lobster

I like winter squash. It’s in season, it’s hardy, and it’s often very local. But usually, in my kitchen, it winds up in the same old soup. I like squash soup, but that gets pretty old. So I bought a spaghetti squash, which I’ve never played with before, and threw together a recipe inspired by a recent post on Straight from the Farm, a wonderful blog about supporting urban farming.

This is a great fridge-cleaning recipe, and a good way to re-use leftovers. And the addition of some leftover cooked chicken makes it great as a main dish. You could easily substitute tofu or tempeh, or just leave out the protein altogether.

Out of curiosity, does anyone know why you might roast squash with the cut side down instead of the cut side up? I usually roast cut side up, since I like the way the top caramelizes and the butter pools in the middle. I tried roasting cut-side down this time, and it seemed to work just fine. Maybe it has to do with the structural integrity of the skin?

Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
A variation on Straight from the Farm

1 large spaghetti squash
1 T. regular olive oil
1 T. butter
1 medium yellow onion
1 clove garlic
2 T. fresh dill
1 c. cooked broccoli
1 c. cooked chicken
3/4 c. cranberries
1/2 c. veggie broth
Asiago cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 400 F. Line baking sheet with foil and a quick spray of oil. Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and lay cut-side down on baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool enough to easily handle.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add butter and oil and sauté garlic, onions, and dill for 4 to 5 minutes until onions are translucent. Add broccoli and chicken, and heat until warmed. Add cranberries and broth to skillet and cover. Lower heat and simmer about 4-5 minutes, until most of the liquid is gone.

Scoop out the spaghetti squash innards with a spoon, separating strands. Scrape out the shells. Add squash strands to skillet and toss everything together. Return mixture to squash shells. Sprinkle with Asiago cheese, and place under a preheated broiler for 2-3 minutes, until cheese melts and gets toasty.

Serve immediately.