Ingredients

The following ingredients have 6 Servings
  • 3 small delicata squash, halved and seeded
  • 1 small bunch parsley (~ 3/4-1 cup chopped), chopped finely
  • 3/4 cup pistachios, shelled, roasted, salted, and chopped
  • 16 oz canned chickpeas, drained & rinsed
  • zest from 3 valencia oranges
  • 5 valencia oranges, zested, peeled, supremed, and then chopped
  • all orange juice reserved from the 5 chopped oranges
  • 2  Tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp salt plus more to taste
  • pinch tsp black pepper
  • 1 pomegranate for garnish, seeded - optional
  • 6 kale leaves for garnish - optional

Instruction

  • Preheat oven to 425F, convection roast if you have it or just normal bake if you don't.
  • Baste the cut inside edges and the cavity of the squash with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Place squash, cut side down, on an aluminum lined baking sheet.  Convection roast or bake uncovered for ~ 25 minutes or until soft and the cut edges are starting to brown.
  • Deseed the pomegranate.   Wear an apron for this part as the juice stains.  Fill a large bowl with water.  Score the outside of the pomegranate, like you are going to cut in half.  Scoring is a shallow cut to get through the rind of the pomegranate but should not cut into the seeds. Gently "wiggle" and twist and pull the fruit in half.  Work with the pomegranate under water and remove the seeds.  Most of the pith will float to the top.  Drain with a strainer and pick out any remaining pith.  Set aside for garnish.
  • Zest six of the oranges and set aside.  Cut off the orange rind and supreme the oranges.  Supreming is cutting the segmented sections from the oranges by removing the membranes from the flesh.  Dice the segments and set aside.  Reserve any orange juice (including what is on the cutting board) and squeeze any juice from the membranes into a small pan.
  • Make the sauce:  Bring the small pan of orange juice to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, ~ 12 minutes or until reduced by half.  Remove from heat.  The juice will continue thickening as it cools.  You should have ~ 3/4 cup of the reduced juice, meaning ~ 1 Tbsp each to drizzle over each delicata squash at the end.
  • Make the filling:  In a bowl combine: parsley, pistachios, chickpeas, orange zest, oranges, olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper.
  • Reduce the oven to 350F when the squash is done.  Stuff the squash with the filling.  Bake uncovered on the same aluminum lined baking sheet ~ 5 minutes or until the pesto is warm.
  • Serve stuffed delicata on top of a kale leaf.  Add a drizzle of the orange sauce over the top of the squash, and sprinkle on pomegranate kernels.  Add sea salt to taste.  Happy & Grateful Eating!  -Beckie