Roasted Squash with Wild Rice Stuffing

From Christina Cooks by Christina Pirello
40 minutes prep time  |  serves 8

What you need: 

• 3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbsp barley malt
• Sea salt
• 2 medium Kabocha squash, tops removed,  jack-o-lantern style and seeds removed (Butternut squash may be substituted for Kabocha)
• Water, as needed 

Stuffing 

• 3/4 c wild rice, rinsed very well
• 11/2 c water
• Sea salt
• 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 to 3 cloves fresh garlic, finely minced
• 1 red onion, finely diced 
• 1 to 2 stalks celery, diced 
• 8 oz tempeh, coarsely crumbled
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 c pine nuts
• 1/2 c dry white wine
• 2 to 3 c firmly packed, shredded whole-grain sourdough bread
• 1 to 2 c freshly squeezed orange juice

What you do:

1. Preheat oven to 375º. Whisk together oil, barley malt, and pinch of salt in small bowl. Using your fingers, rub mixture over outsides and insides of squash. Place squash in baking dish, replacing caps. Add about ½ inch water to dish. Cover with foil and bake until squash pierces easily with a fork but is still firm, about 45 minutes.
2. While squash bakes, make stuffing. Place wild rice and water in heavy pot and bring to boil over medium heat. Add pinch of salt, cover, reduce heat to low, and cook until all liquid has been absorbed and rice is tender, about 35 minutes. Set aside.
3. Place oil, garlic, and onion in skillet over medium heat. When onion begins to sizzle, add pinch of salt and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in celery and saute for 1 minute. Stir in tempeh and basil and saute until tempeh begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Add pine nuts and wine and season to taste with salt. Cover and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Remove cover and cook until all liquid has been absorbed.
4. Place bread in mixing bowl and add rice, sauteed vegetables, and tempeh. Slowly add orange juice, mixing well until a soft stuffing forms. Don’t make it too wet.
5. Stuff each squash abundantly and replace in baking dish. Lay caps in dish next to squash, not on top. Cover with foil and bake until squash is quite tender, 35 minutes to 1 hour, depending on size of squash. Allow squash to cool for 10 minutes before transferring to serving platter.
6. Note: Extra stuffing can be pressed into an oiled baking dish and cooked, covered for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove cover and brown top before serving.