These are a delicious vegetarian side dish or main course if you add a bit of cubed feta cheese; they are also perfect served with grilled fish.
Serves: 3 -4
Preparation: 45 minutes
Cooking: 45-60 minutes
Ingredients
● 3–4 mini-sized squash or three butternut squash
● Olive oil
● 3 large onions, sliced thinly
● 4–6 tbsp sunflower oil
● 2 dsp caster sugar
● 250g of a mixture of wild red and black rice
● 100g dried nuts
● 50g goji berries
● 25g raisins
● Salt and pepper
Method
● Wash and cut off the top of the squash. If you cannot find mini squash use butternut squash. You will need to cut off approximately the top third of it to make a vessel to serve the filling in. Use the leftover squash for soup or roast and use in the filling.
● Line a baking tray with some baking paper and place the squash on it. You can wrap the squash in aluminium foil to make it stable and straight. Drizzle with olive oil and cook at 180°C for approximately 45 minutes until it softens.
● While they are roasting, prepare the caramelised onions: heat the sunflower oil in a frying pan.
● Once hot, add the onion and fry until they are golden, then add the caster sugar and caramelise the onions. Set aside.
● Cook the rice: rinse it then cook in boiling water for 20-30 minutes until cooked but still al dente, to keep a bit of a crunch. Drain.
● Once the squash is cooked, remove the seeds. Carefully spoon out the flesh from the squash until you only have the shell. You will use this to serve the filling in.
● Dice the squash flesh into small cubes, and in a large bowl mix the cubed squash with the rice, nuts, berries, raisins and the caramelised onions.
● Season to taste.
● To serve, fill the squash shells with the mixture and warm in the oven at 160°C for 15-20 minutes before serving.
