Squash Mutt

What do you get when you cross a squash and a zucchini?  You get a yellow-green freckled orb the size of a small cantaloupe. It has a scratchy stem and when sliced open, it contains seeds like a pumpkin and tender golden flesh.  I was lucky enough to adopt my very own squash mutt from the farmer's market! However, it sat on my counter for some time before I could make up my mind for how to cook it. I liked admiring my unique vegetable, and its mixed pedigree made it a bit confusing for me to decide on a recipe. I wanted to make something as unique as it was.  I decided on this...

Spicy, stuffed squash!
And could that really be a side of uni-corn?!  :)

Boiled, seasoned sweet corn.
Just add butter, salt, pepper and chili powder with fresh parsley.

This was truly a farm-to-table inspired dinner. The corn was brought home by Joe, who was gifted three husks that were freshly picked from someone's garden. The squash mutt was from the farmer's market, the bowl of sweet cherries from Colorado growers, and the side of craft cheese (gorgonzola) made for such a tasty meal.  Here is my recipe for my stuffed squash mutt, however, you can use oversized zucchini (they are only in-season a bit longer) or your favorite winter squash.

Spicy Stuffed Squash

Serves 2

1 large zucchini, squash, or squash mutt

1/2 lb. ground beef or bison (try grass-fed, organic)

1/2 onion, chopped

1/2 sweet pepper, chopped

1 cup corn (can use frozen)

1 cup stewed tomatoes

2 tbsp. mild chili peppers, seeded and chopped

1 tbsp. chili powder

1 teaspoon fresh oregano, or 1/2 tsp. dried

1/2 teaspoon cumin, ground

1/8 cup bread crumbs

1/2 cup cheese, shredded (Monterey Jack or sharp cheddar, recommended)

2 tbsp. fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped

Preparation: Split squash in-half (lengthwise if using zucchini), scoop out seeds and discard. Carefully cut away the flesh from the outer skin, leaving about 1/2 an inch thick. Reserve the flesh and the shells! Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and place squash shells into a greased baking dish for later. 

To make the filling: Cook the meat, onion, and sweet pepper in a large frying pan over medium heat until meat is browned. Drain off fat (if any). Then add the squash flesh, corn, tomatoes, chili peppers, chili powder, oregano, and cumin. Turn heat to high and let boil, stirring often, until liquid evaporates (about 5 minutes). Add the bread crumbs, half of the cheese, and fresh cilantro/parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix well and remove from heat.

Assembly:  Fill the empty squash shells with the cooked meat mixture and bake in 30-35 minutes. Then sprinkle the remaining cheese over stuffed squash and bake for another 15 minutes or until cheese begins to brown. Remove from the oven and let stand 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with additional fresh cilantro/parsley (optional) and enjoy!  You can eat the skins of zucchini and squash mutts but the hard exterior or winter squashes might not be so pleasant.

You should try stuffed squashes, too! Besides, they seem to be all the rage this season. Check out this link, from the New York Times, for more inspiring recipes.