Borrowed: Roasted Corn Pudding in Acorn Squash

November 20, 2012

acorn squash I generally consider myself an impartial vegetable lover. Lima beans? Brussels sprouts? I’ll eat them with gusto. (We’ll talk some other time about mustard greens). But if there’s one wintertime vegetable that I’ve never really warmed to, it’s the acorn squash. It’s beautiful to look at, but it always strikes me as being awfully sweet. When James came home from working the market on Saturday carrying two good-sized acorn squash, I can’t say that I was incredibly enthusiastic.  scallions and eggs Puzzlingly, many of the recipes that I see for acorn squash call for an addition of brown sugar or maple syrup. If I’m eating something sweet, the last thing I want to add is anything sweeter. I was beginning to  grumble when I decided to turn to my tried and true site for moments when I’m feeling like my dinner choice is looking a little…mehHeidi Swanson’s 101 Cookbooks always manages to offer a little twist that I wouldn’t have thought of on my own. Unsurprisingly, her recipe for roasted corn pudding in acorn squash was exactly what I needed to give this winter veg a second (maybe a twentieth?) try. In the great tradition of sharing recipes, Heidi’s recipe is borrowed from Karen Hubert Allison’s The Vegetarian Compass. You can read more about both women and get the recipe for this squash on Heidi’s blog.
corn and scallions I followed the recipe pretty nearly, except that I used frozen corn (from these guys) which I ran under warmish water to thaw.
milk Instead of using just anise, I ground up a tablespoon of this fennel citrus blend from The Girl and the Fig and added that instead: a combination of fennel seed, lemon peel, anise, lavender, sea salt, and thyme along with something that looks an awful lot like dried scallions.
fennel citrus blend by the girl & the fig The corn pudding was light and delicious and the smells of the scallions roasting away were enough to make this recipe a success no matter how I look at it. Like, Heidi, I had more filling than I needed and was able to fill both acorn squash with just one recipe’s worth of corn pudding. corn pudding batter For the wobbly halves in the bunch, I shaved a small bit off the bottom to make them more stable. If you’re as messy in the kitchen as I am, consider adding a piece of parchment paper to your cooking sheet. Having it there would have made clean-up much easier. acorn squash The finished product was delicious and delightful. Melted cheddar cheese and scallions sprinkled on top helped to cut back on the sweetness of the squash. Admittedly, no matter what you do to it, acorn squash will still be sweet, but this recipe offers an unexpected and delicious alternative to the maple glazes I’ve been stumbling upon. If you’re still looking for a Thanksgiving side, you might consider this one.
roasted corn pudding in acorn squash Find the full recipe here.

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17 Comments

  • Reply sweet harvest moon November 20, 2012 at 2:19 pm

    Delicious!

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  • Reply bridgetteo November 20, 2012 at 2:25 pm

    i do something similar, but with a corn and rice mixture, still topped with the white cheddar. yum!

    also, another savory option that i enjoy: a sprinkle of nutmeg and a bay leaf or two in the squash when you bake it.

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    • Reply Erin November 20, 2012 at 4:14 pm

      yes! good idea. (the original recipe does call for nutmeg)!

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  • Reply little kitchie November 20, 2012 at 2:28 pm

    BEAUTIFUL! i want to dive right in!

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  • Reply emily @ cabin fervor November 20, 2012 at 3:25 pm

    Looks delicious. I will definitely try this, as I'm always puzzled about what to do with acorn squash.

    Note: Your recipes have been a nice addition to your blog lately. My 14-month-old daughter does not like meat but will eat a huge variety of vegetables, so I'm trying to get creative with new (but still simple) ways to encourage my little health nut's discerning palate!

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    • Reply Erin November 20, 2012 at 4:14 pm

      thanks, emily! so glad that you've been enjoying them!

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  • Reply Sarah November 20, 2012 at 4:40 pm

    I like a sweet-savoury approach to acorn squash – I whip up a mix of eggs, spinach, seasoning, and goat cheese and pour it into a roasted squash and then top it with bread crumbs and more goat cheese.

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  • Reply stephanie November 20, 2012 at 4:58 pm

    I'm super excited to try this! Thank you for sharing all the links and your variation.

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  • Reply rebecca November 20, 2012 at 5:03 pm

    we are two peas in a vegetarian pod. this looks impressive.

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  • Reply Andrea Carol November 20, 2012 at 6:19 pm

    I'm the same when it comes to squash! My boyfriend always adds brown sugar and maple syrup to his and I CRINGE opting for butter and salt, instead.

    That recipe looks delicious!

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  • Reply slip4 November 20, 2012 at 6:52 pm

    I am excited to try this!

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  • Reply Kari November 20, 2012 at 7:34 pm

    You must really not have a sweet tooth. I love acorn squash, and I say pile on the brown sugar and maple syrup. Yum!

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  • Reply Cara of Big Girls, Small Kitchen November 21, 2012 at 2:33 pm

    This looks awesome. Such a good 101 Cookbooks archive find!

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  • Reply Alain Alexandre November 23, 2012 at 7:48 am

    herbe love

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  • Reply Michelle Justine December 6, 2012 at 9:14 pm

    WOW. This looks a amazing. Can't wait to give it a try!

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  • Reply Kelsey October 16, 2016 at 4:04 pm

    I’ve been thinking about this recipe ever since you mentioned it in your squash seed post. I finally tried it for lunch today, and I’m so glad I did – delicious! Thank you for sharing!

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  • Reply milo November 16, 2016 at 10:40 am

    Thank you for bringing this post up! I made these for dinner last night and they were amazing! Thank you for sharing it with us!

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