Squash Gratin
- 1 spaghetti squash
- 6 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus additional for greasing a gratin dish
- Kosher or sea salt
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 2 cups Homemade Vegetable Broth or best-quality low-sodium canned vegetable broth
- 1 cup aromatic long-grain rice, such as Basmati or Jasmine
- 2 cloves garlic, sliced paper-thin
- 1/2 pound cremini or button mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed, and thinly sliced
- 1 small yellow onion, halved and sliced into thin half-rings
- 2 small-to-medium zucchini, sliced into thin rounds
- 1 tablespoon minced flat-leaf parsley
- 1/3 cup shredded dry Jack Cheese
- 1/3 cup cubed Fresh Mozzarella
- 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- Heat the oven to 375F.
- Cut the spaghetti squash in half length-wise and scoop out the seeds.
- Brush the flesh with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.
- Place the squash, cut side down, on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until tender, about 45 minutes.
- Remove the squash from the oven and let it stand until it is cool enough to handle.
- Scrape the flesh into a bowl and set aside.
- Leave the oven on.
- While the squash is baking, bring the vegetable broth to a boil in a saucepan placed over medium-high heat.
- Carefully pour in the rice.
- When the liquid returns to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and cover.
- Cook the rice for about 15 minutes, until the grains are slightly underdone and the liquid has been absorbed.
- Transfer the rice to a large bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
- Put the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil and the garlic in a large skillet or saute pan and set the pan over medium-low heat.
- Saute the garlic until it is softened but not at all browned, about 5 minutes.
- Add the mushrooms, onion, and zucchini and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.
- Saute the vegetables for about 10 minutes, until they are tender and the liquid they release has been reabsorbed.
- Stir in the parsley.
- Remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl.
- Let cool for a few minutes.
- Add the reserved spaghetti squash and the mushroom-zucchini mixture to the bowl with the rice.
- Add the dry Jack and mozzarella cheeses and gently but thoroughly fold everything together.
- Grease an 8-by-12-inch or similar-sized gratin dish with a little olive oil.
- Pour the rice-vegetable mixture into the dish and sprinkle the Parmigiano on top.
- Bake the gratin for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the edges are crusty.
- Remove the gratin from the oven and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
squash, olive oil, kosher, freshly ground black pepper, vegetable broth, rice, garlic, cremini, yellow onion, zucchini, flatleaf parsley, cheese, mozzarella
Taken from www.cookstr.com/recipes/squash-gratin (may not work)