Company's Coming Stuffed Winter Squash

Ingredients

• 1 cup apples diced
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 
• 2 cups rice 
• 4 small butternut squash ( 4-inch diameter)
• 1 pinch ground pepper 
• 3 stalks celery thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons cumin 
• 1 cup currants 
• 1 cup currants 
• 1 teaspoon thyme dried
• 3 tablespoons rosemary leaves dried fresh chopped
• 3 tablespoons sage dried fresh chopped
• 4  garlic clove minced
• 8 servings pepper fresh black
• 2 tablespoons olive oil 
• 1 teaspoon oregano dried
• 1 teaspoon paprika 
• 1 cup parsley chopped
• 8 servings parsley (to garnish)
• 1.5 cups pecans 
• 0.5  bell pepper diced red
• 0.8 teaspoon sea salt 
• 8 servings sea salt 
• 2 tablespoons tamari sauce 
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar 
• 6 cups water 
• 1 cup rice wild
• 0.5  bell pepper diced yellow
• 2 large onion diced yellow

Equipment

• frying pan
• baking sheet
• sauce pan
• oven
• mixing bowl
• sieve
• roasting pan
• aluminum foil

Directions

1. . Wash squash and trim ends.
2. Cut squash crosswise into halves and scoop seeds out. Set aside.Rinse basmati and wild rice in a strainer under cold running water.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan; add rice and cook 5 minutes.
4. Add water to rice and bring to a boil. Reduce flame and cook covered 40 minutes or until water is absorbed and steam holes form in rice.
5. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet.
6. Add cumin, paprika, thyme, oregano and cayenne and saut for two minutes.
7. Add onions, garlic, celery, peppers and parsley. Cook 20 minutes. Stir in raisins, apples, fresh rosemary and sage. Cook 10 minutes more.Preheat oven to 375F .
8. Spread pecans on a baking sheet.
9. Place baking sheet in oven and roast pecans 8 to 10 minutes until theybegin to release their aroma. Be careful not to burn them.
10. Remove pecans from the oven and combine them with the cooked rice,vegetables, tamari, umeboshi and balsamic vinegar in a large mixing bowl.
11. Add salt and pepper to taste.Stuff rice mixture firmly into squash halves.
12. Place squash in a roasting pan with 1/2 cup water. Cover with foil and bake 45 minutes or until squash is easily pierced with a fork. To serve, slice squash into 1-inch rings and garnish with Italian parsley.Note: Any leftover stuffing can be baked for 30 minutes at 375F in a lightly oiled, covered 2-quart casserole.