The Stuff Squash Is Made Of

“What’s low in fat, low in calories, loaded with vitamins and tastes good?” goes the joke.

“Nothing!” goes the punch line.

But we beg to differ. Winter squash is nutritious and sweet enough to please a family at dinner time. Winter doldrums can be livened up by featuring a variety of stuffed winter squash as inexpensive, meatless alternatives.

The darling of nutritionists, winter squash is loaded with vitamin A, fiber and vitamins C and B complex. I saute, steam, puree and bake winter squash, and its bright color pairs well with festive foods.

My first encounter with stuffed winter squash was a South American recipe that a friend prepared. A bread dressing was seasoned liberally with cumin and chiles and packed into the squash cavity, then baked. She offered it as a vegetarian entree, accompanied by a large green salad, bread and dessert. The savory filling complemented the sweet squash, and I became a convert.

Hard-shelled squash can be difficult to peel, but when you stuff a winter squash, your only preparation chore is to slice it in half and remove the seeds. Use a large heavy chef’s knife and, with a whack, carefully sink the blade (not the tip) into the side of the squash, pressing down heavily and using a rocking motion to allow the knife to work its way through.

Make the stuffing separately and pack it loosely into the squash cavities. Brush any exposed edges of the squash with liquid to keep it from drying out during cooking. I like to use undiluted frozen orange juice concentrate; it cooks into a wonderful tangy glaze.

As a mainstay of the winter cupboard, hard-shelled squash comes in dozens of varieties. My favorites for stuffing are acorn and butternut squash and sweet dumplings. The Mexican and Caribbean favorite, chayote, is another tasty variety for stuffing, especially with spicy fillings.

STUFFED SWEET DUMPLING SQUASH

4 sweet dumpling squashes

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/2 cup defatted chicken stock

2 tablespoons honey

1 small onion, finely chopped

1/3 cup chopped celery

1 teaspoon minced orange peel

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1 cup soft bread crumbs

2 tablespoons raisins or currants

1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Cut away 1/2 inch from top of each squash. Scoop out seeds and discard. Place squash, cut side down, on foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees until slightly softened, about 15 minutes.

Combine oil, stock and honey in 10-inch nonstick skillet and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Add onion and celery and cook, stirring frequently, 5 minutes. Add orange peel, garlic and poultry seasoning and cook, stirring constantly, 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Add bread crumbs and raisins.

Pack mixture loosely into squash cavities. Top with cheese. Bake 15 minutes longer or until filling is golden brown and squash is soft.

4 servings. Each serving:

256 calories; 225 mg sodium; 1 mg cholesterol; 3 grams fat; 54 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams protein; 3.62 grams fiber.

CRANBERRY-STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

2 large acorn squash

1 cup chopped unpeeled tart apple

1/2 cup fresh or frozen cranberries

1/3 cup orange juice concentrate

3 tablespoons maple syrup

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

Halve each squash lengthwise and remove seeds. Place squash, cut side up, in oiled 13x9-inch baking dish.

Combine apple, cranberries, 3 tablespoons orange juice concentrate, maple syrup, cinnamon and allspice in bowl and mix well. Pack loosely into squash cavities. Brush cut edges of squash with remaining orange juice concentrate.

Bake at 350 degrees until filling is bubbly and squash is soft, about 1 1/4 hours.

4 servings. Each serving:

196 calories; 9 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 0 fat; 50 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 3.56 grams fiber.

STUFFED CHAYOTE SQUASH WITH SAGE AND APRICOTS

4 large chayote squash, halved lengthwise and pitted

1/3 cup defatted chicken stock

2 tablespoons apple juice

1 onion, finely chopped

1 green bell pepper, finely chopped

1/2 cup chopped unpeeled apple

1/3 cup chopped celery

2 large cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon chopped toasted walnuts, optional

1/4 teaspoon dried sage

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Salt, pepper

2 tablespoons chopped dried apricots

Cook squash in large pan of boiling water 30 minutes or until tender. Drain well and cool. Scoop out and reserve pulp, leaving 1/2-inch-thick shells. Chop pulp.

Combine stock and apple juice in 10-inch nonstick skillet and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Add chopped pulp, onion, bell pepper, apple, celery and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, 8 to 10 minutes or until onion is soft but not browned.

Remove from heat. Add walnuts, sage, thyme, salt and pepper to taste and apricots. Pack loosely into squash cavities. Place on large oiled baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees until filling is golden brown, about 40 minutes.

8 servings. Each serving:

54 calories; 69 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 0 fat; 12 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 1.21 grams fiber.