INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

• ½ cup finely diced celery

• 1 cup finely diced white onion (about 1 small)

• 1 vegetable bouillon cube

• ¼ cup white wine (like Pinot Grigio)

• 1 cup chanterelles, torn into strips

• ¼ cup finely diced dried apricots

• Sea salt flakes and cracked black pepper (to taste)

• 2 cups brioche or good-quality white bread, torn into pieces

• 2 large eggs (beaten)

• 1 large Carnival Squash (or two small)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium pan over medium heat, melt the butter and then sauté the celery, onion and bouillon cube until lightly browned. Deglaze the pan with the wine, and reduce until most of the liquid has evaporated.

2. Add the chanterelles and apricots to the pan and warm through. Add salt and pepper. Chill the mushroom mixture thoroughly. In a large bowl, mix the bread, eggs and the cooled vegetable mixture.

3. Using a sharp kitchen knife (and plenty of caution), trim the stem end off of the squash and cut the squash into ¾ inch rings. You should be able to get 4 rings out of a large acorn squash. Discard the stem end and bottom piece. Using a spoon, scrape the seeds and membrane out of the squash and discard. Lay the squash rings out on a large parchment-lined baking sheet and drizzle slices of squash with olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes.

4. Remove squash from the oven and press the mushroom and apricot stuffing into the center of each squash ring. Bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes or until the stuffing has set and started to brown.

Recipe and Photo from NY Times Cooking.