Souffleed Acorn Squash

Yield: 4

Ingredients

• 2 small (3/4 lb) acorn squash
• 4 teaspoons butter
• 4 teaspoons brown sugar
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon grated fresh nutmeg
• 1 large egg separated
• Salt
• Fresh ground pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Cut the Acorn Squash in half and scoop out the seeds.   Cut a thin slice out off each end of the squash so that they will not tip when presented on a plate.
3. Pour about ½ inch level high water into a baking dish.  Position the squash in water with skin side up.  Cook in the oven for about 30minutes.
4. Remove the squash from the oven and gently flip the squash over so that the fleshy side is facing up.  Spoon a tablespoon of butter on each squash center.  Return the dish to the oven to continue baking for another 30 minutes.
5. When they are ready, carefully transfer tip the butter from the squash into a mixing bowl. Add sugar, salt, pepper, and beaten egg yolk to the butter and whisk together.
6. Gently spoon out the flesh of the squash into a separate bowl.  Be very careful not to pierce the skin of the squash as this will be the vessel for the soufflé.  Leave a small amount of flesh still connected to wall.
7. In segments blend the squash in a blender or food processor.  Doing this in segments will prevent the hot mixture from exploding. Add the butter mixture.
8. Whisk the egg white with a pinch of salt into stiff peaks.  Gently fold the egg into squash mix and divide mixture subsequently into each hollowed out squash half.  Place them on a baking sheet and take to oven to bake for approximately 25 min or until tops are golden and start to crack.