Baked Squash with Apples and Chestnuts, Christmas Vegetable Dishes

Ingredients:

5 lb. raw squash, cut in half, seeds & fibrous membrane removed 6 c. water, divided 10 chestnuts, cut with an X on flat side 1/2 c. cream sherry 2-3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored & chopped 1/2-1 tsp. salt

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place squash halves in 9 x 13 inch baking pan and pour 3-4 cup of water into pan. Bake uncovered until soft, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile place chestnuts in small saucepan and add remaining 2 cups of water. Cover and boil on high heat 15 minutes. Drain water and set chestnuts aside until cool enough to handle. Peel chestnuts, cool and chop meat coarsely. Set aside. When squash is cooked, scoop out flesh and puree in blender or food processor, working in batches if necessary. (For this recipe, you will need 6 cups squash puree.) Place squash puree in large bowl. (Recipe can be completed to this point the day before. Refrigerate puree squash.) Set oven at 325 degrees. Stir sherry, chopped apples and salt into puree and pour into a 1 quart casserole. Sprinkle with reserved chopped chestnuts and bake 60 minutes or until heated through.

Serves 6-8.