I was walking through the local produce market, and spotted a squash that was new to me. I had never heard of abobora, but I decided to give it a try. I was also in the mood to use fresh cranberries, and had some barley on hand.

The barley cranberry mixture could actually stand on it’s own as a side dish, but it did complement the squash. I forgot just how tart fresh cranberries are though, and added a touch more brown sugar at the end. The squash itself was similar to butternut squash, with a mild flavor. Overall, a fun experiment, and I’ll pick up another abobora soon.

1 abobora squash, sliced in half and seeds removed
1/2 c. barley
1/2 c. fresh cranberries
1 1/2 c. water
1 T Parmesan
1 T walnuts
1 t brown sugar
Salt
Pepper

In a medium saucepan, mix barley, cranberries, and water. Cover pot, and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes, or until water is almost absorbed. Stir in Parmesan, walnuts, and brown sugar. Press stuffing into squash halves, and place in a baking dish covered with foil. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes. Remove foil, and bake 15 more minutes or until squash is soft.

• Main Dishes