Acorn Squash-Sausage Cornbread Pudding
Recipe by Whitney Miller
Yield: 7 servings
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1 1-pound acorn squash, halved
5 cups 1/2-inch unsweetened cornbread cubes
6 ounces mild breakfast sausage
1/2 tablespoon butter
1 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup whipping cream
5 large eggs
3 fresh sage leaves, chopped
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
Fried Sage Leaves (recipe included)
Fried Sage Leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
7 fresh sage leaves
For the Fried Sage Leaves
Heat oil in a small sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add sage leaves and cook for about 1 minute. Be careful because oil may pop. Transfer to a paper towel to drain and crisp.
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1 1-pound acorn squash, halved
5 cups 1/2-inch unsweetened cornbread cubes
6 ounces mild breakfast sausage
1/2 tablespoon butter
1 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup whipping cream
5 large eggs
3 fresh sage leaves, chopped
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
Fried Sage Leaves (recipe included)
- Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Grease foil with oil. Place acorn squash halves cut side down on aluminum foil. Bake for 50 minutes or until soft. (Note: The acorn squash can be microwaved. Keep whole and pierce with a sharp knife several times. Cook on high for about 6 to 8 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes and then cut in half.) Remove seeds from acorn squash halves. Spoon pulp from acorn squash and place in an electric food chopper or food processor. Process until smooth. Set aside.
- Place cornbread cubes on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until toasted.
- Cook sausage in a small skillet over medium-high heat until browned, breaking up sausage with a spoon while cooking. Drain sausage on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Divide 7 six-ounce ramekins between two 13 x 9-inch baking dishes and then grease the ramekins with butter. Evenly distribute toasted cornbread cubes and sausage in the ramekins.
- Combine half-and-half and cream in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat until hot, about 6 minutes.
- Whisk eggs in a large bowl. Whisking constantly, spoon a ladleful of cream mixture into eggs to temper. Continue whisking, while slowly adding hot milk mixture into egg mixture. Add squash purée, chopped sage, and salt. Whisk until combined. Ladle squash mixture over cornbread cubes and sausage in each ramekin. Gently press cubes into squash mixture.
- Pour enough hot water into the 2 baking dishes to reach halfway up the ramekins. Bake for 28 to 30 minutes. Allow cornbread puddings to cool for 5 minutes and then transfer ramekins to serving plates. Serve warm with 1 Fried Sage leaf on top of each acorn squash-sausage cornbread pudding.
Fried Sage Leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
7 fresh sage leaves
For the Fried Sage Leaves
Heat oil in a small sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add sage leaves and cook for about 1 minute. Be careful because oil may pop. Transfer to a paper towel to drain and crisp.