Using a strong knife, cut the cap off of the squash (as you would a Jack-o-Lantern).
Clean the kabocha squash or pumpkin of seeds and string.
Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan. Add the onions and sauté for 1 minute.
Add the celery, kale, cubes of squash and a pinch of salt. Saute for 6 minutes or until the squash begins to soften.
Add the apple and sausage continue to sauté for 2 minutes.
Add the white wine and cook for an additional minute.
Remove from heat and toss in bread, thyme, sage and rosemary. Season with additional salt to taste. (Keep in mind that you will want the mixture fairly salty to help season the flesh of the squash or pumpkin.)
Stuff the kabocha squash with the stuffing mixture, being careful not to overstuff. (You may have some stuffing left over.) Top stuffed squash with the cap.
Transfer squash to parchment-lined baking sheet and cook for 1 1/4 hour. Remove the cap and continue to cook for an additional 15-30 minutes, until flesh of the kabocha squash is soft and easily pierced with the tip of a knife.
To serve, either slice wedges from the squash like a pie or scoop out servings, being careful to scoop out the kabocha or pumpkin’s fresh with the stuffing. The kabocha squash should have a creamy texture when it is fully cooked.
Notes
*To make this recipe in a conventional oven (not a convection oven), preheat to 375 degrees and increase the cooking time to 1 hour and 35 minutes before removing the cap and cooking for 18-35 minutes longer, checking for doneness by piercing the squash with the tip of a knife as written above.
A note on the provided nutrition information
The nutrition information provided has been estimated by an online nutrition calculator and is not a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.