Sausage, Squash, and Cornbread Gratin

Position a rack in center of oven; preheat to 400°. Cut off stem end of kabocha squash and rest on cut side. Cut squash in half. Scoop out seeds and stringy innards with a spoon; discard. Using your knife, shave off tough peel and layer of light green flesh beneath. Cut squash into 1"-thick slices.

Smash 5 garlic cloves with the side of the knife and remove peel.

Combine squash, garlic, 3 rosemary sprigs, ½ cup heavy cream, and ¼ cup water in a medium saucepan. Season generously with salt and pepper and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Cover pot and reduce heat to low. Simmer until squash is tender and easily mashes when pressed with the back of a spoon, 10–15 minutes.

Meanwhile, grasp stem end of each kale leaf. Starting at stem, slide your other hand along length of leaf to strip leaves. Repeat with entire bunch; discard stems. Tear leaves into 1"–2" pieces (you should have about 8 cups).

Peel 2 shallots and thinly slice crosswise.

Use the tip of your knife to prick 1 lb. sausage all over in several places.

Crumble cornbread into coarse crumbs (you should have about 2 cups).

When squash is tender, remove saucepan from heat. Uncover and pluck out rosemary sprigs, leaving leaves inside pot. Transfer entire mixture to a medium bowl (reserve saucepan) and mash with the back of a spoon until no distinct pieces of squash remain. Season with salt and pepper.

Wipe out pot with paper towels and heat over medium. Add 2 Tbsp. butter and heat until melted. Add shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add kale a couple of handfuls at a time, stirring to wilt between each batch, and cook until leaves are dark green and wilted, about 3 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl with squash, then fold to incorporate.

Heat 1 Tbsp. butter in same saucepan over medium and add sausage. Cook, turning once, until browned on both sides (they won’t be cooked through), about 6 minutes. Transfer to cutting board and let cool for a few minutes (reserve saucepan again and do not pour out fat from sausages–you’re going to use it one more time).

Meanwhile, using a rubber spatula, scrape squash and kale mixture into a shallow 2-qt. baking dish and smooth top.

Cut sausages crosswise into 2" pieces and nestle into top of squash mixture, spacing evenly.

Heat remaining 2 Tbsp. butter in same saucepan over medium and add cornbread crumbs. Cook, stirring, just until crumbs are evenly coated in fat. Scatter cornbread crumbs over squash mixture; season with more salt and pepper.

Bake gratin until crumbs are toasty and brown and sausages are cooked through (you can insert an instant-read thermometer into center of sausage to check if registers 140°, or just cut into one with a knife), 20–25 minutes. Let cool 5–10 minutes before serving.