Wild Rice Butternut Squash Stuffing

1 cup wild rice
3 slices smoked bacon
1/2 cup diced onion
2 bay leaves
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup finely diced carrot
1/4 cup finely diced celery
salt, fresh ground black pepper
1 butternut squash
1/2 pound fresh chicken livers
1 tablespoon butter + more for greasing
33 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
2 tablespoons finely diced shallots
2 tablespoons cognac

Place rice in medium-size pot and cover with cold water. Bring to boil over medium-high heat and cook 1 minute. Drain and set aside. Cook bacon in pot over medium heat until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Add onion, cover and cook until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add rice and stir to coat with bacon fat. Add bay leaves and broth. Bring to boil over medium heat, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.

Add carrots, cover and simmer 20 minutes. At this point, rice should be almost al dente. Add celery and cook 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Rice is done when it starts to expand and has very little crunch left. Remove bacon and bay leaves immediately. Lay rice out on baking sheet and let cool. Cut squash in half and remove strings and seeds. Season with salt and black pepper. Place on greased baking sheet. Bake until squash is soft but not mushy, 45 minutes. When squash is cool enough to handle, peel skin and cut squash into 1-inch squares. Set aside.

Season chicken livers with salt and black pepper. Heat medium saute pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon butter and quickly saute chicken livers until lightly browned and no longer pink, 30 seconds each side. Remove and let cool. Puree in food processor and pass through fine sieve into mixing bowl. Mix rice into pureed chicken livers. Add squash, parsley, shallots and cognac. Mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste.

8 servings.