Stuffed Pumpkin

Here is the last post for this week! This is a perfect dish for this time of year, especially if you like pumpkin in forms other than sweet pies and drinks. Cooked this way, it tastes almost like butternut squash. It is easier than I expected, and quite yummy! A friend of ours kept telling us about some other friends (now moved away) who used to make stuffed pumpkins. I did some research and discovered a Dorie Greenspan recipe. I decided to do my own version following her basic methods.

 

If you’re like me, you might get a bit eager with your filling and make extra. No worries, I just put the rest of the filling in a pie plate and baked it at the same temperature for 30 minutes. And there you go: stuffing two ways! (Or so we were joking. Hehe.)

 

Oh, and if you’re keeping track, here is another recipe where you can use ground chicken!

There was lots of fun cutting open the pumpkin because none of us knew what to expect.

 

And this is apparently what I look like taking pictures for my blog at each step:

 

I didn’t even realize I was still holding the knife.

Directions for Stuffed Pumpkin

Inspired by Dorie Greenspan

• 1 sugar or pie pumpkin, about 3-4 pounds
• 3 slices of bacon
• About 3/4 pound ground chicken
• Sprinkles of salt and nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon each of thyme, white pepper, curry powder, and coriander (you can change these seasonings)
• 2-3 cups toasted/stale bread cubes
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/3 pound cheese, chopped into small cubes (Gouda, Cheddar, or other good melting cheeses)
• A few sprigs fresh rosemary (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Move the racks to properly fit your pumpkin. Cut a hole at the top of the pumpkin, like you do for carving pumpkins.

Remove the seeds and as much of the stringy stuff as you can. Place the top back on, then place the pumpkin on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, saute the bacon slices in a large skillet. Remove the bacon strips from the pan and let cool. When cool enough to touch, crumble the strips into small pieces.

Mix together the ground chicken with the salt, nutmeg, thyme, white pepper, curry powder, and coriander. Make little meatballs with the mixture, then cook in the bacon fat, browning on each side.

Once browned, add half of the green onion. Continue cooking and stirring until the meatballs are cooked through.

 

When the pumpkin is ready, remove the top.

It browns in the oven after the first round of baking.

Stir together the bacon, bread cubes, chicken meatballs, the remaining green onion, and the cheese.

You can also add more seasoning at this time. Then, place this mixture in the pumpkin, filling as close to the top as possible (leaving room for the top to go back on).

Any extra filling can go in a pie plate. Pour the milk into the pumpkin (and some into the pie plate). Put the top back on the pumpkin, then bake for another hour.

Place the pie plate in the oven after 30 minutes.

Serve with a bit of fresh rosemary on top, if desired.

Slice the pumpkin into quarters. The skin should peel off easily.

Directions for Stuffed Pumpkin (without pictures)

Inspired by Dorie Greenspan

• 1 sugar or pie pumpkin, about 3-4 pounds
• 3 slices of bacon
• About 3/4 pound ground chicken
• Sprinkles of salt and nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon each of thyme, white pepper, curry powder, and coriander (you can change these seasonings)
• 2-3 cups toasted/stale bread cubes
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/3 pound cheese, chopped into small cubes (Gouda, Cheddar, or other good melting cheeses)
• A few sprigs fresh rosemary (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Move the racks to properly fit your pumpkin. Cut a hole at the top of the pumpkin, like you do for carving pumpkins. Remove the seeds and as much of the stringy stuff as you can. Place the top back on, then place the pumpkin on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, saute the bacon slices in a large skillet. Remove the bacon strips from the pan and let cool. When cool enough to touch, crumble the strips into small pieces.

Mix together the ground chicken with the salt, nutmeg, thyme, white pepper, curry powder, and coriander. Make little meatballs with the mixture, then cook in the bacon fat, browning on each side. Once browned, add half of the green onion. Continue cooking and stirring until the meatballs are cooked through.

When the pumpkin is ready, remove the top. Stir together the bacon, bread cubes, chicken meatballs, the remaining green onion, and the cheese. You can also add more seasoning at this time. Then, place this mixture in the pumpkin, filling as close to the top as possible (leaving room for the top to go back on). Any extra filling can go in a pie plate. Pour the milk into the pumpkin (and some into the pie plate). Put the top back on the pumpkin, then bake for another hour. Place the pie plate in the oven after 30 minutes. Serve with a bit of fresh rosemary on top, if desired.

Slice the pumpkin into quarters. The skin should peel off easily.