Spicy Fall Stew Baked in a Pumpkin
You don't need a magic spell to turn a pumpkin into the edible serving dish for this satisfying autumn recipe. If you can't find a large pumpkin or squash, bake this stew in two smaller ones. Serve with Poblano-Cucumber Salsa.
Ingredients
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1 medium onion, diced (1 cup)
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2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
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1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch dice
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2 cloves garlic, minced (2 teaspoons)
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1 teaspoon chili powder, preferably New Mexican
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1 teaspoon ground cumin
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1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
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1/2 pound tomatillos, husked and quartered (1 1/2 cups)
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1 15-ounce can hominy, rinsed and drained
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3/4 teaspoon salt
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1 3- to 4-pound pumpkin, either sugar pie, cheese, red kuri, kabocha, or buttercup squash
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2 ounces grated sharp Cheddar cheese (1/2 cup packed)
Directions
1.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in pot over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Saute 7 minutes, or until softened. Stir in chili powder, cumin, and oregano, and cook 3 minutes more, or until spices darken.
2.
Add tomatillos, hominy, 1/2 cup water, and salt. Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, partially covered, 10 to 12 minutes, or until tomatillos are softened. Uncover, and cook 5 minutes more to thicken stew, if necessary.
3.
Meanwhile, cut top of pumpkin around stem to make lid. Scoop out pumpkin seeds and strings. Rub inside of pumpkin with remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and sprinkle generously with salt. Sprinkle cheese in bottom of pumpkin.
4.
Fill pumpkin with stew, then top with pumpkin lid. Place on parchment-covered baking sheet and bake 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until pumpkin flesh is fork-tender. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes.
5.
Scoop stew, including pumpkin, into bowls and serve hot, topped with Poblano-Cucumber Salsa.
Nutrition information
Calories 221, Total Fat 9 g, Saturated Fat 3 g, Cholesterol 10 mg, Sodium 699 mg, Carbohydrate 31 g, Fiber 6 g, Protein 6 g, Sugars 10 g.
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet
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