STUFFED PUMPKIN

Stuffed Pumpkin image

Step aside, jack-o'-lanterns. We've got another reason to carve a pumpkin.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories Food & Cooking Main Dish Recipes Casserole Recipes

Number Of Ingredients 19

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Ingredients

1 1/2 cups chestnuts
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound fresh porcini mushrooms, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 pound fresh chanterelle mushrooms, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 loaf (1 pound) Pullman or other white sandwich bread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 pound carrots, peeled and diced
2 large onions, finely chopped
8 celery stalks, diced
1 large sweet potato, peeled, cored, and diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups Turkey Stock or low-sodium store-bought chicken or vegetable broth
4 Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
3 large eggs
1 cheese pumpkin (10 to 12 pounds)

Steps:

Cut a slit in each chestnut with scissors or a paring knife. Cook chestnuts in a pot of boiling water for 20 minutes, then drain in a colander. When cool enough to handle, peel off and discard shells and inner brown skins.
Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large saute pan over medium high until shimmering. Saute chestnuts, stirring occasionally, until they begin to brown. With a slotted spoon, transfer chestnuts to a plate. Add both mushrooms to skillet and saute, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms release their juices and begin to turn golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and season with salt. Add bread cubes, and toss to mix.
Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in same pan over medium high. Add carrots, onions, celery, sweet potato, and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Add stock and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer contents of pan to bread mixture along with the chestnuts. Add apples, herbs, and another 3 tablespoons olive oil. Toss well and season stuffing with salt and pepper, then mix in the eggs.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove top of pumpkin by cutting a circle about 5 inches in diameter around stem with a paring knife: reserve top. Scrape out and discard seeds and stringy flesh from pumpkin. Rub inside of pumpkin with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spoon stuffing into pumpkin and replace top. Bake stuffed pumpkin on a rimmed baking sheet until pumpkin is tender when pierced with a skewer, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. (Do not overcook pumpkin or the side may split.) To serve, remove top and scoop out stuffing and some pumpkin flesh with a large spoon.