STUFFED PUMPKIN STEW

Stuffed Pumpkin Stew image

Each vegetable is perfectly cooked and colorful, and the chicken takes on a wonderful flavor after it is warmed inside the steaming-hot pumpkin. Each portion of this dinner recipe is served with a big slice of the roasted pumpkin.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories Food & Cooking Ingredients Meat & Poultry Chicken Chicken Thighs

Number Of Ingredients 20

Ingredients

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
10 brussels sprouts, trimmed
6 ounces green beans, trimmed
4 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed
1 cheese pumpkin (about 10 pounds), seeded, top reserved
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
10 chicken thighs and legs, skin-on
1 cup homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 medium crisp baking apples (any type), cored and quartered
1 jar (7 ounces) vacuum-packed whole peeled chestnuts
12 ounces baby white potatoes, quartered
2 leeks, halved, light-green and white parts only, rinsed well and cut diagonally into 1 1/2-inch-thick slices
5 carrots, cut diagonally into 1-inch-thick slices
2 turnips, cut into eighths
4 parsnips, cut diagonally into 1-inch-thick slices
1/2 medium butternut squash, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 celery root, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons thinly sliced garlic
1/2 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped

Steps:

Prepare an ice-water bath. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add brussels sprouts, and cook until bright green and crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to ice-water bath. Repeat with green beans and snap peas. Drain.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rub inside of pumpkin and cut side of its top with 3 tablespoons oil. Place pumpkin and top on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and roast until they are tender but still holding shape, about 1 hour.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken generously with salt and pepper. Working in batches, cook chicken until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove excess fat from skillet. Repeat with remaining chicken, adding 1 tablespoon oil to skillet with each batch. Place chicken on a baking sheet. Add stock to skillet, and bring to a boil, scraping bottom. Pour stock into a small bowl.
Roast chicken until golden brown and cooked through, about 40 minutes. Reserve pan juices.
Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add apples, and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in chestnuts, and remove from heat.
Combine potatoes, leeks, carrots, turnips, parsnips, squash, and celery root in a large bowl. Toss with remaining 1/2 cup oil, and season with salt and pepper. Spread vegetables in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, and roast until golden and tender, about 40 minutes. Add brussels sprouts, green beans, snap peas, apple mixture, and the garlic, and toss. Roast until garlic is golden brown and vegetables are heated through, about 10 minutes.
Combine chicken, vegetables, parsley, stock, and 2 tablespoons reserved pan juices in a large bowl. Place mixture in pumpkin, and roast until heated through, about 15 minutes. Slice pumpkin into wedges. Serve each pumpkin wedge with some stew.