Not all pumpkin recipes have to be sweet!  This Roasted Pumpkin Fondue is an old recipe from Gourmet Magazine that I made back in the day but shelved it because it was too rich and heavy.  My friend Katie Morford lightened it up and it’s even better than the original version!  Think soft and gooey cheese on the inside with cubes of whatever bread you like + tender pumpkin.  It’s comforting and delicious and could be a full meal with a simple salad on the side.  After shooting this with an amazing dark multi-grain, seeded bread, I realized that a lighter color bread looks more appetizing.  But this tasted phenomenal!

Why you’ll love this recipe: 

• makes a dramatic presentation; 
• fun for Halloween and fall dinner parties;
• can be stuffed with practically anything and made plant-based (see my notes at the bottom);
• it’s easier than it looks;
• delicious, feels rich, but is not overly heavy.

Ingredients

• Bread – this can be anything you like – a hearty crusty whole wheat, baguette, leftover stale bread, gluten-free or grain-free, cornbread croutons, or one with an interesting flavor like rosemary or pecan)
• Sugar Pie Pumpkin – is traditionally used to make pumpkin pie. You’ll need one that is about 2 1/2 – 3 1/2 pounds. If you have a large one, just double all the ingredients. Do not use your Halloween jack o’lantern!
• Milk – you can use regular or low-fat milk or unsweetened, unflavored cashew milk or almond milk
• Stock – you can use chicken or vegetable stock, a rich beer, or a dry white wine. 
• Nutmeg – provides a subtle spice to the filling. It’s my favorite ingredient in the recipe!
• Fresh thyme – I like adding a fresh herb to this. Fresh rosemary would be nice, too. 
• Cheese – I like gruyere, cheddar, fontina, or Monterrey jack cheese. 
• Olive oil – just need a little bit to coat the exterior of the pumpkin. 

How to make it? 

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F with a rack positioned in the lower third of the oven. You don’t want any other racks in the oven so that the pumpkin fits.
2. Toast the bread in a toaster or lay the bread on a baking sheet and set in the oven. Bake until lightly toasted on one side, about 7 minutes. Cut the bread into ½-inch cubes. Set aside.
3. Prepare the pumpkin: Either remove the top of the pumpkin by cutting around the stem with a paring knife. OR slice the top off the pumpkin with a large knife just under the stem. Don’t throw away the top. Use a large sturdy spoon to scoop out the seeds. Season the inside of the pumpkin with ¼ teaspoon salt.
4. Whisk together the milk, stock, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and thyme (if using) in a bowl or measuring cup.
5. Place one layer of toasted bread cubes in the bottom of the pumpkin.  Cover with a handful of cheese (about 1/2 cup) and drizzle with about 1/4 cup milk mixture (just eyeball it). Keep layering with the bread, cheese, and milk mixture until the pumpkin is filled to the top, but not overflowing. You’ll end up with 3 to 4 layers of each (bread/cheese/milk).
6. Cover the pumpkin with the top and transfer to a small roasting pan or cast iron skillet. A pie plate is nice too. You can also use a foil-lined small sheet pan and then transfer it to a serving dish after it comes out of the oven. Rub the exterior of the pumpkin with olive oil. Bake until the pumpkin is tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours, depending on its size. To test for doneness, remove the top of the pumpkin (use oven mitts) and pierce the pumpkin flesh with a knife. It should go in without resistance. The skin should be a beautiful burnished color.
7. Remove from the oven and serve immediately. I like to spoon the filling into bowls.

Tips

• If the Sugar Pie Pumpkins in your area are much larger, like 5-7 pounds, just double this recipe. 
• You can stuff it a few hours in advance and bake it later.
• The takeaway from this recipe is that you can stuff a Sugar Pie pumpkin with lots of things and bake it for a dramatic and delicious meal or appetizer. This is an old Gourmet Magazine recipe and I have made it countless times with other add-ins as well like caramelized onions, crumbled cooked turkey bacon, and chives. You can add a little honey to the cavity of the pumpkin if you want to add some sweetness. You can also take traditional Thanksgiving stuffing and stuff the pumpkin.
• This recipe does take some time to bake, so if you need your oven for something else, finish the pumpkin in the oven and transfer it to a slow cooker set on the WARM setting and keep it warm (it actually just gets softer and more tender) for up to a couple hours more. 

Substitutions

• Bread – baguette, leftover stale bread, gluten-free or grain-free, cornbread croutons, or one with an interesting flavor like rosemary or pecan)
• Milk – plain, unsweetened plant milk such as cashew, hemp or almond milk. 
• Stock – chicken or vegetable stock, rich beer, or dry white wine like Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc. 
• Cheese –  my plant based stretchy “faux” cheese (refer to the recipe in the notes)

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Pamela Salzman (@pamelasalzman)

If you give this recipe a try, snap a pic and tag @pamelasalzman so I can see your beautiful creations. I also really appreciate readers taking the time to leave a rating and review! Subscribe for free to my site for the latest recipes,  updates and things I’m loving lately.  If you enjoy this recipe, I taught it last year in my online class!  Give me an hour a month, and I’ll make you a better, healthier cook!

Roasted Stuffed "Fondue" Pumpkin

Adapted from Gourmet Magazine and katiemorford.com

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Servings 3 to 4 as an entree, up to 6 as an hors d'oeuvre

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• Three ½-inch thick slices of bread (This can be anything you like - a hearty crusty whole wheat, baguette, leftover stale bread, gluten-free or grain-free, cornbread croutons, or one with an interesting flavor like rosemary or pecan)
• One 2 ½ - 3 ½ pound sugar pie pumpkin washed
• ¾ cup milk regular or low-fat or unsweetened, unflavored cashew milk or almond milk
• ¼ cup chicken or vegetable stock or a rich beer or dry white wine
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg do not skip this!
• 1/2 teaspoon salt + extra ¼ teaspoon if you also want to eat the pumpkin and not just the filling
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon fresh thyme optional
• ¼ pound grated Gruyere cheese cheddar, or Monterey jack cheese
• 1/2 tablespoon unrefined cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 450°F with a rack positioned in the lower third of the oven. You don't want any other racks in the oven so that the pumpkin fits.
• Toast the bread in a toaster or lay the bread on a baking sheet and set in the oven. Bake until lightly toasted on one side, about 7 minutes. Cut the bread into ½-inch cubes. Set aside.
• Prepare the pumpkin: Either remove the top of the pumpkin by cutting around the stem with a paring knife. OR slice the top off the pumpkin with a large knife just under the stem. Don't throw away the top. Use a large sturdy spoon to scoop out the seeds. Season the inside of the pumpkin with ¼ teaspoon salt.
• Whisk together the milk, stock, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and thyme (if using) in a bowl or measuring cup.
• Place one layer of toasted bread cubes in the bottom of the pumpkin. You should be able to fit about 4 to 5 pieces. Cover with a handful of cheese (about 1/2 cup) and drizzle with about 1/4 cup milk mixture (just eyeball it). Keep layering with the bread, cheese, and milk mixture until the pumpkin is filled to the top, but not overflowing. You’ll end up with 3 to 4 layers of each (bread/cheese/milk).
• Cover the pumpkin with the top and transfer to a small roasting pan or cast iron skillet. A pie plate is nice too. You can also use a foil-lined small sheet pan and then transfer it to a serving dish after it comes out of the oven. Rub the exterior of the pumpkin with olive oil. Bake until the pumpkin is tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours, depending on its size. To test for doneness, remove the top of the pumpkin (use oven mitts) and pierce the pumpkin flesh with a knife. It should go in without resistance. The skin should be a beautiful burnished color.
• Remove from the oven and serve immediately. I like to spoon the filling into bowls.

Notes

Pumpkin can be prepared up to two hours before cooking. Adapted from Gourmet Magazine's Roast Pumpkin with Cheese "Fondue"

PLANT-BASED STRETCHY CHEESE
2 Tablespoons chopped shallot
1 cup (about 7 ounces) chopped Yukon Gold potato (you can leave the peel on if you have a
high-powered blender)
1/3 cup chopped yellow onion
¼ cup raw cashews (soaked if you want)*
¾ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon garlic, minced (about 1 medium-size clove)
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter or vegan butter
¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 Tablespoons tapioca starch (arrowroot is next best choice, but otherwise no swaps- this is the key to the stretchiness)

1. In a medium-size saucepan, combine the chopped shallot, potato, onion, cashews and 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook, covered, for 15 minutes, or until vegetables are very soft.
2. Place the salt, garlic, butter, and mustard in a blender (preferably a high-powered one) or food processor. Add the softened vegetables and cooking water to the blender or food processor and process until perfectly smooth.
3. Transfer mixture back to saucepan and heat over medium-low heat. Whisk in tapioca starch until mixture is well combined and thickened, about 2 minutes. This is best used when it is freshly made. It will thicken more when it cools. Or if it has been refrigerated, use it like mozzarella cheese on a lasagna or Monterey Jack in a quesadilla or on a burger. Refrigerate and use within 5 days.
*you can swap raw cashew butter for the raw cashews and add to Step 2 instead.

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