Roasted Stuffed "Fondue" Pumpkin
Servings: 3 to 4 as an entree, up to 6 as an hors d'oeuvre
Ingredients
- 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.
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.