Baked Pumpkin with Quinoa Stuffing


Print the recipe here.

Ingredients

  • 1 cups quinoa

  • 4 tablespoons ghee or sesame oil

  • Pink salt to taste

  • 1 cup diced carrots

  • 1 cup diced celery

  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage

  • 1/2 cup dried red cranberries

  • 1/2 cup dried currants

  • 2 cup toasted hazelnuts with the skins removed

  • 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg + a pinch

  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon + a pinch

  • 1/2 teaspoon cardamom + a pinch

  • 1/4 teaspoon clove + a pinch

  • freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 medium small pumpkin, with the top cut off and the seeds and membranes removed

  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup

  • 1 tablespoon sesame seed olive oil, for brushing


DIRECTIONS

  • Adjust a rack to the middle shelf of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.

  • Brush the skin of the squash lightly with oil.

  • Mix 1 tablespoon of sesame oil and the maple syrup with a pinch of each of the spices. using your hand, coat the inside of the the pumpkin. Place cut side down, in a baking pan

  • Pour ½-inch of boiling water into the pan and bake for 20 minutes (you want the pumpkin to have softened slightly, but not completely). Transfer the squash to a plate and let rest until cool enough to handle.

  • Rinse the quinoa and mix it with the water and the veg broth and cook until fluffy, 15 to 20 minutes.

  • While the quinoa cooks, heat the sesame oil or ghee in a saucepan over medium heat. add the spices and let them open then add the carrots, celery, ginger, and sage and 1/2 tsp salt.

  • Cover the pan and simmer until the vegetables are tender, 5 to 7 minutes (add a tablespoon of water, if necessary, to prevent scorching.)

  • In a large bowl, toss together the quinoa and vegetables. Stir in the dried fruit, hazelnuts, season with salt and pepper.

  • Transfer the pumpkin to a plate and let rest until cool enough to handle.

  • Stuff the pumpkin with the quinoa mixture and return, stuffing-up, to the pan, and bake until the flesh can be easily pierced with the tip of a paring knife, 20 to 30 minutes.

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Butternut Squash Barley Risotto with Crispy Sage and Toasted Pecans

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Creamy Summer Squash Pasta