Stuffed Munchkin Pumpkins - hazardous but tasty
I thought the large pumpkins were difficult to cut into. I assumed making something with the little ones would be much easier than making the Pumpkin Risotto with Sage and Orange. Well, I was very wrong. And I feel very lucky to come out of this with all my fingers still attached — if a little scarred…
I ended up just stuffing one munchkin pumpkin. It was delicious. I wish I was better at slicing their tops off. But I’m not.
I’ve tried to find a good link to share about how difficult the little pumpkins are to slice but all I can find are recipes. This one has chorizo. Maybe most people don’t find it as difficult as I did?
AI suggested I cook them in the microwave for 60 - 90 seconds. It also suggested that I pierce them before doing so. I was unable to pierce their skin. But cooking them in the microwave to 90 seconds did soften them up a little. I actually cooked one for 2 minutes and it exploded — so if you’re at all able, do pierce them first.
I used peppers as well. They are much easier to work with and the results are tasty — but, believe it or not, this stuffing works best with pumpkin.
Next year, I’m working with turnips, that’s for sure.
Stuffed Munchkin Pumpkins
Yield: Serves 6
Suitable for: Gluten-free diet
Ingredients:
- 1 onion, finely minced
- ~200g white pudding, crumbled
- ~200g cooked rice
- ~60g hard cheese, grated
- 6 - 10 apricots, chopped
- 2 tbsp pine nuts
- 6 munchkin pumpkins
- 1 tbsp dried sage
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ dried garlic powder or granules
Instructions:
Prepare the Munchkins
Mix the extra virgin olive oil, a quarter teaspoon of thyme and a half teaspoon of the dried sage together with garlic powder or granules. Slice the tops off the munchkin pumpkins, scoop out the seeds and rub the oil and herb mix all over the little pumpkins inside and out. Put the tops back on the pumpkins. Place them on a baking tray covered with baking paper and bake them for 30 minutes at 200° C.Prepare the Stuffing
Heat a frying pan on high heat. Mix the minced onion into the crumbled white pudding and mix around well so that everything is fairly evenly distributed. Next add the mix into the hot frying pan. Stir around to stop it from burning. After a few minutes you should see the onion turn translucent. Turn off the heat. Give it all a good stir and then cover the pan. Leave it for 10 minutes to make sure the onion is nicely soft and cooked. Remove from the stovetop and mix in the boiled rice, chopped apricots, pine nuts, grated cheese and the rest of the sage and thyme. Mix together well so that everything is fairly evenly distributed.Stuff the Roasted Pumpkins & Bake Again
Fill each roasted pumpkin with stuffing and bake in the oven for a further 15 minutes at 200° C.Serve with lots of apple sauce
Enjoy!
