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Festive Dinner In A Pumpkin Plants Seed For A Family Tradition

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By EVELYN SMALL, The Washington Post

Published: October 31, 2007

Although I won't ever get credit for providing my kids with the best food on the block, one of my triumphs as a parent was making dinner in a pumpkin on Halloween, especially during my children's costumed years.

This festive entree also can be a standing dinner tradition throughout autumn.

On the culinary front and many others as well, I was helped by my friend Joyce, the always attentive and ever-inventive mother. Dinner in a pumpkin became an annual treat, and I'm not exaggerating when I say it was known throughout our neighborhood, its fame extending beyond those borders to many of my children's friends. I have constantly modified the recipe, making it a little more sophisticated throughout the years: switching from white rice to long-grain wild rice and adding corn, telling the kids that for American Indians, corn would have been the vegetable of choice.

Joyce and I always told ourselves that the meal represented every food group, so we were doing well to fortify our sprites with something nutritious before sending them off to collect sugar-filled goodies. We found that kids are willing to eat almost anything that comes out of a pumpkin (if not the pumpkin itself), and mine actually liked this meal, with its mix of ground beef, rice and more, plus an edible container. And they were talking about smashed pumpkin as a side dish even before a certain alternative rock band made its presence known.

Over the years, my trick-or-treaters went out the door as vampire ice hockey players, clowns, Robin Hood (arrows and all), Peter Pan, a Hershey's Kiss and other costumes too hard to describe, but they never left before gobbling up this surefire Halloween hit. Dishing out dinner, we ended up dishing out tradition as well, which always leaves everyone feeling happy and full.

There is no such thing as the perfect pumpkin for this dish. You'll know the right one when you see it. Gauge cooking times based on pumpkin size, how thick the walls seem to be and too many other variables to judge the results by anything approximating perfection. Just remember that if it is undercooked, it is impossible to scrape the insides to scoop out the flesh. If it is overcooked, it begins to look like a deflated balloon - not particularly appetizing.

Also, make it easy on yourself (and allow time to finish those last-minute costumes) by preparing the 'insides' the night before and adding them to the pumpkin for the final 30 minutes of baking. Obviously, it's too late to do that this year, but if you decide to make this a family tradition in your house, you can get a jump-start next year.

I gathered many of Joyce's original recipe cards and gave them to her daughter when she got married several years ago; she plans to make dinner in a pumpkin for Halloween this year for her little one, keeping the tradition alive.

I have a collection of aprons, one embroidered with a pumpkin by my mother for my daughter, which I have appropriated until she has her own kitchen. Somehow, dinner in a pumpkin always turns out better when I'm wearing that apron.

Much of this meal can be made a day in advance: Complete the first baking of the pumpkin and the beef-and-rice mixture, then cover and refrigerate. The baked pumpkin can accompany the beef and rice as a side dish.

DINNER IN A PUMPKIN

1 small to medium pumpkin (the size of a regular soccer ball)

1 to 2 tablespoons canola or olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)

1 cup finely chopped button mushrooms (may include stems)

1 1/2 to 2 pounds lean ground beef
Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons light or dark brown sugar

1 10 3/4-ounce can low-fat cream of mushroom soup (may substitute cream of chicken soup)

1 8-ounce can water chestnut slices, drained and diced

1 1/2 cups cooked wild rice
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Have ready a sturdy, rimmed baking sheet.

Cut off the top of the pumpkin (as you would if you were carving a jack-o'-lantern), to be used later as a lid, and set aside. Discard the pumpkin pulp and seeds, making a clean, hollow space inside. Place the pumpkin on the baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes. Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until the oil shimmers. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for a few minutes, then add the mushrooms and cook for a few minutes. Add the meat and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for several minutes, stirring to break up any clumps of beef, until no pink remains. Add the soy sauce, brown sugar and soup, stirring to combine. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the water chestnuts and cooked rice. Transfer the mixture to the pumpkin; cover the top with aluminum foil and bake for about 30 minutes or until the mixture inside has heated through and the pumpkin flesh is tender when pierced with a fork. Transfer to a serving platter; decorate the outside of the pumpkin with a jack-o'-lantern face, and serve warm.

Makes 6 servings.

(not including pumpkin): 451 calories, 31 grams protein, 25 grams carbohydrates, 25 grams fat, 9 grams saturated fat, 101 milligrams cholesterol, 710 milligrams sodium, 2 grams dietary fiber

Another dish that can be served in a pumpkin during autumn is this Chinese Vegetable Stew.

CHINESE VEGETABLE STEW

2 ounces dried Chinese black mushrooms

5 cups boiling water

1-pound bag frozen corn, defrosted

1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 to 2 tablespoons soy sauce

Black pepper, to taste

1 medium carrot, diced

1 stalk celery, minced

1 8-ounce can water chestnuts, minced

Place mushrooms in a medium-large bowl, and pour in the boiling water. Cover with a plate, and let stand for at least 30 to 40 minutes, or until mushrooms are soaked through and very soft.

Drain well, reserving both the mushrooms and the water, squeezing all excess liquid from the mushrooms.

Place on a cutting board and slice thinly, removing and discarding tougher stems.

Combine a portion of the mushroom water and the corn in a food processor or blender, and puree until as smooth as possible.

Transfer to a saucepan. Add in remaining mushroom broth. Stir in salt, soy sauce and black pepper, to taste.

Lightly steam carrot and celery until just tender, about two minutes in the microwave.

Add sliced mushrooms to corn and mushroom base. Also add in carrot, celery and water chestnuts. Heat gently just before serving.

Serve in a hollowed out pumpkin shell.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Source: 'Mollie Katzen's Recipes: Soups'

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