Ingredients
The following ingredients have 4 Servings
- 6 small pumpkins or squash (each about the size of a large grapefruit, about 400-500g per pumpkin)
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion (chopped)
- 1 stick celery (thinly sliced)
- 1 large leek (thinly sliced)
- 1 large carrot (diced)
- 250 g (9oz) chestnut mushrooms (finely chopped)
- 4 cloves garlic (crushed)
- 1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 1/2 tsp dried sage
- 1 tsp salt
- 270 g (1 + ½ cups) basmati and wild rice blend
- 640 ml (2 + 2/3 cups) cups vegetable stock
- 100 g (1 cup) chopped toasted pecans
- 70 g (1/2 cup) dried cranberries
- black pepper
Instruction
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6.
- Carefully slice the tops off of the pumpkins and use a spoon to scoop out all of the seeds and stringy flesh.
- Brush them inside and out with olive oil, make sure you do the tops too; then sprinkle with salt and pepper and arrange the pumpkins and their lids in a roasting tray.
- Bake for around 30 minutes until the pumpkin flesh is tender. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- While the pumpkins are roasting start preparing the rice. Heat the olive oil in a large pan and add the onion, celery, leek and carrot. Fry gently for about 10 minutes until soft and translucent.
- Add the mushrooms, garlic and herbs and continue to cook until all of the excess water has evaporated.
- Add the rice, stock, salt and a good grinding of black pepper. Bring up to a simmer then turn the heat down as low as it will go, cover the pan and cook for about 20 minutes until the rice is tender.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the pecans and cranberries.
- Divide the rice between the pumpkins, filling them right up to the top. Return to the oven for 10-15 minutes until heated through.
- Serve the pumpkins topped with their lids.
