RE-POST OF RECIPE: Baked Pumpkin With Mixed Rice Pilaf

[Guest guest]

And this one - from Laura. Loverly!

 

Best love, Pat

 

Baked Pumpkin With Mixed Rice Pilaf

 

INGREDIENTS

 

1 x 5-6 lb / 2.3-2.7 kg pumpkin or several small winter squash

3 3/4 cups water

1 cup brown rice

1/2 cup wild rice

2 T margarine

3/4 cup chopped onion

2 small tart apples, cored and diced

1/2 cup chopped, toasted pecans

Dash nutmeg

1/8 t cinnamon or more to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

3 T apple cider

1/4 cup golden raisins

 

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 375F/190C. With a sharp knife, cut off the top of the

pumpkin. Scoop

out the seeds and stringy fibers and discard, or save the seeds for toasting.

Place the

pumpkin, with the top next to it, on a baking sheet. Bake in the center of the

oven until

the inside of the pumpkin is tender, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and keep

warm,

covering the top of the pumpkin with foil to prevent the flesh from drying out.

 

Meanwhile, bring the water to a boil in a heavy saucepan. Add the brown and wild

rice and

return to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook until most of the

water has

been absorbed, about 50 minutes. Turn off the heat and let stand for 10 minutes.

 

Heat the margarine in a large skillet. Add the onions and saute until golden.

Add the

apples, pecans, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and pepper and saute for 5 minutes,

stirring

often. Add the apple cider and saute for 5 more minutes. Then add the golden

raisins and

wild rice and saute for an additional 5 minutes.

 

Spoon the wild rice pilaf into the pumpkin and cover with the baked top. When

serving,

scoop out pumpkin flesh along with the pilaf.

 

Makes 6 servings