Stuffed Pumpkin

Recipe by Anna Gill

Serves: 4 to 5

1 -4 to 5 pound sugar pumpkin
1 cup chicken broth
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
½ cup minced shallots
2 cups cooked wild rice
6 scallions, sliced diagonally
¾ cup mixed dried fruit: pears, cranberries, papaya, mango and apple
6 large shitake mushrooms, sliced thinly
1 teaspoon fresh, shredded sage
¼ cup pine nuts

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cut the top from the pumpkin. Remove all seeds and strings.
3. Prick cavity with a fork and rub with 1 teaspoon of salt, the nutmeg and the mustard. Let the pumpkin sit for at least 15 minutes.
4. Add ¼ cup of chicken broth.
5. Put pumpkin in a shallow baking dish containing ½ inch of water. Place baking pan in oven and bake pumpkin for about an hour, more if a larger pumpkin is used.
6. As the chicken broth is absorbed, replace it with another ¼ cup. You may not use all of the broth.
7. Replace top of pumpkin during the last ½ hour of cooking.
8. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet and sauté shallots and mushrooms lightly.
9. Stir in the wild rice, remaining salt, the scallions, dried fruit and pine nuts.
10 Stuff the baked pumpkin with the rice mixture, replace the pumpkin top and serve.

NOTE: When serving, scoop out pumpkin flesh with stuffing.

VARIATION: The original of this recipe included a pound of ground venison and half of the rice above. It is very good that way, but I then use it as a main dish rather than a side dish.