Recipe: Beef Stew in a Pumpkin

Beef Stew in a Pumpkin
rec.food.cooking/Anne Bourget/1994

I make this about once each autumn. It will be very rough for it is from memory - it is one of those dishes I just make - no formal recipe.

cooking oil
3 - 4 lbs. beef stew meat, cubed (about 1 1/2")
1 large onion, chopped
garlic cloves minced - you figure the amount you want
1 small can whole tomatoes, chopped (I like Progresso brand)
couple of red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
salt
freshly ground black pepper
little sugar (about 1 tsp.)
cinnamon
dried apricots (optional)
raisins, golden (optional)
2 med. sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
2 -3 cups beef stock
1/4 cup (or a bit more if you want) dry sherry
1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen (try for the small sweet kind)
Minced fresh Italian flat leaf parsley

Heat the peanut oil over medium-high heat in a large casserole. Brown meat in small batches (don't overload your pan or the meat will just steam rather than brown), transferring to a bowl when brown. Add a little more oil to the pan and saute the onions and garlic until translucent.

Return meat to pan and add remaining ingredients - save for the sherry, corn, and parsley. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer over low heat for about 2 hours or until the meat is tender. (It can also be baked in a 350 degree oven if you would rather.)

Now you need a nice large pumpkin and a little melted butter.

While the stew is simmering, prepare the pumpkin. Cut the top of the pumpkin off and remove the seeds and stringy "stuff". Brush the inside of the pumpkin with melted butter and set aside.

When the meat is tender, preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Stir the sherry and corn into the stew. Carefully pour the stew into the pumpkin shell and place in a shallow baking pan. Bake uncovered for 1 hour or until the pumpkin is tender. Remove from the oven and garnish with the parsley.

Serve the stew from the pumpkin scooping out some of the pumpkin with each serving.

Note: I have also made a traditional Beef Bourguignonne and a lamb stew and cooked it in the pumpkin with excellent results. The pumpkin is quite lovely and comforting on a buffet with candles and dim lighting. And with the fire going...well, it makes a wonderful meal on a blustery day.

I also like to make a huge pot of butternut squash soup and serve it from a heated pumpkin. Makes a great tureen. But, of course, I don't make and serve the soup and stew at the same meal. On second thought, you could, and end the meal with pumpkin pie.