Recipe: Beef Stuffed Pumpkin

BEEF STUFFED PUMPKIN
Source: Bloomenstein, Barbara
Yield: 8 servings

1 (5-6 pounds) pumpkin or 2 (2-3 pounds) pumpkins
2 teaspoons salt, divided use
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
1 pound ground beef
3 eggs
2 teaspoons crushed dried sage
1 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 cups cooked rice, preferably a mixture of white and wild rice
2/3 cup raisins
1/2 cup pine nuts

Preheat oven to 350 F. Cut top from pumpkin and remove seeds and strings. Prick cavity with fork and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the salt. Heat pot or large skillet. Add oil to pot or skillet. When hot, add garlic and onion and saute until onion is transparent. Add beef and continue saut ing until browned. Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients. Stuff pumpkin with mixture. Place 1/2 inch water in bottom of a shallow baking pan large enough to hold the pumpkin. Put pumpkin in the pan and bake 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Cut pumpkin into wedges (or if small pumpkins used, into halves) and serve, giving each person both pumpkin and stuffing.

For the Stuffing:
Cook on low heat while preparing pumpkin.