Winter Vegetable Stew

Prep Time: 0 Minutes

Cook Time: 0 Minutes

Ready In: 0 Minutes

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

1 white or cheese pumpkin, about 6 pounds

1/2 cup spice mixture, recipe follows

1 to 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 ounces thinly sliced leeks

5 ounces cipolinni onions, roasted then peeled

5 ounces red pearl onions, roasted then peeled

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely minced

3 toasted cinnamon sticks

12 to 15 ounces peeled butternut or other squash, cut into 1-inch cubes and roasted 20 minutes in a preheated 350 degree f oven

4 ounces peeled rutabaga, cut into 1-inch cubes and roasted 30 minutes

4 ounces peeled turnip, cut into 1-inch cubes and roasted 15 to 20 minutes

4 cups squash sauce, recipe follows

2 large peruvian potatoes, steamed, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

3 to 4 large yukon gold potatoes, steamed, peeled, and cut into1-inch cubes

1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh herbs

2/3 cup ras el hanout

1/4 cup raw cane sugar

1 tablespoon kosher or coarse sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Cut the top off the pumpkin as though you were going to make a Halloween Jack-o-lantern. Seed and scrape the pumpkin so the inside is clean. Clean and reserve the seeds. Rub the lid and inside of the pumpkin with 1/4 cup of the spice mixture. Rest the lid and pumpkin cut-side-down on a baking pan. Wrap the pumpkin completely with 1 layer of aluminum foil. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven 45 to 55 minutes or until the pumpkin turns just tender.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large saucepot over medium heat. Add the leeks, onions, nutmeg, jalapeno, and cinnamon sticks. Saute until the leeks begin to soften. Add the squashes and root vegetables to heat through. Add the hot squash sauce, the potatoes, and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and add the herbs. Remove the pumpkin from the oven and stand upright. Ladle the stew into the cavity of the pumpkin.
3. To serve, toast some Russian black bread or walnut raisin bread, and place a slice in each of several warmed bowls. Sprinkle some of the spice mixture on the rim of the pumpkin. Use a carving knife to cut thin slices off the pumpkin. Arrange the slices around the bread then ladle some of the stew over the bread. Sprinkle the freshly cut rim of the pumpkin with more spice mixture and the stew with more herbs. Repeat the process until the stew and pumpkin are gone.
4. Puree any leftover pumpkin with some spice mixture and brown sugar and use as you would canned pumpkin to make a savory pumpkin pie.
5. Spice Mix:
6. Combing above ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well.

By RecipeOfHealth.com