Pumpkin Stew

Adapted from A Beautiful Bowl of Soup
See more recipes here.

Besides a lack of crowds, the other reason why I love cold weather is an excuse to eat soups and stews. Don’t get me wrong, I like soup all year round; but I feel a little less crazy eating it at this time of year. My friend Logan introduced me to A Beautiful Bowl of Soup, which is made up of completely vegetarian recipes. I’m a tweaker — rarely do I cook a recipe as is, and this book’s recipes are no exception, but I love them because they provide a great starting off point and only need minor adjustments to suit our tastes.

I made this on Thursday when we took dinner to Jess’ house and it was a big hit. It was also one that Nora enjoyed helping to make (her main job being to scoop the seeds and goop out of the pumpkin), so I knew I had to share it. It would make a great healthy meal for after Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving leftovers.

By the way, I don’t want to post three times today, so cake will be coming tomorrow, and here’s a quick rundown of what I’m thankful for today: getting a chance to be creative in the kitchen, Nora’s surprisingly long nap time, and A Prairie Home Companion.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
4 cloves garlic, minced
24oz canned crushed tomatoes (I used one of my quart jars)
1 red bell pepper, seeded, deribbed, and coarsely chopped
1 russet potato, peeled and cut into a 1/2” dice (about 2 cups)
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into a 1/2” dice (about 2 cups)
1 medium cooking apple, such as Granny Smith, peeled and cut into a 1/2” dice
2 cups vegetable stock, plus more if needed
1 pie pumpkin, sugar or Long Island cheese variety (8-10 lbs)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus additional as desired
1/2 teaspoon pepper, plus additional as desired
2 cups (or 1 can) cooked white beans
1/4 cup sherry

Directions

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, bell pepper, potatoes, and two cups vegetable stock. Increase the heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat; cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375F. Lightly oil a baking pan large enough to accommodate the pumpkin. Slice the top off of the pumpkin, leaving about a 6 inch opening. Scoop out the seeds and stringy membranes, leaving the pumpkin flesh intact; brush the inside of the pumpkin with melted butter and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Please the shell in the prepared baking pan. Wrap a small piece of tin foil around the stem to prevent over browning.

When vegetables are tender, stir the stew and add the beans, apples, sherry, and 1/2 teaspoons of salt and black pepper.Pour the mixture into the pumpkin shell and place the lid back on top. Bake for about 1 hour 15 minutes, or until the pumpkin flesh is fork tender. (Thicker pumpkins will take longer).

Carefully transfer the pumpkin to a large serving bowl. As you scoop out the soup, make sure to scrape the inside of the shell to incorporate the pumpkin. If the stew is too thick for your tastes, gently stir in some hot vegetable stock.

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