Pumpkin, a Super Food for All 12 Months of the Year by DeeDee Stovel

Author:DeeDee Stovel
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC
Published: 2005-03-24T16:00:00+00:00

Spicy Beef Stew

in a Pumpkin Shell

The Greeks call their spicy beef stew stifado, which has been a favorite of my non-Greek family for years. It is one of the few stews I’ve come across where the tedious task of browning the meat is absent. Chunks of pumpkins are at home in this savory mix of tender beef, onions, tomato, and spices, which slowly cook undisturbed until serving time. Preparing the onions is a bit tedious, but fresh ones are so much tastier than canned or frozen that it is worth the effort. If time is a big factor, as it usually is, use three pounds of frozen pearl onions instead of the fresh ones. For a festive touch, this stew is served in a pumpkin.

SERVES 6

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 pounds stewing beef

1 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 pounds small white onions

½ cup red wine

¼ cup tomato paste

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 clove garlic, minced

1 bay leaf

1 small cinnamon stick

6 whole cloves

1 tablespoon currants (optional)

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

1 pound fresh pumpkin, seeds and fibers removed, peeled, cut into ½-inch cubes (about 2 cups)

1 edible pumpkin, 4–5 pounds, for serving (Cinderella variety works well, and the bright orange color looks great)

1 Heat the butter and oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the meat, salt, and pepper and stir with butter and oil just to coat, not to brown.

2 Cut off the root and stem ends of the onions. Make a small “x” in the root end to keep the onions from falling apart. Remove the skins and spread them over the meat. A quick way to loosen skins is to parboil the onions for 1 minute in a large saucepan of boiling water.

3 Mix the wine, tomato paste, vinegar, sugar, and garlic together and pour over meat and onions. Scatter the bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, currants, if using, and cumin over the top. Bring the stew to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, covered, for 2 hours. Do not stir. Gently press the pumpkin into the stew. Cover and continue cooking for 1 hour longer, or until the meat is very tender.

4 Meanwhile, heat the oven to 350°F. Cut the top off of the pumpkin and scrape out the seeds and stringy insides. Rinse thoroughly and pat dry. Rub the outside with vegetable oil, place on a jelly-roll pan, and bake for 30 to 45 minutes, until easily pierced with a fork, but not collapsing. Set the hot pumpkin on a serving plate.

5 Spoon the hot stew into the hot pumpkin and scrape a bit of pumpkin with each serving of stew.

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