A few weeks go, I asked my wonderful followers on Instagram & Facebook to give me 5 ingredients and that I would create a recipe out of them.The first 5 ingredients I got were… Pumpkin, spinach, bacon, cheese & spring onion.An unusual mix of ingredients and making great use of one of the season’s most iconic vegetables. After some debating and trial & error, I decided to use some of the ingredients to stuff the pumpkin.
In hindsight I could have added the spinach to the stuffed pumpkin as well but opted to serve it on the side of the dish instead.This recipe is best served as a dinner party centre piece alongside apple & honey marinated roast chicken thighs, mashed potatoes and wilted spinach.
Skill level: Easy peasy
Ingredients
1 Small pumpkin
3 Finely chopped spring onions
140g Unsmoked bacon with the fat cut off
4 Slices of white bread, processed into fine breadcrumbs
200ml Double Cream
200g grated Emmental cheese
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp ground cloves
1 tsp salt
½ tap pepper
1) Using a sharp knife, cut a lid on the top your pumpkin big enough to just put your hand inside. Lift the lid and scoop out pumpkin seeds and string.
2) Combine nutmeg, cloves, salt and pepper and rub on the inside flesh of the pumpkin.
3) Chop your bacon into small pieces, place in a bowl and combine with the breadcrumbs, spring onion and emmental.
4) Slowly pour the cream into the bread mixture and then using a large spoon, place in the pumpkin making sure the pumpkin is well stuffed but not over spilling.
5) Place the lid on top, place in the oven and bake in the oven at 180° for 90 minutes. For the final 15 minutes, remove the lid.
Caution! When removing your pumpkin from the oven, it may be a little wobbly
6) Set your pumpkin aside to cool for 10 minutes before carving to serve.
AJ’s Rambling 