Winter Vegetable Feast
Winter may not offer the wide diversity of vegetables available in other seasons, but it does have its own bounty and unique flavors to offer.
While this is absolutely sure to impress any winter gathering of friends, it is such a simple thing that it barely counts as a recipe. You can do this with any upright winter squash, so consider kabochas or carnival squashes along with the pumpkins for this elegant yet cozy treatment. Look for smaller baking pumpkins. Larger ones can be delicious, but they risk collapse and can take a long time to bake whole in the oven.
Ingredients
- 1 medium (1½ to 2 pound) pumpkin or several smaller squashes (1 per person)
- 8 ounces Gruyere cheese, shredded (maybe up to a pound depending on the size of your pumpkin, but this is a good baseline)
- 2 cups heavy cream (again, you may need more or less depending on size)
- Nutmeg
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 3750. Slice the top off the pumpkin ¾ of the way up the top and retain; this is your lid. Scoop out the seeds and superficial fibers from the pumpkin. Place the pumpkin on a baking sheet or in a baking dish.
Put enough shredded Gruyere into the empty cavity of the pumpkin to fill about a third of it, then pour in the cream until the cavity is two-thirds full. Add a generous pinch of nutmeg, a bit of salt and pepper. Throw in the butter and then top with your pumpkin lid so the pumpkin is whole again.
Cook for 45 minutes to 1½ hours depending on the pumpkin. Test for doneness by removing the lid and poking the flesh from the inside. It should be quite tender. The skin may be slightly burnt and just beginning to sag.
Serve whole and scoop out plenty of flesh with the creamy cheesy liquid into soup bowls.
Adapted from The River Cottage Cookbook by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.
Related Stories & Recipes
Parsnip Soufflés
The perfect blend of a rustic root with a luxurious soufflé. If you haven’t attempted a soufflé before we find this one very approachable, and have never had it fail.
Celery Root Gratin
This rich and comforting dish is perfection on a cold winter’s night, pairing the bright herbal qualities of the celery root with the warmth of nutmeg and thyme. Pair it with a simple roasted chicken ...
