Meet our writers

Win $1,000

Go60 YUM - recipes and the joys of dining
Share your recipes October 2012

Rainbow Kitchen

Traditional Native American Squash

Rate this item
(0 votes)

1 4- to 5-pound Hidatsa or sugar pumpkin

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1 to 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or rendered fat

1 pound ground venison, buffalo, or lean beef

1 medium onion, chopped

1 cup wild rice, cooked (or brown and wild rice)

3 eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon crushed dried sage (the cooking kind)

1/4 teaspoon pepper

 

Preheat oven to 350 F. Cut the top from pumpkin (like you would for a jack o'lantern) and remove seeds and strings from cavity. Prick cavity with a fork all over and rub with 1 teaspoon of salt and the dry mustard. Heat oil in large skillet. Add meat and onion and saute‚ over medium-high heat until browned. Off the heat, stir in wild rice, eggs, remaining salt, sage, and pepper. Stuff pumpkin with this mixture. Place 1/2 inch of water in the bottom of a shallow baking pan.

Put pumpkin (and the lid) in the pan and bake for 1 to 1-1/2 hours, or until tender. Add more water to the pan as necessary to avoid sticking. When done, bring to table with lid askew on top of pumpkin at a jaunty angle. Cut pumpkin into wedges, giving each person both pumpkin and stuffing. (The skin is tough and bitter and should not be eaten, but the flesh of the pumpkin will scrape away easily.)

This would also make a good vegetarian recipe by leaving out the meat. It can be rather bland, however, and you may wish to add additional seasoning and cook your rice in a vegetable broth or stock instead of water.

The pumpkin seeds you pulled out can be toasted for a snack.

 

p_allisonbonappetit

 


Allison's Article:

When the Squashes Come Rolling In

 


Allison St. Claire loves to dream about, study, grow, play with, prepare and ultimately enjoy eating great food.

Meet Allison