Middle Eastern Whole Stuffed Pumpkin Food

STUFFED PUMPKIN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Cut the top off the pumpkin or squash and use a metal spoon to scoop out the seeds. Get rid of any pithy bits but keep the seeds for another time (see our pumpkin seed recipe ideas). Put the pumpkin on a baking tray, rub with 2 tbsp of the oil inside and out, and season well. Roast in the centre of the oven for 45 mins or until tender, with the 'lid' on the side.
• Meanwhile, rinse the wild rice well and cook following pack instructions, then spread out on a baking tray to cool. Thinly slice the fennel bulb and apple, then squeeze over ½ the lemon juice to stop them discolouring.
• Heat the remaining 2 tbsp oil in a frying pan. Fry the fennel seeds and chilli flakes, then, once the seeds begin to pop, stir in ½ the garlic and the fennel. Cook for 5 mins until softened, then mix through the apple, pecans and lemon zest. Remove from the heat. Add the mixture to the the cooked rice, then stir in the chopped parsley and taste for seasoning.
• Pack the mixture into the cooked pumpkin and return to the oven for 10-15 mins until everything is piping hot. Meanwhile, whisk the remaining lemon juice with the tahini, the rest of the garlic and enough water to make a dressing. Serve the pumpkin in the middle of the table, topped with pomegranate seeds and the dressing.

MIDDLE EASTERN WHOLE STUFFED PUMPKIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 210C/190C fan forced.
• Using a sharp knife, carefully cut a circle from the top of the pumpkin, leaving a 4 cm border.
• Wrap pumpkin lid in foil and place on a baking tray.
• Scoop seeds and membrane from pumpkin and discard.
• Place pumpkin, cut side down on a baking tray and cover with foil.
• Bake for 1 hour or until flesh is just tender.
• Meanwhile cook rice following packet instructions and drain and then transfer to a bowl and cover.
• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat and cook onion stirring for 5 minutes or until soft and then add lamb mince and cook stirring with a wooden spoon to break up the mince, for 6 minutes or until browned.
• Add harissa, cumin, cinnamon, chilli flakes, stock, chickpeas and lentils and simmer, stirring occasionally for about 15 minutes or until heated through and season with salt and pepper and then add rice to lamb mixture and stir in the coriander and half the pistachios and set aside.
• Transfer pumpkin to a board and cut 1 cup of flesh from inside the pumpkin and roughly chop the flesh and add to rice mixture.
• Fill pumpkin cavity with rice mixture, pressing down firmly with the back of a spoon (see note in intro about excess mix) and return the lid to the pumpkin.
• Wrap pumpkin in foil and return to baking tray and bake for 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours or until tender when pierced with a skewer and let stand for 5 minutes.
• Remove foil from pumpkin and transfer to a plate (base will be quite soft) and cut into wedges and dollop with yoghurt and sprinkle with remaining pistachios and serve.