We gathered at my cousin’s house, where I haven’t been, for years. Her husband had a fire going and her daughters were in the kitchen putting on last minute touches to the food they were preparing.
Darkness was gathering as we finished setting the last fall dishes on the table on the porch. Several girls cranked a freezer full of homemade ice cream, by hand. After a prayer of thanks to the Father we filled our plates. I couldn’t take my eyes off those stuffed pumpkins. Why it was so splendid, so festive, and oh,the taste was truly amazing! If you hang on I’ll grab that recipe for you when we wind up, here.
Then there were herbed potatoes, caramelized chestnut with bacon, a most unique salad with chestnut slivers and grilled pears and chestnut cookies and a birthday cake for my oldest son, Austin, who turned 12 years old. When the children had their plates filled I slowly started on mine. I savored every bite as I chatted with a dear friend, Mrs. Miller and looked at pictures of her grandson in Belize.
When the children had finished their plates they went off to play, while the rest of us talked about chestnuts, equipment and the likes. The entire process of learning and growing into it has been amazing, the challenges making the good times better. Hopefully by next year we’ll be set up with our own cooling system, a sheller, a heat treating system to take care of the weevils and such. It takes quite a bit of work, but then who’s happy who doesn’t dig in and do it when they’d rather not?
Alright, here you go with stuffed pumpkins. My cousin’s 14-year-old daughter did a splendid job in making these. The authentic touch it adds to a fall dinner is truly captivating. Enjoy!
Stuffed Pumpkin
Pork Marinade
1 lb. pork loin, cubed
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. lemon juice
Mix together and cover with plastic wrap. Marinate in fridge for at least 30 minutes.
Filling
1/2 lb. bulk sausage, fried
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. thyme
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 Tbsp. cooking wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
14 oz. chestnuts
1 pie pumpkin, approximately 8-inch in diameter
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cut off the top of the pumpkin several inches down from the stem and save the top. Scoop out the stringy inside and seeds and discard. Rub one tablespoon of oil over the pumpkin inside and out. Season the inside with salt and pepper. Place the pumpkin and top on a baking pan and bake until it softens slightly but still holds its shape, approximately 35-40 minutes.
Score an X onto the flat side of each chestnut with a knife. Place on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 30 minutes, or place on a plate and microwave for approximately one minute. The chestnuts should peel easily at this point and be partially soft. Peel and roughly chop the chestnuts.
Put two tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the marinated pork loin and cook until brown on all sides. Remove from pan and set aside. In the same pan, add the sausage, chopped onion, minced garlic and bay leaves. Cook until onion becomes soft. Add tomato paste, chopped chestnuts, browned pork loin, seasonings, cooking wine and broth. Mix well and add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer covered for 10-15 minutes. If the filling looks dry, add a bit more broth. Remove bay leaves.
Spoon filling into the roasted pumpkin, top with the pumpkin stem lid, and bake for approximately 30 minutes until the pumpkin is soft. Cut the pumpkin in slices to serve.
Gloria Yoder is an Amish house-wife in rural Illinois. She is the third writer of The Amish Cook column since its inception in 1991. Yoder can be reached by writing: The Amish Cook, P.O. Box 157, Middletown, Ohio 45042.
