Cornbread Stuffed Pumpkin
An impressive and healthful dish, this could easily serve as the centerpiece to a Vegetarian Thanksgiving feast!
1 medium pumpkin, about 10 inches in diameter
1 baking dish of cornbread, baked, cooled, and chopped into 1-inch cubes
4 tablespoons olive oil or butter
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
6 cups fresh autumn greens (for example: kale, collards, turnip greens, beet greens, or chard) washed and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1 egg
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste
Vegetable broth to moisten
Preheat oven to 350F. Cut the lid off the pumpkin and scoop out seeds and fibers. Place cleaned pumpkin on a lightly-oiled baking sheet and bake for around 45 minutes, then remove from oven and keep warm.
In a large skillet, heat olive oil or butter over medium-high heat and add onion and garlic, stirring to coat with oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are slightly softened and golden, about 5 minutes. Add greens and cook, stirring, until wilted and coated with oil.
In a large mixing bowl, mix the cornbread cubes, wilted greens, walnuts, egg, herbs, salt, pepper, and enough vegetable broth to moisten.
Place stuffing in pumpkin and cover with foil. Replace pumpkin in preheated oven and bake 35 or more minutes, until stuffing is cooked and pumpkin is tender. Transfer pumpkin to a serving platter and remove foil. Serve warm, being sure to scoop bits of cooked pumpkin on to everyone’s plate along with the stuffing. Serves 6.