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38 OCTOBER 2020
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HANDS DOWN, my favorite pumpkin for cooking is the Long Island
cheese pumpkin. Tan, smooth, and squat, these gorgeous gourds
resemble wheels of cheese; their creamy, dense, and vibrantly
orange flesh only adds to the illusion. An heirloom varietal pre-
served by seed savers in Long Island, New York, its flavor is a
cross between butternut squash and sweet potato, with a vegetal
aroma akin to its melon and cucumber cousins. With a thick skin
and a large, flat cavity, these pumpkins are perfect for roasting
whole—they sit stably on a baking sheet and can accommodate
your choice of hearty fillings.
Last fall, after impulse-purchasing a case of cheese pumpkins,
I went on the prowl for recipes to use them up, only to find
bread-, cream-, and yes, cheese-stuffed versions. Hoping for
something a little lighter and weeknight dinner–friendly, I cal-
culated a rough ratio for cooking rice inside the pumpkin, aiming
for a risotto-like texture. I love pumpkin in red curries and how
the sweet aroma complements coconut milk, lemongrass, and
ginger. And while this makes a hearty and warming main course,
it also makes a wonderful side dish for roast fish or pork. Bring
the whole pumpkin to the table on a rimmed baking sheet or
platter, and spoon the saucy rice, studded with spoonfuls of
tender pumpkin, into shallow bowls. —MARY-FRANCES HECK
Good Gourd Dense, creamy,
and fiery-fleshed, heirloom
pumpkins are ripe for roasting.
F&W COOKS
Seek out tan-skinned,
smooth Long Island
cheese pumpkins, orange-
skinned Cinderella, deeply
ridged Fairytale, or dusty,
green-tinted Calabaza
for this recipe.
photography by GREG DUPREE
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