Vegetarian Stuffed Thanksgiving Kabocha (Japanese Pumpkin)

Kabocha (Japanese pumpkin) comes in both a green and orange variety. Inside both pumpkins have a golden flesh with richer and sweeter flavor than an America pumpkin. It is also more firm and less watery. I love it. This recipe takes about 2 hours to prepare, most of that time includes baking time.

Here is a recipe for a stuffed thanksgiving pumpkin. It is filled with wild and brown rice and cranberries. This will serve 4.

Vegetarian Stuffed Thanksgiving Kabocha (Japanese pumpkin)

1 medium orange Kabocha (Japanese pumpkin)

¼ cup wild rice

¾ cup brown rice

2 ¼ cups vegetable broth, preferably homemade

1 leek

1 tablespoon virgin olive oil

2 stalks celery, finely chopped

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1 teaspoon thyme, fresh or dried

½ teaspoon rosemary, fresh or dried

1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Put the wild and brown rice in pot and add the vegetable broth. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, cover and reduce the heat to low. Let cook for about 30 minutes or until the water is gone. Turn off the heat and leave covered.
   
2. Thinly slice the leek, and place it a bowl of cold water. Carefully wash the leek to be sure there is no dirt or sand on it. Drain the leek and set aside.
   
3. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a heavy pan. Add the leek and cook until limp, string occasionally. About 3-5 minutes.
   
4. Add the celery to the leek and cook until the celery until lightly cooked, about 4-5 minutes.
   
5. Add the dried cranberries, thyme, rosemary, parsley, cook a few minutes more. Turn off the heat.
   
6. Preheat oven to 350.
7. Wash and dry the Kabocha pumpkin. Cut the top off the Kabocha pumpkin and clean out the insides.
   
8. When the rice is cooled add the leek and celery mixture to the rice.Add salt and pepper to taste.
   
9. Stuff pumpkin with the rice mixture. Put into roasting pan and bake until pumpkin is soft and browned all over. About 60 to 80 minutes.
   
10. Cool a few minutes before serving.