Recipe Contest Entry: Pumpkin Beef Stew

RECIPE CONTEST ENTRY: PUMPKIN BEEF STEW

Sugar pumpkins are used as a bowl for our hearty and tasty pumpkin beef stew, that is infused with the flavors of onions, carrots, garlic and peppers.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 small sugar pumpkins or 2 cups pumpkin puree*
• 2 pounds beef (chuck, London broil, round) cut into small cubes
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive or coconut oil
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups mushrooms, sliced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 1 potato or sweet potato, peeled and cubed
• 1 large handful of kale or spinach, washed, stemmed & shredded
• 1 dried chipotle pepper, soaked and chopped
• 3 cups BPA, additive & citric acid free crushed tomatoes
• 4 cups beef broth/stock
• 1 large handful of cilantro, washed & chopped
• 1 tablespoon coriander seed, crushed
• 1 tablespoon cumin seed, crushed
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
• Raw milk or grass fed/raw milk cheddar, sliced or shredded

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375F
2. Slice the caps off of the sugar pumpkins and scoop out the seeds (reserve for another use). Place the pumpkins cut side down alongside the caps in a large baking pan filled 1 inch with water. Roast for 1 hour, checking after 30 minutes and adding a little more water if needed.
3. Heat olive or coconut oil in large pot and sauté onion on low heat for 10 minutes until caramelized. Add the garlic and continue sautéing for another 5 minutes. Add the beef cubes and brown until almost cooked through, about 10 minutes. Add the peppers, mushrooms, carrots, potatoes, kale/spinach and cook 5 minutes until slightly soft.
4. Add the chopped chipotle, crushed tomatoes and stock, coriander seed, cumin seed, smoked paprika, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, salt and pepper; mix well.
5. Remove the pumpkin from the oven and scoop out the flesh. Reserve half (freeze for another use) and add the remaining pumpkin (approximately 2 cups) to the stew. Mix well and simmer over medium-low heat for 30 minutes to an hour (or longer), stirring occasionally.
6. Remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaves. Serve in the hollowed out pumpkins with shredded grass-fed / raw milk cheddar.

NOTES

*If you want to skip the stew in a pumpkin presentation, substitute 2 cups pure pumpkin puree.

By Christina Lianos, of Healthilinguis