Brian’s Turkey & Pumpkin Stew
Prep time: 10-to-15 minutes; cooking time: 15-to-20 minutes  
Serves 4-to-6  
Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsps. vegetable oil
  • 2-to-3 cups pumpkin, cut into ¼-inch cubes
  • 1 cup smoked turkey meat (can substitute favorite cooked turkey meat), cut into ¼-inch cubes
  • 1 cup celery, cut into ¼-inch cubes
  • 1 carrot, cut into ¼ -inch slices
  • 1 (32 oz.) container chicken stock
  • 1 cup Arborio rice
  • 1 cup shallots, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced
  • Rosemary to taste
  • Sage to taste
  • Thyme to taste
  • Salt & Pepper to taste
  • Garnish — chopped parsley

Directions

  1. In large skillet, heat oil over medium-heat; add pumpkin, season w/Salt & Pepper; cook until tender (not mushy); set aside.
  2. In large stock pot, add stock, carrots, celery; bring to boil over medium-high heat; add rice, shallots, mushrooms, spices, turkey, cooked pumpkin, reduce heat to medium, continue cooking until celery, carrots are tender (not mushy).
  3. Serve in small pumpkin (see tip below) or over rice.

*Tip — To serve stew in pumpkin, just cut off pumpkin top, thoroughly clean out seeds; (optional — carve a design on outside of pumpkin, but not too deep, so stew doesn’t seep out when you serve it) rub vegetable oil on outside of pumpkin, cover w/foil; bake pumpkin open side up in preheated 400° F oven for 45 minutes or until pumpkin flesh is tender (not mushy); remove from oven, carefully remove foil; let pumpkin cool a few minutes; whip off excess oil; spoon stew in pumpkin; serve.