AWW May 2008

Serving size: Serves 8
Cuisine type: Italian, Modern Australian
Cooking time: More than 1 hour
Course: Lunch, Main, Side dish

Paella-filled whole pumpkin from AWW May 2008

INGREDIENTS

3kg whole kent or jap pumpkin
30g butter
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
2 cloves garlic, crushed
150g chopped chorizo
1 single (200g) chicken breast fillet, cut into 2cm cubes
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 medium (150g) brown onion, chopped finely
½ medium (100g) red capsicum, chopped finely
3 cups (750ml) chicken stock
large pinch of saffron
1 cup (200g) paella or arborio rice –
1 medium (150g) vine-ripened tomato, chopped finely
¼ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
⅓ cup (40g) frozen peas

METHOD

Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced.

Using a small sharp knife, carefully cut the top off the pumpkin, cutting down and in towards the centre of the pumpkin so you cut a nice "lid". Using a spoon, scrape out all seeds and fibrous parts from the centre of the pumpkin and some of the actual pumpkin flesh too so that the wall of the pumpkin is about 2.5cm thick all over. Melt half the butter and combine with paprika, half the garlic and salt and pepper. Brush the mixture all over the inside of the pumpkin. Roast pumpkin and “lid” on an oven tray for about 1 hour or until tender.

Meanwhile, cook chorizo in a large pan until golden brown and fat has started to run; remove from pan, drain on absorbent paper. Add the chicken to the same pan; cook until just browned; remove from pan.

Heat half the butter with olive oil in same pan; cook onion, capsicum and half the garlic over low heat until translucent.

Heat stock and saffron in a small pan until hot; keep at a gentle simmer.

Add rice to the onion mixture; cook, stirring, until it is coated in the juices. Add ½ cup of the hot stock; stir until absorbed. Repeat with remaining stock until rice is almost tender. Stir in the chorizo, chicken and tomatoes, parsley and peas into the rice mixture, season to taste with salt and pepper.

Spoon hot rice mixture into the prepared pumpkin. Place pumpkin lid on. Bake for about 20 minutes or until rice is tender. Stand 10 minute before cutting. Serve with lemon wedges, if desired.

Not suitable to freeze. Butter and stock mixture suitable to microwave.