Stuffed Pumpkins

Mini pumpkins are the perfect vessel for savory stuffing. These stuffed pumpkins make a fabulous side dish, and with sourdough bread, Gruyère cheese, cream, and eggs, they're hearty enough to stand on their own. Apples and optional dried cranberries perfectly complement the Gruyère, along with tender sautéed vegetables and herbs.

The recipe is versatile as well. Feel free to add chopped toasted nuts to the mixture for a bit of crunch, or if you prefer a non-vegetarian dish, add a few ounces of diced sautéed pancetta or bacon, or cooked sausage to the filling. Sautéed mushrooms are another excellent choice. Or choose another stuffing, such as cornbread sausage or this Middle Eastern-style stuffing. Instead of bread stuffing, try a stuffing made with rice or quinoa. The filling doesn't have to be savory, either. Instead of salt and pepper, season the pumpkins with cinnamon sugar, bake them until they are fork-tender, then fill them with fried apples or creamy pudding. Roasted pumpkins also make terrific soup bowls.

Ingredients

1 loaf sourdough bread, about 1 pound

8 to 12 miniature pumpkins

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons Diamond kosher salt, more as needed for seasoning the pumpkins

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, more as needed for seasoning the pumpkins

3 ounces (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups diced onion

1 cup diced celery

2 medium tart apples, such as Granny Smith, peeled and diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh sage

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh thyme leaves

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

1 cup heavy cream

1 1/2 cups vegetable broth, more as needed

3 large eggs, beaten

8 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated

1 cup dried cranberries, optional