Video Attempt: Pumpkin Stuffed with Cheese Fondue (and a snack of roasted seeds)

Welcome to season two of the Bon Appétempt show! Notice all the new music? We asked our friends over at Subtidal Studios for a new song, and they delivered three! (And yes, that is my voice shouting 4 cups of oats! on repeat at the end.) (This is clearly a serious show that deserves an equally serious theme song.)

As for this pumpkin dish? It kind of blew my mind. So delicious. As for this baby I'm carrying? It's about the size of one of those pumpkins! (Or at least, that's how it feels.)

Pumpkin Stuffed with Cheese Fondue super slightly adapted from Gourmet
serves 4-6

1 (15-inch) piece of baguette, cut into 1/2-inch slices (7 oz total)
1 seven pound orange pumpkin OR 2 three pound orange pumpkins*
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
2 1/2 cups coarsely grated Gruyère (6 oz)
2 1/2 cups coarsely grated Emmental (6 oz)
1 tablespoon olive oil

*The flesh of one of our pumpkins was considerably more delicious than the other. I think this was because it was riper, but maybe it was just the luck of the pumpkin? Which I guess begs the question: how do you know if a pumpkin is ripe?

Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in lower third.

Toast baguette slices in 1 layer on a baking sheet in oven until tops are crisp (bread will still be pale), about 7 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.

Remove top of pumpkin(s) by cutting a circle (3 inches in diameter) around stem with a small sharp knife. Scrape out seeds and any loose fibers from inside pumpkin with a spoon (including top of pumpkin). Reserve seeds for a delicious snack (recipe below). Season inside of pumpkin with 1/2 tsp salt.

Whisk together cream, broth, nutmeg, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper in a bowl. Mix together cheeses in another bowl.

Put a layer of toasted bread in bottom of pumpkin, then cover with a portion of the cheese and some of the cream mixture. Continue layering bread, cheese, and cream mixture until pumpkin is filled to about 1/2 inch from top and making sure to use all of the cream mixture. (You may have some bread and cheese left over.)

Cover pumpkin with top and put in an oiled small roasting pan. Brush outside of pumpkin all over with olive oil. Bake until pumpkin is tender and filling is puffed, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours for a seven pound pumpkin and about an hour for two smaller pumpkins.

Note: Pumpkin can be filled 2 hours before baking and chilled.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

pumpkin seeds, rinsed clean of pumpkin innards (I've found that if you soak the seeds in hot water for a bit, they are a little easier to separate from the pumpkin innards.)

soy sauce

olive oil

sea salt

Preheat oven to 300F.

Spread the rinsed pumpkin seeds on a dish towel to dry. (The drier they are to start, the more they will crisp up in the oven.)

Scoop the seeds into a bowl and pour over a drizzle of olive oil and a drizzle of soy sauce. Stir to coat.

Spread the seeds into a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring halfway through. Sprinkle with sea salt. Enjoy!