Dinner In A Pumpkin

Ingredients:

1 large pumpkin, cleaned and hollowed

2 lbs sausage

1 lb ground beef

1 yellow or white onion, diced

4 C sliced mushrooms

6 stalks celery, sliced

1 yellow pepper, diced

1/2 C white wine

1/2 C butter, in two portions

2 C jasmine rice, uncooked

1/4 C flour

3 C whole milk

1 t kosher salt plus more for seasoning

1 t ground black pepper

1 t dried thyme

1 t dried sage

1/2 t red pepper flakes

Brown the onion, sausage and ground beef in a pan. Set aside. Deglaze the hot pan with the wine. Add 1/4 C of the butter, sliced into 4 pats. Add the sliced mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Let cook 4 minutes. Add the celery and pepper and toss. Cook an additional 3 minutes. Set aside. Wipe the pan out and prepare to make a roux. When the pan is warm, add the remaining 1/4 C butter and let it melt and begin to foam over medium low heat. Sprinkle the flour over the hot butter and begin whisking. Continue whisking and cooking the roux until it is well incorporated and bubbling, but not turning tan - about 2 minutes. Slowly add the milk to the roux, whisking constantly. Over medium low heat, keep cooking until the milk is thickened. Turn the heat to warm and add the salt, pepper, thyme, sage, and red pepper flakes. Whisk to incorporate.

In a large bowl, combine the meat mixture, the mushroom mixture, the uncooked rice, and then pour the cream sauce over the top. Stir to incorporate. Add in 1 1/2 C slivered almonds and mix. Put the mixture into the hollowed out pumpkin. Remove one of the racks in your oven if necessary and make sure the pumpkin is on a tray in case it releases liquid. Bake the pumpkin at 375 degrees F for one hour and then check to see if the rice is done. If it is not, cook for an addition 20 to 30 minutes. Serve it by scooping the mixture out with a little bit of pumpkin from the edges.