Harvest Jambalaya

My little pie pumpkin was the perfect vessel for the company size jambalaya dish I made for dinner, and the roasted pumpkin pieces added the perfect autumn flair.  Most of the ingredients were local, from the Italian Sausage and corn to the garlic and fennel.  For rice, I substituted whole grain millet.  Here's how I made it:

Jambalaya

(Serves 6)

Remove seeds, pulp and some of flesh from pie pumpkin.  Rinse seeds.  Roast seeds and pulp at 425 F. for 40 minutes.  Dice pulp.  Store seeds for a snack.
1 pie pumpkin, seeds and pulp removed
Roast shell of pumpkin for 20-30 minutes.

Saute peppers, onion, garlic, fennel and celery in oil for about 10 minutes.  Remove to bowl.
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 small sweet peppers, seeded and diced
2 tablespoon onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoon fennel
1/4 cup celery, diced


Slice sausage and brown.  Set aside.
6 ounce Italian sausage, mild

Remove tail from shrimp.  Remove shells and simmer in water for 10 minutes.  Stir in bouillon cube.
12 ounce jumbo shrimp, in-shell, raw
2 cups water
1 not-chicken bouillon cube, low sodium
Saute shrimp for 3 minutes on one side, then 2 minutes on other side.  Set aside.

Add sauteed vegetable mix, broth, sausage, diced roasted pumpkin, corn, tomatoes, millet and spices to large kettle.
1 ear of corn, kernels removed
1 cup diced tomatoes
2 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon oregano 
1/3 cup millet 
Simmer until most of moisture is absorbed.

Add shrimp to mixture just long enough to heat.

Serve jambalaya in pumpkin shell.