Heart Healthy Recipes

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[#4e3124][size 2][size 4]C[/size]REOLE [size 4]S[/size]TEW IN [size 4]P[/size]UMPKIN [size 4]B[/size]OWL
Serves 4; about 2 1/2 cups per serving[/size][/#4e3124] [font "Times"]1 teaspoon acceptable vegetable oil

1 pound lean stew meat, all visible fat removed

2 cups low-sodium beef broth

1 cup water

1 medium tomato, peeled, seeded, and chopped

1/2 medium red bell pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 serrano pepper, seeded and chopped

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled

1 bay leaf

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 pumpkin, preferably with a protruding stem, scrubbed and rinsed in cold water (about 5 to 6 pounds)

1 ear of corn, shucked and desilked

1 medium russet potato

1 medium sweet potato

1 medium zucchini

8 pearl onions

1/4 cup dried mixed fruit, chopped (equal amounts of peaches, apricots, and apples) (about 1 ounce)
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[font "Times"]In a Dutch oven, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the meat and brown on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the broth, water, tomato, bell pepper, garlic, chili pepper, oregano, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1 1/2 hours, or until meat is tender.

Preheat oven to 3500 F. While meat mixture is cooking, use a sharp knife to cut a lid from the top of the pumpkin.

Using a metal spoon, scrape the seeds and fibers from the lid and inside of the pumpkin. Discard fibers and seeds. Place pumpkin on a baking sheet and put the lid on the pumpkin. Bake for 1 1/2 hours, or until pumpkin is tender. (It should yield to gentle pressure when pressed on the outside with a spoon. If it gets too tender, it could collapse.) Set aside.
While pumpkin is baking, prepare the remaining vegetables for the stew. Using a sharp knife or cleaver, cut the corn cob into 1-inch slices. (You can use the flat side of a meat mallet as you would a hammer to aid the knife cutting through the cob.) Peel the russet and sweet potatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes. Cut the zucchini crosswise into 1/2-inch slices. Peel the pearl onions (see Cook's Tip, below). Add the vegetables and dried fruit to the meat mixture and simmer, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

To serve, pour the stew into the baked pumpkin and then present it on a platter. Use a metal ladle or deep metal spoon to scoop out the stew and scrape some of the baked pumpkin from the inside.

To make this ahead, store the stew and baked pumpkin separately. Reheat stew over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes on the stove or 5 to 6 minutes on 100% power (high) in the microwave (full recipe) in a covered microwave-safe dish. Pumpkin can be reheated in a 3500 F oven for 15 to 20 minutes or on a microwave-safe plate on 100% power (high) for 4 to 6 minutes, depending on the microwave. Freeze cooked pumpkin in an airtight plastic bag for up to 6 months. Freeze stew in a rigid container for up to 4 months.



Cooks Tip 2:To peel pearl onions easily, drop them into boiling water and boil for 1 minute. Remove onions from the water and cool. Trim ends off and remove skin.
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[font "Times"]Calories: 422[/font]
[font "Times"]Protein: 32 g[/font]
[font "Times"]Carbohydrates: 65 g[/font]
[font "Times"]Total Fat: 7 g[/font]
[font "Times"]Saturated Fat: 2 g[/font]
[font "Times"]Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g[/font]
[font "Times"]Monounsaturated Fat: 2 g[/font]
[font "Times"]Cholesterol: 60 mg[/font]
[font "Times"]Sodium: 253 mg[/font]