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–+ servings
25+ Fancy Friendsgiving Finger Food Ideas

Mediterranean Rice Stuffed Pumpkin

25+ Fancy Friendsgiving Finger Food Ideas featuring Mediterranean Rice Stuffed Pumpkin for an impressive gathering.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Uncategorized
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Calories: 597

Ingredients
  

Meat and Grains
  • 0.25 pound Ground Beef
  • 1 cup Rice Jasmine rice
Vegetables and Seasonings
  • 3 tablespoon olive oil
  • 0.5 teaspoon butter
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 cup vegetable stock
  • 0.5 cup yellow onion finely chopped
  • 1 stick cinnamon
  • 1 leaf bay
  • 0.5 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon seven spice blend
  • 0.5 teaspoon salt or to taste
Nuts and Dried Fruits
  • 0.5 cup sliced almonds
  • 0.5 cup raisins
Garnish
  • 0.25 cup parsley for garnish
  • 0.25 cup pomegranate for garnish

Equipment

  • Oven
  • Skillet
  • Pan
  • knife
  • cutting board

Method
 

Cooking Steps
  1. Slice the top of the pumpkin and scoop out some flesh and seeds. Preheat oven to 435°F. Mix olive oil, garlic, and paprika together. Brush the inside of the pumpkin, then cover with the top. Put in the oven for 45 minutes or until fork tender.
  2. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the ground beef, seven spice blend, garlic, and salt. Sauté for a few minutes until the color starts changing. Sauté onions for 2 minutes, cover, and cook for 10 minutes or until cooked. Set aside.
  3. In a new pan, add olive oil and the cooked ground beef. Add the cinnamon stick, bay leaf, and rice. Stir for 2 minutes to coat the rice, then add the vegetable stock. Bring to a boil and wait until most of the liquid is almost absorbed. Cover and put on low heat for 12-14 minutes until cooked.
  4. Add the butter and olive oil to the nuts. Stir the almonds until they are silvered for 2-3 minutes, then add the raisins for 2 more minutes. Add salt, then set aside.
  5. Scoop the rice into the pumpkin, add the nuts and pomegranate on top. Garnish with parsley, cut into wedges, serve, and enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingsCalories: 597kcalCarbohydrates: 66gProtein: 16gFat: 32gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 796mgFiber: 7gSugar: 5g

Notes

This dish is versatile; feel free to swap ground beef for alternatives, or add different spices for flavor variation.

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