Spicy Fall Pumpkin Stew

Thank you to Courtney, a CSA shareholder from Leola, PA, for sharing the following recipe, adapted from VegetarianTimes.com (http://www.vegetariantimes.com/). Courtney uses red kuri, kabocha, or buttercup squash in the place of pumpkin and serves with salsa and slices of avocado.

Spicy Fall Pumpkin Stew
Ingredients
1 medium onion, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chili powder, preferably New Mexican
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ pound tomatillos, husked and quartered (if available)
Cous cous or quinoa
¾ teaspoon salt
1 3 to 4 pound pumpkin, red kuri, kabocha, or buttercup squash
½ cup packed cheddar cheese

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in pot over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Sauté for 7 minutes, or until softened. Stir in chili powder, cumin, and oregano, and cook 3 minutes more, or until spices darken.
2. Add tomatillos, cous cous or quinoa, ½ cup water, and salt. Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, partially covered, 10 to 12 minutes, or until tomatillos are softened. Uncover, and cook 5 minutes more to thicken stew, if necessary.
3. Meanwhile, cut top of pumpkin (or squash) around stem to make lid. Scoop out pumpkin seeds and strings. Rub inside of pumpkin with remaining 1 Tbs. oil, and sprinkle generously with salt. Sprinkle cheese in bottom of pumpkin.
4. Fill pumpkin with stew, then top with pumpkin lid. Place on parchment-covered baking sheet and bake 1½ to 2 hours, or until pumpkin flesh is fork-tender. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes.
5. Scoop stew, including pumpkin, into bowls and serve hot.