
It’s fall, aka pumpkin season! I had so much fun a few years ago when I made the Pumpkin Stuffed with Cosas Ricas, and wanted to reinvent that dish, but with Puerto Rican flavors. Rice and beans are staples in the island, and since beans are often stewed with pieces of pumpkin, I thought of flipping the equation: beans cooked inside a pumpkin. The pumpkin imparts not only a little sweetness, but also adds body to the sauce or caldito. I am not the biggest fan of beans, but E is and I hadn’t made any since we came back from our trip to Seattle. The timing was perfect for putting together this pumpkin stuffed with beans and ham.
Local inspiration at the farmers’ market
Today I was lucky to find a gorgeous pumpkin at the farmers’ market at la Placita Roosevelt. Coming in at six pounds, it was the perfect size to stuff and roast inside my five-quart Dutch oven. This type of pumpkin is called “taína dorada” (golden taína – native Puerto Rican). `Taina Dorada’ is a relatively new variety of pumpkin bred to produce a tastier, smaller fruit. Read More…