Recipe: Pumpkin Rice

Makes 4 servings

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup minced onions

3 cups (about 1 pound) peeled, seeded and diced pumpkin, or use Butternut, Kabocha or Acorn squash

2 cups long grain rice

½ teaspoon dried sage

½ teaspoon dried thyme

1 bay leaf

Salt and pepper, to taste

3 ½ cups vegetable or chicken stock

½ cup dried cranberries

½ cup pumpkin seeds

1. Heat oil in a four-quart saucepan with a tight-fitting lid on medium-low heat. Put the onions and squash in the saucepan. Put the lid on it and sweat onions and pumpkin or other squash until slightly soft, about 10 minutes. Add rice, sage, thyme, bay leaf, salt and pepper and stir to mix thoroughly. Add stock and cranberries and bring to a boil.

2. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until rice is tender, about 20 minutes. While rice is cooking bake pumpkin seeds on a baking pan in a 350- degree oven for 15 minutes. When rice is done, fold in pumpkin seeds and adjust seasoning.

Note: For a different flavor profile omit sage, thyme and bay leaf and add 2 tablespoons curry powder. If using a squash other than pumpkin omit the seeds in the recipe.

From Gregg Shiosaki, Seattle Culinary Academy at Seattle Central Community College