Roast Pumpkin with Cheese “Fondue”

This Roast Pumpkin with Cheese “Fondue” is an old Gourmet magazine recipe that I’d wanted to try for years. Last year, I finally did it. I used a giant squash called a Cheese Pumpkin at the suggestion of a local farmstand. It was huge! Somewhere between 15 and 21 pounds. Last year I was serving 19, so I figured go big or go home. I scaled the Roast Pumpkin with Cheese “Fondue” recipe up by about 2.5. It worked perfectly. Because the squash variety the farmer picked has a nice skin that’s good at holding its form, the squash stayed intact, even as I sliced it. The result was miraculous really. I could not believe the gorgeous, perfect pie slices that transferred onto the plates with ease. I served it with a very simple bitter green salad that was a nice contrast to the richness of the pumpkin. It was paired with a dry riesling and was by far the most dramatic dish of Thanksgiving 2012. I really didn’t alter the recipe at all, other than to scale up. Also, I’ve included some notes on the cheese and you should consider carefully how to pick a pumpkin. But other than that, … Continue reading