ALL SAINTS DAY PUMPKIN DISH + CASSEROLE CHICKEN

A GUIDEPOST Reprint

“DELICIOUS DISHES OF SPAIN”
by Maruja  Hatheway
First published in GUIDEPOST
29 October 1965

IT IS interesting to note that in the French and the Spanish in the Basque countries, the pumpkin is also a symbol associated with the supernatural feelings of this season.
This dish that is traditionally found at All Saints´Day, November 1st, in many peasant homes has a dramatic impact for its novel appearance and unusual flavor. We got this recipe from Humberto, a well-known French chef that lived many years in Bilbao.

Calabaza de Todos los Santos
(All Saints´ Day Pumpkin)

1 large pumpkin (calabaza)
1 lb. rice (arroz)
2 cloves garlic (ajo)
1 large green pepper (pimiento verde)
2 lbs. medium size shrimps (gambas medianas)
1 tablespoon butter (mantequilla)
Salt & pepper to taste
Clean and devein shrimps; chop green pepper and garlic.
Cut off the top from pumpkin, remove all the seeds. (Save top to use as a lid.)
Place all the ingredients in the order given inside the pumpkin. Attach on lid
with toothpicks. Place pumpkin on baking tray and bake in 325º oven for 2 1/2
hours. No water is used in this dish.

Spanish Casserole Chicken

a 3-pound frying chicken
1 cup flour seasoned with 1 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. peppe
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 chopped onion (cebolla)
3 tbsp. chopped green pepper
1 minced clove garlic
1/2 cup chopped celery (optional) (apio)
1 1/2 cup tomato juice (zumo de tomate)
3/4 cup sauté mushrooms (champiñones)
1/3 cup stuffed olives (aceitunas rellenas)

Cut chicken into pieces. Dredge with seasoned flour. Heat olive oil in skillet.
Brown chicken in oil. Place the pieces in casserole. Sauté chopped onion, green
pepper ang garlic in oil.
Add tomato juice. Pour these ingredients over the chicken in the casserole.
Cover. Bake in a moderate 325º F, for about one hour, or until tender. If needed,
add more tomato juice, or stock.
Five minutes before chicken is done, add sautéed mushrooms and sliced stuffed
olives.

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Images
Featured image/Werner Reischel, CC BY2.0
Chopped pumpkin/Marco Verch Professional Photographer’s Photostream, CC BY2.0
Casserole/Stephen Mickey, CC BY-ND2.0