text and graphics© 2010 Michael Browne
www.michaelandsilvia.com/carbonada.html
This autumn, don’t just make lanterns out of your pumpkins: try this delicious recipe.
Ingredients:
1 tblsp cooking oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
250g minced beef
1 vegetable stock cube
250g tomatoes, grated (or tinned tomatoes, finely chopped)
1kg pumpkin (with strong colour, if possible), peeled and diced
½ cup rice
boiling water, as necessary
100g mild cheese, diced
salt, cayenne pepper, oregano and bay leaf, according to taste
Cook the onion and garlic in the oil until soft, then add the beef and stock cube; cover the saucepan and continue cooking until the beef is well browned.
Add the tomatoes and seasonings, according to taste. Start adding the pumpkin, a little at a time, alternating with a little boiling water so that the pumpkin remains moist (do not add all the pumpkin at once, as some of it needs to form a pulp, while some is left firm).
Finally add the rice, and cook for 10 minutes. When the rice is cooked, remove from the heat and stir in the cheese.
Carbonada (beef and pumpkin stew)