Ingredients

6 mini-pumpkins, preferably the white variety

¼ teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more to prepare the shells

2 tablespoons butter

2 scallions (about 1/3 cup), chopped

1 large garlic clove, finely chopped

4 cups baby kale or stemmed and roughly chopped lacinato kale (about 4 ounces)

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

½ cup white bread crumbs, lightly toasted

⅔ cups shredded Gruyère cheese

¼ cup pine nuts, toasted

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

¼ cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon olive oil

Preparation

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Wash the pumpkins. With a small, sharp knife, remove the tops as if for a jack-o’-lantern. Scoop out the seeds and stringy insides with a spoon, leaving the flesh intact. Rinse, then rub with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper.
2. Melt the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat, then add the scallions and cook for a few minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute or so, until fragrant. Add the kale and cook until it just wilts, about 3 or 4 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in the lemon juice and transfer to a bowl. Add the bread crumbs, cheese, pine nuts, nutmeg, red pepper flakes, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black peppers. Mix well, then stir in the cream.
3. Divide the filling into the pumpkins and replace the tops. Rub a baking dish with olive oil and arrange the filled pumpkins in the dish.
4. Bake for 1 hour, watching to make sure the tops don’t brown too much. Test the pumpkins by piercing with a fork. If the skin doesn’t pierce easily, remove the tops and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes. Replace the tops and serve hot.

Created by Kim Severson