Pumpkin Stuffed with Chicken and Rice

George Hirsch October 16, 2025

So Perfect for Autumn

The ultimate one-dish meal is cooked in its own pot-in this case, and it's a pumpkin. I remember the year we picked a lot of pumpkins on the East End farms for decoration at my restaurant on Long Island. When it came time to use them up, this dish became a popular item on the menu.

If you like to experiment, add chickpeas, sweet peas, or slices of smoked sausage when adding the chicken. Or omit the chicken and add chopped cauliflower and mushrooms for a hearty, meatless squash.

Pumpkin Stuffed with Chicken and Rice

Recipe by Chef George Hirsch, Gather Round The Grill cookbook, 1995 | Makes 4 servings

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2 large pumpkins (8 to 12 inches in diameter), such as a cheese pumpkin or turban squash.

One 3-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces, or 1 1/2 pounds of chicken cutlets

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1/2 medium onion, cut into rings

1 large red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch strips

1 cup long-grain rice

2 1/4 cups chicken broth

Puree from 1 head of Caramelized Garlic

2 bay leaves

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon hot sauce

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes Cooking Directions Below

Preheat the grill or 375-degree F oven.

Using a sharp knife, cut a 5-inch hole in the top of the pumpkin and remove the seeds. Reserve the lid.

Brush the chicken with some of the olive oil and grill for about 20 minutes or until three-fourths done. (if using cutlets, grill for 4 to 5 minutes.) Brush the onion and red pepper with the remaining olive oil and grill until light brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the onion and peppers and chop them into 1-inch pieces.

In a large saucepan, heat the rice and broth. Add the garlic, bay leaves, cilantro, cumin, hot sauce, and tomatoes. When the mixture begins to boil, stir in the onion, red bell pepper, and the par-cooked chicken.

Wrap the bottom of the pumpkin with foil. Spoon the mixture into the pumpkin, then cover with the pumpkin lid. Place the pumpkin on the grill, lower the grill hood, and cook for 45 to 50 minutes. You can also cook it in a 375-degree F oven. Remove the pumpkin from the grill and place it on a platter, discarding the aluminum foil and bay leaves.

Add a little additional broth if the mixture is too dry. Bring the pumpkin to the table and serve the chicken directly from it.

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traditional pumpkin pie

George Hirsch October 11, 2025

‘Tis the season to make pie. And, from the bounty this year, I'll be a busy pie baker. The benefit for my guests is that they will all go home with some pie, and I'll still have some leftovers!

The best pumpkins for pie are sugar pie or pie pumpkins. They have a sweeter, creamier texture with less stringy, watery flesh. Other options include Jarrahdale, Cinderella, Fairytale, and Rouge Vif d'Etampes. When selecting a pumpkin, choose a smaller one that feels heavy for its size, ideally between 2 and 8 pounds.

But what if you don't have time to make the crust? Solution, Pumpkin Crème Brûlée

Pumpkin Pie

Makes eight servings

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1 recipe pie dough or a 9-inch lightly pre-baked pie crust (*see below)

1/4 cup granulated Turbino sugar

1/4 cup light brown sugar

2 Tablespoons lite-corn syrup

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

1 egg plus 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten

1 pound cooked + reduced Cheese Pumpkin puree, or in a pinch, 1- 15 ounce can make Pure Pumpkin

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 Tablespoons butter, melted

Fresh Chantilly Cream

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Step One: Combine sugars, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, eggs, and orange zest in a small bowl. Stir in corn syrup, pumpkin, and vanilla into the egg and spice mixture. Gradually stir in heavy cream and melted butter. Do not whip.

Step Two: Pour into a lightly pre-baked pie shell.

Step Three: Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350°F. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or untila knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 2 hours. Serve with fresh Chantilly Cream.

Optional, to bloom the pumpkin flavor:

For best results, mix step one the day before and store in a covered bowl in the refrigerator until ready to bake.

This recipe, made with butter, will result in a lighter and more flavorful crust.

*George’s Favorite Pie Crust Recipe
Makes one pie or two bottom crusts. RECIPE CONTINUED BELOW

**WATCH CHEF GEORGE MAKE PIE CRUST for Apple Pie**

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1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup cold milk

Chill the butter and milk before you begin. Chilling keeps the pie crust flaky and prevents the fat pieces from melting into the flour and becoming tough.

Next, mix the flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder. Cut the chilled butter into the dry mixture using a pastry cutter, or pinch the fat into the mixture with your hands. The mixture should have fat lumps no larger than the size of raisins; if making pie crust in the summertime, cool off the flour by measuring your flour, and refrigerate one hour before making the dough.

Pour in the chilled liquid until the milk is absorbed, mixing gently with a fork. You should be able to press the dough into a ball gently. Mix the dough as little as possible: you don't want to cream the butter's lumps into the flour. A crust without lumps of butter will be dense, not flaky. Note that humidity will affect how much liquid the flour will absorb.

Split the dough into two equal parts. Pat them into balls, flatten them slightly, and wrap them in plastic wrap. The dough needs to rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Overnight is preferred. Chilling lets the flour absorb all of the liquid, lets the dough relax, becomes more elastic, and keeps the fat in separate pieces, giving the crust a lighter texture when baked.

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Better than Quiche Lorraine

George Hirsch October 9, 2025

Contrary to what you might believe, the tart quiche originated on German soil, not French. The widely popular classic of French cuisine hails from an area of the medieval German kingdom, Lothringen, aka Lorraine, France.

Years ago, the pie was made with just eggs, cream, smoked bacon, and bread dough. The word Küche or Küchen is German for cake, believed to be the origin of the word Quiche.

Keep in mind that the Lorraine region influences Germany and France, so depending on who you ask or sample your Quiche from, you may receive a slight variation of the recipe. Today, a Quiche Lorraine is expected to contain cheese and onions. The use of Gruyère cheese is a relatively new addition to quiche in France. Oh, and don't expect to taste any Gruyère in your quiche in Lorraine; they are purists - sans the cheese. Too bad, it's a magnificent modification to the French recipe. In Germany, expect onions and no cheese, and it's called Zwiebelkuchen.

I find it interesting to know a dish's classical origin, but what is more important when making a quiche or any dish is what influences its taste and texture. So, for me, the appeal is not to stick to its classical roots but to see how the melding of cultures and the additions of flavorful savory ingredients, in this case, like onions and cheese, have improved this dish.

As for Real Men Don’t Eat Quiche, Bruce Feirstein's best-selling book that satirized stereotypes of masculinity, I can assure you, based on all the quiches I have made, that real men DO eat Quiche!

Tips:

Add 1 Tablespoon of flour mixed into the filling before adding the egg/ milk mixture to help set a too-moist filling, for example, tomatoes, mushrooms, etc.

To prevent a raw bottom of quiche, pre-bake pastry dough Blind (8-12 minutes with no color) before filling.

Bake directly on an oven rack. Baking quiche on a cookie or sheet pan will cause the tart or pie bottom to be raw.

Feel free to improvise with flavors, seasonings, vegetables, meats, and seafood. Just keep in mind that adding very moist fillings, such as mushrooms, tomatoes, etc., will affect the custard of eggs and milk or cream.

Better than Quiche Lorraine Recipe

Makes one 9-inch tart

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For George's Pastry Crust:

*George’s Favorite Pie Crust

Makes 1 pie or 2 bottom crusts

1/2 cup butter

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup cold milk

Chill the butter and milk before you begin. Chilling keeps the pie crust flaky and prevents the fat pieces from melting into the flour and becoming tough.

Next, mix the flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder. Cut the chilled butter into the dry mixture using a pastry cutter or pinch the fat into the mixture with your hands. The mixture should have fat lumps no larger than the size of raisins. If making pie crust in the summertime, cool off the flour by measuring it and refrigerate one hour before making the dough.

Pour in the chilled liquid just until the milk is absorbed, mixing gently with a fork. You should be able to gently press the dough into a ball. Mix the dough as little as possible: you don't want to cream the butter's lumps into the flour. A crust without lumps of butter will be dense, not flaky. Note that humidity will affect how much liquid the flour will absorb.

Split the dough into two parts: 2/3 and 1/3 (2/3 for the bottom and 1/3 for the top). Pat them into balls, flatten them slightly, and wrap them in plastic wrap. The dough needs to rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, but overnight is preferred. Chilling lets the flour absorb all of the liquid, let the dough relax, become more elastic, and keep the fat in separate pieces, giving the crust a lighter texture when it is baked.

Prepare George’s piecrust the night prior or at least 1 hour ahead, or use store-bought piecrust. Roll out the pastry into a 9-inch tart or pie pan—pre-bake pastry dough Blind (8-12 minutes with no color) before filling.

For the Filling:

1 cup (approximately 6 slices) thick-cut or slab bacon, cut into thin strips-'lardons.'

1/2 cup sweet white onion, sliced thin

2 green onions, chopped

3 eggs, beaten

1 1/2 cups half-and-half or milk

Pinch of sea salt and freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon each hot sauce, fresh grated black pepper

1 cup Gruyere or good Swiss cheese, shredded

Optional:

2 Tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped

2 Tablespoons Arugula, chopped

Preheat oven to 375°F. See Instructions Below

Preheat a sauté pan to medium heat, and cook bacon until brown and crisp. Remove bacon pieces and drain on a paper towel. Drain bacon fat from the pan; add onions to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes to soften slightly. Allow bacon and onions to cool.

Place bacon, onion, parsley, Arugula, and Swiss cheese on top of the blind-baked pastry crust.

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, nutmeg, hot sauce, and pepper, and pour the mixture over the onion and bacon tart.

Bake for 20 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350°F. The total baking time is 30 minutes, or until the egg custard is set. Allow to cool slightly, and serve warm or at room temperature.

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Roasted Success

George Hirsch October 5, 2025

This is one of those no-fail chicken recipes you can always count on and deserves to be a regular dish in your dinner repertoire. My lemon and garlic roast chicken is also perfect for entertaining; it can be cooked ahead and is ideal to serve at room temperature for large gatherings.

side suggestion: my mousseline potatoes

Lemon and Garlic Roast Chicken

Makes six servings

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For the dry rub:

2 teaspoons each:

Spice rub: Powdered garlic, thyme, rosemary, basil, paprika, cumin, black pepper, sea salt

Mix all dry ingredients in a small bowl.

One 5-pound chicken

2 Tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, roughly chopped

1 head fresh garlic, peeled and roughly chopped

1 fresh lemon, cut into quarters

2 Tablespoons olive oil

Fresh ground black pepper

Wash and dry chicken. Rub dry rub over the outside and interior of the chicken. Refrigerate overnight or for at least 4 hours. Before roasting the chicken, rub it with 1/2 of the fresh garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil. Place remaining fresh garlic, lemon quarters, and fresh parsley inside the chicken cavity and truss or tie up the chicken.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Place chicken on a rack in a roasting pan. Roast the chicken for 25 minutes until it becomes a light brown color. Lower the temperature to 400 degrees F; roast for 30 minutes. Baste the chicken with the drippings every 10-15 minutes.

Lower the temperature to 350 degrees F for an additional 1/2 hour or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh, and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.

Remove chicken from oven. Allow chicken to rest for 20 minutes before carving.

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Classic Comfort

George Hirsch October 2, 2025

Autumn is here, a time of cooler days and crisp nights. Short days with less daylight are a primer for comfort foods. So, for those seeking comfort, Mac & Cheese might be the most popular comfort food on tonight's menu.

Macaroni and cheese is simple to make, and the secret is to use a mixture of good cheeses.

George’s Classic Jack Mac

Makes 6 servings

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2 Tablespoons Butter

1 onion, chopped

6 cloves garlic, chopped

2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 cups chicken broth

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

1 teaspoon hot sauce

pinch freshly grated nutmeg

2 cups half & half

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 cup Jack cheese, shredded

2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated

2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

1 1/2 pounds uncooked elbow, shells, or other small pasta

Melt Butter in a large soup pot or saucepan. Add onion and garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Slowly add the broth and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat, add the bay leaves, thyme, and hot sauce, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Stir in the half & half and heat to a simmer. Slowly add the Cheddar, Jack, and Parmesan cheeses, stirring until they melt and the sauce is smooth. Stir in the cooked pasta. Place in a serving dish and eat immediately, or sprinkle with Mac Topping (optional), and bake for five minutes in a 350-degree oven. See More Below