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Preparation
Preheat oven to 400º.
Carefully cut the top off the pumpkin with the knife angled toward the center of the pumpkin so the lid won't fall in when baked.
Clean the seeds and strings out of the center of the pumpkin
(wash seeds and save for toasted pumpkin seeds),
put a couple of tbsps of water into it, oil the cut edges of both pumpkin and its lid, and bake both parts on a baking sheet for about 40 minutes,
or until the pumpkin is quite soft when poked with a fork.
While the pumpkin is baking, cook the grains as usual.
Sauté the onion until translucent, then add the apples, celery, chestnuts, herbs and spices, and cook until the apples are just starting to get soft.
(Add a bit of water if needed).
Mix in beans or tofu, raisins, nuts, parsley, soy or orange, and sweet red pepper and heat gently.
Add grains and mix well.
When the pumpkin is baked, stuff it.
Replace lid tightly.
Lower the oven temperature to 350º and bake on a baking sheet for about 30 more minutes, or longer if stuffing was not hot when pumpkin was stuffed.
Bring the pumpkin to the table.
Hand the youngest or oldest person a pot holder, and let them remove the lid.
(You'll probably get a big puff of steam).
Applaud the lid lifter and the pumpkin.
Serve the stuffing with a slice of pumpkin topped with a bit of maple syrup, cranberry sauce or a fruit chutney.
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