Ingredients:
1 small pumpkin, less than 12 inches in diameter
2 cups chicken broth or 2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 loaf French bread, in 1/2 inch slices
1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 teaspoon marjoram
1/2 lb grated gruyere cheese
pepper
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut the top off the pumpkin and scrape out the seeds and dark yellow muck, as if making a jack-o-lantern.
Mix broth and cream in a bowl.
Toast bread slices.
Make a layer of toast on the bottom of the pumpkin.
(You have to cut a few up, kind of like a gig saw puzzle.) Sprinkle with thyme and grated cheese.
Then ladle over cheese and bread just enough broth-cream to cover.
Add a little pepper.
Do this again, until the pumpkin is 2/3 full.
(This is going to expand.).
Put the lid back on the pumpkin and place on baking sheet with foil.
Bake for 1hr 45minutes to 2 hours.
The pumpkin is going to be soft and kind of fragile, be careful getting it on to a platter.
Take lid off and ladle out, but remember to scoop some of the pumpkin meat out with each serving.
For Vegetarian use vegetable broth.
Servings: 8
Time preparation: 25 min.
Time total: 145 min.