Camarão na Moranga (Shrimp Stuffed Pumpkin)
This shrimp stuffed pumpkin (camarão na moranga) is SO delicious! With an incredible flavor and a rustic yet sophisticated presentation, this recipe is sure to impress everyone!
Servings: 6
Calories: 600kcal
Ingredients
For the pumpkin
- 1 large Cinderella pumpkin (around 10 lbs. / 5 kg) (cleaned)
- ¼ cup diced onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
For the shrimp chowder
- 2 lbs raw shrimp (peeled, deveined, tail-off)
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 teaspoons minced garlic (aprox. 4 garlic cloves)
- 1 cup diced onion (aprox. 1 small onion)
- 4 chopped Roma tomatoes
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 5 oz cream cheese (150g) (softened)
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons water (mix the flour with this water)
- ½ cup coconut chips (optional)
- ⅓ cup roughly chopped cilantro or parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400ºF.
- Season shrimp with salt, pepper, and lime juice. Set aside.
For the pumpkin
- With a mortar and pestle or food processor, crush the onion, garlic, oil, salt, and pepper, until it becomes a paste. Set aside.
- Using a kitchen utility knife, cut off the top of the pumpkin, creating a lid. Remove fibers and seeds. Rub the seasoning paste all around the inside of the pumpkin and rub the vegetable oil on the outside.
- Wrap the pumpkin in foil, place it in an oven-safe dish, and bake for approximately an hour to an hour and a half (checking frequently after 50 minutes). A toothpick should go in without much resistance, and the inside flesh should be soft. Remove it from the oven and set it aside.
For the shrimp chowder
- In a thick-bottomed pan, add a tablespoon of olive oil and let it heat up. Add the shrimp (without the liquid) and sauté until it changes color and becomes tender, about 5 minutes depending on the size. Add a little salt if necessary. Remove from pan and set aside.
- In the same pan, add another tablespoon of olive oil and sauté garlic and onion. On low heat, when onions are translucent, add the tomatoes and a pinch of salt. Cook it for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are soft. You can add a few tablespoons of water if the mixture starts to dry.
- Bring shrimps back to the pan (with its liquid) and add the softened cream cheese, heavy cream, and flour mixed with the water (slurry). Stir well and let it cook for a few minutes until it thickens to the desired consistency. Turn off the heat, add coconut and cilantro (or parsley) and stir to combine. Taste and correct the salt if necessary. You can add more slurry if you want it thicker or more heavy cream if you want it thinner.
Assembling
- Place the pumpkin on a serving dish/platter. Open the pumpkin top and, with the help of a ladle, fill the pumpkin with the shrimp chowder. Using a spoon or fork, scrape the bottom and sides of the pumpkin every time you add more filling and mix everything.Serve it immediately.
Notes
* Be careful not to overcook the shrimp as they can become rubbery.
* Be careful not to overcook the pumpkin, as it may collapse.
* If you want to cook it faster, you can put 2 tablespoons of water inside the pumpkin and cook in the microwave, on high power, for approximately 30-40 minutes, checking every 10 minutes.
* Cooking time varies by oven/microwave and pumpkin weight, so check it often.
*If desired, you can cover the filling with mozzarella cheese and brown it in the oven. This step is optional but if you do, make sure to place the pumpkin in an oven-safe dish.
*Avoid moving the pumpkin from its place after filling it, so the bottom won't break with the weight of the filling.
*If water forms inside the pumpkin, ladle it out before adding the filling.
Nutrition
Calories: 600kcal