Stew In A Pumpkin Shell

• 2 lb beef or bison stew meat; :cut in 1-1/2-in. cubes
• 1 onion, :chopped
• 2 teaspoons :minced garlic
• 3 tablespoons:oil
• 2 large tomatoes; :chopped
• 1 green bell pepper; :chopped
• salt :and pepper
• 1 teaspoon:sugar
• 1 cup dried apricots, :chopped
• 3 white potatoes; :peeled and diced
• 3 sweet potatoes; :peeled and diced
• 2 cup :beef broth
• 1 medium sized :pumpkin
• margarine; :melted
• 1/4 cup :white wine
• 2 cups corn fresh, :frozen or canned, drained

Preparation

1. Trim any excess fat from beef. Heat the oil in a stock pot and add the onion, garlic and meat. Cook just until the meat is browned.
2. Add the tomatoes, green pepper, 1 tablespoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, sugar, apricots, white potatoes, sweet potatoes and broth. Cover and simmer 1 hour.
3. Meanwhile, cut top off pumpkin and discard. Scoop out seeds and stringy membrane. Brush inside of pumpkin with margarine and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
4. Stir sherry and corn into the stew and spoon the mixture into the pumpkin shell. Place shell in shallow pan and bake at 325 for 1 hour, or until pumpkin meat is tender.
5. Place pumpkin in large bowl and ladle out stew, scooping out some of pumpkin with each stew serving.