Ghapama (Armenian Stuffed Pumpkin)

Instructions

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1. 1 In a medium saucepan, bring water to boil over high heat. Add rice and return to full boil, stirring occasionally, until rice is al dente, 5 to 7 minutes (there should still be a firm core of undercooked rice in the center of each grain). Drain through a fine-mesh strainer over the sink, then immediately rinse with cold running water until rice is cool and water runs clear, about 1 minute. Set strainer over now empty pot and set aside to drain.
2. 2 Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat oven to 350˚F (176℃). Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper; set aside. Using a paring knife or pumpkin carving knife, remove the top of the pumpkin in one piece by cutting a 3- to 4-inch wide circle around the pumpkin stem to form a lid (see notes). Remove the lid and set aside.
3. 3 Carefully run knife or edge of a large spoon along the cavity of the pumpkin to loosen seeds and stringy pulp, then use a spoon to scoop them out and scrape the cavity clean. Using the paring knife, scrape seeds and pulp from the lid as well. Discard seeds and pulp or reserve for another use (try roasting the seeds with one of our seasoning combinations for a snack). Set pumpkin with lid aside.
4. 4 In a large skillet, toast nuts over medium heat until very lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Wipe out skillet, then add butter and melt over medium heat, swirling skillet regularly, until milk solids separate and just begin to brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
5. 5 Pour all but 2 tablespoons butter from skillet into a medium bowl; set aside. Add onion and salt to skillet with remaining butter and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened and just beginning to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to an empty large bowl and set aside.
6. 6 Add drained rice to the bowl with onions along with the almonds, walnuts, apricots, cherries, prunes, and raisins.
7. 7 Add honey to the reserved browned butter and whisk to combine. Using a brush, coat the insides of the cleaned pumpkin, including the rim and underside of the lid, with the honey-butter mixture (about 1 tablespoon). Pour remaining honey-butter mixture into rice mixture and stir gently until everything is well combined. Scoop rice mixture into the prepared pumpkin and gently pack into pumpkin, leaving about 1 inch headspace from the pumpkin rim. Cover with the pumpkin lid and transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
8. 8 Bake until a paring knife inserted into the side of the pumpkin yields no resistance and the pumpkin begins to slump very slightly, 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours.
9. 9 Remove baking sheet from oven and transfer to a wire rack. Let cool slightly, about 15 minutes.
10. 10 Using one or two large spatulas, carefully transfer pumpkin to the center of a large serving platter (see notes). Remove the lid and set aside. Using a paring knife, cut pumpkin through the flesh from top to bottom into eight equal wedges without cutting into filling; make sure to cut all the way to center of base so that wedges can fully separate. Gently allow pumpkin wedges to fall open onto the platter, coaxing them as needed. Mound rice in center of the pumpkin, scooping off any filling stuck to the pumpkin wedges and mounding it onto the rice pile. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.