Introducing Garsquashroom, Turducken’s Vegetarian Answer
I don’t think vegetarians feel like they are “missing out” on the opportunity to eat turkey, but I do think they are missing out on some of the decadent spectacle. Thanksgiving should have a big disclosure, but that opening doesn’t have to be a dead animal.
The most dramatic meat center dish that can be served is probably turdaken, as three boneless birds stuffed inside each other really make a great presentation. Not wanting my vegetarian friends to miss out on the food and meal shenanigans, I created a garsquashroom, which is (obviously) a whole head of fried garlic and a bunch of fried mushrooms served in a beautiful fried kobocha pumpkin. …
To make this edible centerpiece softer and softer, you will need:
- 1 cabbage squash
- 8 ounce baby shiitake mushrooms
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
- 1 head of garlic
- 1 large shallots, cut into thin rings
- 1 green, tart apple, cut into half-inch cubes
- 2 chopped sage leaves
- 2 sprigs of marjoram, stalked leaves
- 2 sprigs of thyme, stemmed leaves
- 4 rainbow carrots, sliced into ribbons with a peeler.
- 4 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Parmesan cheese or vegan cheese substitute for topping (optional)
Carefully cut the top off the pumpkin (the part with the stem) and gouge it out. Brush it with a tablespoon of olive oil, season with salt and pepper, then place (but not with a lid) in the oven at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Cut off the top half of the head of garlic, sprinkle with a teaspoon of olive oil, wrap in foil and place in the oven.
Until then, combine the mushrooms with another tablespoon of olive oil, salt and pepper to taste, and one teaspoon of chili flakes. Grill them on a baking sheet until they have wonderfully crispy edges (about half an hour). Also cook (salted) shallots in a skillet over medium heat with another tablespoon of olive oil until caramelized. Add the apple and herbs and continue cooking until the apple is tender and lightly browned.
When the mushrooms are done and the pumpkin is a little soft, remove everything except the garlic from the oven and let it cool until it’s palpable. Combine the mushrooms with the apple and shallots mixture and add some to the pumpkin. Wrap the carrot ribbons around the rim of the pumpkin and add some more filling. Repeat this, placing more carrots around the rim of the pumpkin, adding more filling to support them.
After the head of garlic has been in the oven for at least 40 minutes, take it out, unfold it from the foil and place it in the pumpkin among the mushrooms.
Return it to the oven with the lid for another half hour to 40 minutes, until the carrots are cooked to your liking. (I left a little crunchy for texture purposes, but feel free to transfer them to a more deep-fried place.)
Now the spectacle begins. Remove the pumpkin from the oven, cover and place on the table.
Remove the streaky lid to reveal the mixture of roasted plant parts inside.
Squeeze the sautéed garlic cloves into the pumpkin, shake everything, then add the Parmesan cheese (or vegan substitute) and fresh thyme.
Serve everyone a wedge of pumpkin with a spicy autumn garlic filling, offering more Parmesan if they so desire.