Pumpkin with prawns – Halloween centrepiece

This is an unusual but very traditional Brazilian recipe loved by the nation all year round, it makes a great Halloween centrepiece at the dinner table. This recipe is prepared in many different ways, and here is my very own special take on this great dish.


- 1 x Whole pumpkin (medium size)
- 1 Kg of Prawns (try to get the bigger ones)
- 1 large cup of cheese spread (we prepared our own cream cheese for this recipe - check the catupiry recipe on our site)
- 1 Tsp of tomato pure
- 1 x onion
- 2 x garlic
- 2 x Can of chopped tomatoes (Blend the chopped tomatoes optional)
- Chopped coriander to taste
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- On a sauce pan, add some olive oil on high heat.
- Add the finely chopped onion, let it sweat for a while.
- Add the finely chopped garlic and the prawns, cook it for 30 seconds.
- Add the tomato pure and cook it for another 30 seconds. Once cooked, remove everything from the pan and keep to the side for later.
- On the same sauce pan, cook the chopped tomatoes for 2 minutes, add a few dollops of cream cheese to the sauce.
- Finally mix in the prawns with the tomatoes sauce, add some salt and pepper to taste and some coriander.
- Cut the top of the pumpkin (It will be the lid of the dish, advisable to cut it at a angle).
- With a spoon, clean up the interior of the pumpkin (do not make the walls to thin, try and remove just the seeds).
- If you have a pan big enough put the pumpkin inside the pan, add some water and cook for 20 to 25 minutes.
- If you don't have a large pan, do the same in the oven over a tray with water, cooking time will vary so keep checking by piercing the inside of it with a fork. You don't want it too soft.
- Remove the pumpkin from the pan or oven, let it cool down.
- Get the cheese spread and smear it all over the inside walls of the pumpkin, really go to town here, this is one time the less is not more....
- Pour the cooked prawns and sauce into the pumpkin, place the "pumpkin lid on".
- Cook it for another 10 to 15 minutes on 190C oven.
- Check if it is cooked by piercing the inside of it with a fork, it should be soft.
- Enjoy
- White rice would go great with this dish, use a ladle to scoop out the lovely prawns and sauce and some soft cheesy pumpkin.







