Instructions: Miniature pumpkins hold a spicy corn and sage pudding; spoon additional corn mixture over the pudding in each pumpkin before serving. Prep and cook time: About 1 hour. You can steam and scoop out the pumpkins 1 day ahead.

Use miniature sweet pumpkins.

1. Rinse pumpkins; set on a rack over 1 inch boiling water in a 5-to 6-quart pan or wok (use 2 pans or steam in batches if necessary). Cover; steam until tender when pierced, about 20 minutes. Lift from rack, let stand until cool enough to handle. Slice off top (quarter or fifth, to expose cavity) of each pumpkin; reserve the tops. With a small spoon, gently scoop out and discard seeds, taking care not to break shell. If necessary, gently scrape out some flesh so shell is no more than 1/2-inch thick. (If making ahead, cover and chill pumpkins and tops airtight up to 1 day.)

2. Combine chipotle chili and 1 cup water in a small pan. Bring to a boil over high heat, simmer 5 minutes, then drain. Cut off and discard stem.

Finely mince chili

3. In a 10- to 12-inch frying pan, mix onion, corn, butter, and minced sage. Stir often over medium-high heat until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in chili.

4. Lightly rub each pumpkin and its top with oil. Place the pumpkins, with their tops alongside (stems up), in 2 oiled 10- by 15-inch baking pans.

5. In a bowl, beat together milk and eggs. Stir in all but 1/2 cup of the corn mixture; then spoon into hollowed-out pumpkins.

6. Bake filled pumpkins and tops in 350F/180C oven until center is barely firm when lightly pressed, 25 to 30 minutes (40 to 45 minutes if pumpkins have been chilled). Remove from oven. Briefly reheat remaining corn mixture; spoon evenly over puddings. Garnish with sage sprigs and pumpkin tops. Add salt to taste.

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