The vegetable that brings untold amounts of magic and enjoyment to us throughout October. Digging out the stringy centre, spoons flying, orange flesh splattered walls and rogue seeds to be found weeks later as we carve out all spooky creatures great and gross before bringing it to life with one of Ikea's finest tea lights. What about the aftermath though? There are a million different ways to enjoy the deep, earthy, sweet flavours of a pumpkin. It has so much going for it and it’s not just the crap cat carved across its skin that I’m referring to. Throughout the months of October, November and December, the bulbous fairytale root veg is here to be roasted, mashed, puréed added to risottos, pies, gnocchi or stuffed whilst remaining fluid between both the sweet and savoury realms. Here is one of my personal favourite things to do with a pumpkin. I also unashamedly enjoy eating this straight out the tin. Lazy delicious food is the best and one less thing to wash up is brownie points to me.
Roasted Pumpkin, Graceburn and Cob Nut
Ingredients:
Serves 2-3 or 3-4 as a side dish
• 1 small pumpkin
• Roughly 150g Graceburn or feta
• A small handful of sage leaves
• 2 onions, halved, skin on
• 4 garlic cloves, bashed (technical term)
• A handful of toasted Cob nuts
• Cob Nut Oil or a good Olive oil
• 1 tblsp brown sugar
Method:
• Pre heat the oven to 160’
• Wash the pumpkin to remove any bits of dirt, halve and scoop out the seeds, (keep the seeds to one side, rinse and dry, coat in oil, salt, a sprinkle of Pul Biber and toast in the oven. A marvellous snack with beer).
• Cut the pumpkin into wedges, don’t worry about peeling, this is all about lazy delicious
• Place the pumpkin In a tray, with the onions, flat side down, garlic and drizzle with oil and salt
• Roast gently for approximately 40 minutes, turning the pumpkin halfway through
• Whilst the pumpkin is roasting, have a tea and roughly chop the cob nuts, trying not to snack on them all
• After about 30 minutes, once the pumpkin is cooked and nicely golden brown, mix together 1 tsp of the oil with the brown sugar and drizzle over the pumpkin before placing back in the oven for the remaining 10 minutes
• With a final two minutes to go, add the sage leaves to the tray to crisp up
• To serve, crumble the cheese and cob nuts generously over the pumpkin wedges, sticky onions, garlic and crispy sage with a final drizzle of oil
• Pat yourself on the back and applaud the fantastic dish you’ve made, with literally no effort
• To be eaten straight out of the tin whilst watching Sabrina