Pumpkins are coming to an end, so here's one last easy recipe to celebrate this mighty vegetable. Pumpkins love a bit of spice and they love a cooling sauce. Both complement their velvety sweet flesh.
Roasted pumpkin with herbs
Serves 4
Ingredients
800g pumpkin, deseeded and skin removed
4 Tbsp olive oil
2 red onions, sliced into thick wedges
8 cloves garlic, left in skin, slightly squashed
generous pinch dried chilli flakes, or 2 whole dried chillies
1 tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp coriander seeds, lightly crushed
4 gratings fresh nutmeg
sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Tahini sauce
100ml Greek yoghurt
2 Tbsp sour cream or creme fraiche
1 lemon, juiced
2 Tbsp tahini paste
2 Tbsp parsley, roughly chopped
1 Tbsp coriander, roughly chopped
salt
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Method
Preheat oven to 190degC and place a large roasting pan in the oven to heat up.
Cut the pumpkin into 8 even-sized wedges and place into a large bowl. Add the garlic, onion, oil, spices and seasoning. Toss together to coat the pumpkin well.
Place a large piece of baking paper onto the tray and pour the contents including all the seeds onto it, spreading the pumpkin out so it bakes evenly.
Cook the pumpkin for about 20 minutes or until it is golden brown and caramelised and the flesh is tender.
While the pumpkin is cooking, make the refreshing sauce. Put the yoghurt and sour cream into a bowl, add the tahini and lemon juice and season lightly. Mix well to combine. Add the herbs and half the olive oil and stir to combine. Taste and adjust if necessary. Put into a clean serving bowl and drizzle over the remaining oil. Chill until required.
To assemble: When the pumpkin is cooked, place on a large platter, ensuring all the toasted seeds, roasted garlic and sweet onions are scattered over the pumpkin. Drizzle any fragrant oil over as well and serve with the creamy yoghurt herb sauce.
• Alison Lambert, chef at the Otago Farmers Market, will demonstrate this recipe at the market on Saturday morning.
