This recipe is all about sweet and savoury. Pumpkin is the star in this dish. It is such a versatile ingredient and can be used in a variety of ways, such as in salads raw or cooked, soups, curries, baked foods and desserts. How do you like your pumpkin, mashed, boiled, baked or fried. Baked is one of my favourite ways to eat pumpkin, it intensifies the sweetness and brings out the flavour. These pumpkin rings are baked in the oven and then filled with a delicious stuffing of nuts, grains, vegetables and herbs. Enjoy them as a side or as a main meal with a beautiful fresh salad.
This recipe is gluten free.
EQUIPMENT
small saucepan, nonstick pan, round cookie cutter
OVEN preheat to 180 degrees celsius
INGREDIENTS
1 medium size butternut pumpkin/squash
1 tablespoon light tasting oil for basting pumpkin rings
135g or 3/4 cup quinoa
240mls or 1 1/4 cup water
1/2 a massel chicken like stock cube
65g or 1/2 cup pine nuts lightly toasted
50g purple onion finely diced
20g garlic or 3 large cloves
56g or 1 stick celery diced small
70g mushrooms finely diced
2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
salt to taste
METHOD
(1) To make the pumpkin rings cut the butternut pumpkin crosswise into equal slices about 2-3cm thickness.
*Take a cookie cutter and place it in the middle of each slice and press down firmly to make a perfect circle. Use left over pumpkin scraps for soup.
*Place the rings on a lined baking tray, brush them lightly with oil and place in the oven. Bake until just tender approximately 25 minutes.
*Test with a skewer for doneness.
*When baking time is complete remove from oven and set aside ready for the filling.
(2) While the pumpkin is baking prepare the filling.
*Place quinoa in small size saucepan, add water and 1/2 a massel stock cube (dissolved in a little water).
*Bring to a boil then turn heat down to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes or until water has evaporated and the grain is light and fluffy.
*Remove from heat fluff up cooked grain with a fork and set aside.
(3) Toast pine nuts in a dry pan on low heat until they just start to change colour and set aside.
(4) In an oiled pan saute onion and garlic, celery and mushrooms separately until tender and add to the quinoa.
(5) Add lemon zest, toasted pine nuts, chopped parsley, dried thyme to the grain and vegetables.
*Toss together and season with salt to your liking.
*Arrange pumpkin rings on a serving plate, fill each centre with the savoury stuffing.
*Finish with a dollop of non dairy yoghurt, non dairy cream or aioli.
*Garnish with micro greens or whatever you fancy.
SERVE WITH A FLAT SLOTTED SPOON WHEN TRANSFERRING TO YOUR PLATE
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