Colours of Autumn - Pumpkins
With their vibrant colours and even more exciting flavours, Pumpkins should become a staple during cooler months to brighten up the kitchen and the dinner plate. Look out for the following types.
• Baby Bear – a very good cooking variety
• Crown Prince – steel blue-grey with a golden interior
• Delicata – small and white with green stripes and pale yellow flesh tasting of sweet potato
• Small Sugar – medium-sized fruit with sweet, bright orange flesh
• Sweet Dumpling – small and very attractive densely-fleshed white and green squash
• Sweet Mama – another highly ornamental orange fruit perfect for a single serving
PUMPKIN AND SPINACH SALAD
INGREDIENTS
• 600g butternut pumpkin, deseeded, peeled, cut into wedges
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 2 tsp honey
• 2 tsp sesame seeds
• 1 tbs fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbs honey, extra
• 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp wholegrain mustard
• 1 x 150g pkt baby spinach leaves
• 1 x 75g pkt toasted pine nuts
METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper
2. Place the pumpkin in a large bowl. Drizzle with oil and honey
3. Season with salt and pepper. Gently toss until the pumpkin is well coated
4. Place in a single layer on the lined tray
5. Bake, turning once during cooking, for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and sprinkle evenly with the sesame seeds. Return to oven and bake for 5 minutes or until the seeds are lightly toasted. Remove from oven and set aside for 30 minutes to cool
6. Combine the lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, mustard and extra honey in a screw-top jar and shake until well combined
7. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Place the pumpkin, spinach and pine nuts in a large bowl
9. Drizzle with the dressing and gently toss until just combined
10. Serve immediately.