Officially the autumn is not over yet. Pumpkin is still the right thing to use in your dishes. I have been going through some magazines and books and I came up with this pumpkin recipe. I bought a nice orange Hokkaido pumpkin. It is said to be a vitamin bomb and rich in minerals has a great aroma and healing effects. I would say it is time to try it.
Ingredients for the Hokkaido pumpkin (easily for 5 people):
- 1 Hokkaido pumpkin (ca 1 kg)
- 1 avocado
- 2 big cloves of garlic
- 1 big aubergine
- thyme
- 150 g goat feta cheese
- 100 g prosciutto (skip if you are vegetarian)
- 5 Tsp of olive oil
- salt and pepper
Before buying the pumpkin, check that it doesn’t have a lot of bruises and cuts. Wash the pumpkin well under running water. Preheat the oven to 200°C. With a small serrated knife cut into the top of the pumpkin. Carve out a circle around the stem. Be sure to leave a hole big enough to fill it later on. When you cut, try to put the knife at a 45° angle (looking to the centre of the pumpkin). Consequently, it is going to be easier to remove the lid.
Then use a spoon to remove all the strands and seeds from the inside of the pumpkin. Season the inside of the pumpkin with salt, black pepper and 3 Tsp of olive oil. If your pumpkin is not stable, cut a thin slice at the bottom to flatten it. Put the pumpkin in the oven (medium rack) for 15-20 minutes. With the tip of a knife you can check if the pumpkin is becoming tender. Then it’s time for the filling.
How to make the filling:
For the filling wash the aubergine and cut it into 2 cm cubes. Chop the garlic into slices and cut the prosciutto into stripes or small pieces. Put a little olive oil in a pan and add the aubergine. Aubergines like to take all the oil, so maybe you will need to add some drops of water. Keep stirring. Add the salt and pepper. When the aubergines become darker and tender, reduce the heat and add the prosciutto, garlic and thyme. If you don’t eat meat just skip the prosciutto. After one minute you can remove it from the stove and transfer it to a bowl. In addition, add the feta cheese. You can simply crumble it with your fingers. Mix all together.
Only one more thing to do before filling the pumpkin. Take the avocado and cut it lengthwise in half. Remove the pit. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and olive oil. Leave it on a side.
Take the pumpkin carefully out of the oven and fill it with the aubergine filling. Try to fill all the inside of the pumpkin. Put the pumpkin back in the oven and put also the avocado halves next to it. Keep it in for 15 minutes (still at 200°C).
In conclusion, serve the Hokkaido pumpkin with some potato wedges, some yoghurt or Crème fraîche dip.
Enjoy!
