Moroccan Pumpkin Halves
Inroduction
About this Recipe
By: Sheridan Rogers
This recipe comes from a terrific book, “Cooking with Quinoa” – The Supergrain” by Rena Patten (NH). In it, you’ll find a wide range of inspired recipes for soups, breads, salads, meat, poultry, seafood and desserts, all using this highly nutritious ancient grain.
Ingredients
- whole butternut pumpkin 1, about 2kg
- olive oil 3 – 4 tablespoons
- salt and pepper
- leeks 2, cleaned and finely sliced
- garlic 3 large cloves
- fresh ginger 1 teaspoon, grated
- ground cumin 1 1/2 teaspoons
- ground paprika 1 teaspoon
- ground turmeric 1 teaspoon
- chilli flakes 1 teaspoon
- red capsicum 1, seeds and membranes removed, and chopped
- zucchini 2. cut into cubes
- water 1 3/4 cups
- organic quinoa 1 cup, rinsed and drained
- fresh coriander 2 – 3 tablespoons, freshly chopped
- pine nuts 45g, toasted
Serves 4 – 6 Preheat oven to 175degC. Cut pumpkin in half lengthways and remove seeds. With a small sturdy knife, carefully remove pumpkin flesh, creating a bowl with a border about 1.5cm thick to hold the filling. Cut a very thin slice from the bottom of each pumpkin half so it sits flat on the tray. Brush insides and edges of the pumpkin with a little olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Place on a baking tray and bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until tender. Dry-roast the pine nuts in a small non-stick frying pan and set aside. Heat 3 tablespoons olive in a large frying pan and saute the leeks until soft, add the garlic and ginger and cook for about 1 minute. Stir in the cumin, paprika, turmeric and chilli flakes and cook for another 30 seconds. Add the capsicum, zucchini and 1 cup water. Season to taste. Stir and simmer, covered, for ten minutes. Add the quinoa to the pan with ¾ cup of water. Cover and simmer for another 10 -12 minutes. Stir in the coriander and toasted pine nuts. Spoon mixture into the pumpkin halves. Return to the oven and bake for 10 -15 minutes until golden.