Baked Pumpkin with Lemon, Sautéed Greens, and Toasted Cumin Dressing

Makes 4 servings
This is perfect to serve with some quinoa or wild rice as a main to a non-meat eater, or as a side with some roast chicken for the carnivorous. It's also good served warm the following day with a little grilled tofu added.

This recipe was published as part of 10 Questions for Sophie Dahl.
Published in Gourmet Live 09.05.12

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 pounds/1 kg pumpkin, seeded and chopped into coarse slices
  • 1 large red onion, peeled and coarsely sliced
  • A few fresh sage leaves, coarsely torn
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

For the Dressing:

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds or ground cumin
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon crème fraîche or sour cream

For the Sautéed Greens

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped
  • A handful of Swiss chard
  • A handful of curly kale

INSTRUCTIONS:

  • Preheat the oven to 425°F/220°C. Put the pumpkin in a roasting pan with the onion and sage. Season and pour over the olive oil. Cook for around 30 minutes, or until the pumpkin is tender.
  • While the pumpkin is cooking, make your dressing. In a small frying pan on a medium heat, toast the cumin seeds. This should only take a minute, and you will know it's ready when the dusk of the cumin is wafting round your kitchen. Cool for a minute, then squeeze the lemon juice into the pan and add the olive oil. Put this into a pitcher or something and leave to the side, stirring in the crème fraîche just before serving.
  • Now, the greens. In a big frying pan, heat the olive oil and garlic. Throw in the greens and cook until tender, 5 to 10 minutes.
  • Take the pumpkin out of the oven. Put the greens on a plate, top with the pumpkin, and cover with the dressing.
Subscribe to Gourmet