Ingredients
- 1 small pumpkin, about 1.6 kg (3½ lb), peeled, seeded and cubed, or 900 g (2 lb) prepared pumpkin flesh, cubed
- 2 red onions, cut into wedges
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp chopped fresh sage
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper
Preparation method
- Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F, gas mark 7). Lay a large sheet of foil on a baking tray. Pile the pumpkin and onions in the middle of the foil. Alternatively, prepare 4 sheets of foil and cook the pumpkin in individual parcels.
- Scatter the garlic and sage over the pumpkin, then drizzle the oil over and add seasoning to taste. Fold up the foil to enclose the pumpkin, then fold the edges together to seal the vegetables inside a neat parcel.
- Bake the pumpkin parcel or parcels for 30 minutes, then open the foil and bake for a further 5 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender and beginning to brown. Serve hot.
Copyright
Copyright by The Readers Digest Association, Inc. 2004
Some more ideas
*To make a substantial snack or light meal, toss 200 g (7 oz) feta cheese, diced, with the cooked pumpkin. Cut a part-baked ciabatta loaf in half, then slice each half in two horizontally. Lightly toast the cut sides of the bread, then pile the pumpkin mixture on top and grill for about 5 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot with a mixed salad. *Try fresh thyme, oregano or rosemary with the pumpkin instead of sage. They all taste good with the slightly sweet vegetable.
Plus points
*Until quite recently, pumpkin only appeared in the shops for a short period around Halloween and then was used mainly for making lanterns. Now pumpkin is available for most of the autumn and winter. This delicious vegetable is a good source of fibre and a useful source of vitamin B1. *Onions and garlic are not just valuable assets in the kitchen, they have been used throughout history as a cure-all. Recent research suggests that they can help to lower blood cholesterol and so reduce the risk of heart disease.
Each serving provides
A, C, E, B1, folate, calcium
