Jamie Magazine
By Alice Hart
Ingredients
6 small winter squash or pumpkins, each around the size of a large grapefruit
olive oil
6 fresh bay leaves
200g wild rice
2 red onions
180g vac-packed chestnuts
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
150g Dolcelatte cheese
90g dried sour cherries (see note)
Method
- Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas 5.
- Cut the pumpkin or squash tops off about a quarter of the way down. Next, using a sturdy spoon, hollow out the centres, removing the seeds, and discard.
- Rub the pumpkins all over with oil and season the insides generously with sea salt and black pepper.
- Nestle into a roasting tin that’s large enough to hold all six, tucking the tops in wherever they will fit. Put a bay leaf into each hollow and roast for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until soft.
- Meanwhile, rinse and drain the rice, tip into a pan and cover with plenty of water. Bring to the boil and simmer briskly for about 30 minutes or until just tender. Drain well and put to one side.
- While the rice cooks, peel, halve and slice the onions.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan over a medium heat, add the onion and a large pinch of salt, then cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until soft.
- Roughly chop the chestnuts, then pick and finely chop the rosemary leaves. Add both to the softened onions. Reduce the heat slightly, and continue to cook for about 10 minutes, stirring whenever the onions begin to catch.
- Chop up the Dolcelatte, then stir into the onions along with the cooked wild rice and dried sour cherries. Season well.
- Divide this mixture between the roasted pumpkins, removing the bay leaves first.
- Return to the oven for 5 minutes, to warm everything through. Delicious served with peppery salad leaves.
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