Honey butter roasted squash pelau
INGREDIENTS
- 1 large onion, finely sliced
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1 stick of celery, finely sliced
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2 tomatoes, chopped
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2 carrots, chopped
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1/4 cabbage, finely sliced
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1.5 tsp Pure Sea Salt + extra pinch
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1.5 tsp Pure Sea Salt with Chilli and Garlic + extra pinch
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1 tsp turmeric
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2 tsp paprika
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1/2 tsp black pepper
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Juice of 1 lime
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1 cinnamon stick
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5 sprigs of thyme
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2 bay leaves
- 50g butter
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3tbsp brown sugar
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900g long grain rice
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220g cooked lentils
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A handful of parsley, plus a little extra for garnish
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1 litre veg stock or water
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2kg pumpkin, peeled, deseeded & chopped into 3cm chunks
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3 tbsp oil
- 3tbsp Halen Môn Salted Honey Butter
This is a twist on a traditional Caribbean dish by the wonderful chef and recipe writer Dixie Fingal-Rock Innes. “There are many versions all over the tropical islands. Its name suggests that it travelled from Asia having evolved on its travels. This version is most closely related to Dominica, where my mum is from. Usually, there is chicken in the mix but this one is veggie and totally delicious. Pumpkin is very much loved in the Caribbean and here in the UK, so it seemed fitting to celebrate this beautiful beacon of the autumn days.
This dish is EASY, I promise. Once everything is chopped, you’re laughing. That honey butter is seriously something. Roasted with pumpkin until sticky is like a big ol’ hug.”
SERVES 6-8
METHOD
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- Pre-heat the oven to 200C.
- In a large bowl add the onion, celery, tomatoes, carrots, cabbage, 1.5 tsp sea salt, 1.5 tsp chilli salt, turmeric, paprika, black pepper, lime juice, cinnamon stick, thyme and bay leaves. Mix well and set aside.
- Melt the butter in a large heavy bottomed pan, add the brown sugar. On low heat gently caramelise the sugar ensuring you stir the sugar, so it doesn’t burn. The caramelising process is done when the foam from the butter has subsided, and the sugar has a deep aroma.
- Add the chopped vegetables and spices from the bowl to the caramelised butter and sugar and cook for 10 minutes until the veg has softened.
- Add the lentils, rice, parsley and stock or water, put a lid on the pan and leave to cook on a low heat for 25-30 mins.
- Meanwhile place your pumpkin on a baking tray and drizzle over the oil and a pinch of pure and chilli salts. Roast in the oven 30-40 mins until cooked. Remove from the oven and drizzle the honey butter over the pumpkin, use a large spoon to ensure all the pumpkin is covered and return to oven for a further 10 minutes.
- Serve the tender pumpkin piled on top of the rice, and garnish with plenty of parsley. Serve with creamy coleslaw made with good mayonnaise and chilli sauce, if you like.
Recipe from Dixie Fingal-Rock Innes
