A Pumpkin of Two Halves

You may recall the sorry tale of this year’s vegetable harvest. I had lovingly watered and watched over the solitary pumpkin, as it grew almost imperceptibly from one week to the next. Out of over-zealous affection, I managed one day to break its stalk. Furious with myself, I abandoned it at the edge of the veg patch for some days, only to be filled with remorse and rescue it, leaving it to ripen on the sunny porch out of the rain.

The solitary pumpkin

Finally last week I plucked up the courge (sorry) to cut it open. Amazing! Firm, ripe, juicy orange flesh and large white seeds! So: what to do with such a precious treasure? It weighed almost a kilo, so there would be enough flesh for two dishes for the two of us. The first choice was easy. We both love risotto, and pumpkin has the perfect texture to complement the creamy rice. Fresh sage leaves add a wonderful aromatic autumnal flavour.

Pumpkin and Sage Risotto

Making risotto is for me what making tea is to the Japanese. I don’t cook it for visitors, though, because I selfishly devote all my attention to the pan for half an hour, and insist that it is eaten immediately. If you’re going to be that much of a primadonna about it, it’s neither sociable nor very practical as a party dish!

So, we are left with half a pumpkin.What to do with it? I remembered a French recipe for couscous à la courge, a dish of braised lamb shoulder with squash and potato. Couscous and potato on the same plate seemed a bit dull, so I made a vegetable tagine with the pumpkin and a kohlrabi (chosen because it doesn't have a strong flavour to outshine the pumpkin) and served it with lean lamb kebabs, couscous and some good fiery harissa. Justice done, I think, to the valiant little pumpkin.

Pumpkin and sage risotto

serves 2 for lunch or 4 as starter

ingredients

350g pumpkin flesh, cut into small cubes

large handful fresh sage leaves

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp ghee (or butter)

1 large shallot, very finely chopped

200g Arborio rice

150ml white wine or vermouth

1 litre vegetable stock

salt and black pepper

grated parmesan, to serve

preparation

• Par-boil the pumpkin in lightly salted water for 2-3 minutes, leaving it slightly al dente. Drain.
• Chop the sage finely, reserving a few leaves. Bring the stock to the boil, and keep it hot while making the risotto.
• Melt the ghee with the olive oil in a large sauté pan, and fry the shallot gently for 4-5 minutes. Do not allow it to brown. Stir in the chopped sage, then add the rice and cook over a low heat for 2 minutes until the grains start to appear translucent.
• Add the wine, bring to a gentle simmer and stir carefully until the liquid has almost completely evaporated. Add a ladleful of hot stock, and stir gently until it has evaporated. (From this point I find it takes 22 minutes to cook the rice, but obviously there are lots of variables.)
• Stir in the pumpkin, and continue adding hot stock a ladleful at a time, stirring until it has almost evaporated before adding more.
• When it is ready, the rice should be soft (not al dente), and the risotto creamy but not swimming in stock. You may not need all the stock, and if you need more just use hot water.
• When almost ready, stir in a few whole sage leaves, or you can fry these quickly to make them crisp and sprinkle them over the served risotto.
• Season to taste, and serve immediately with the parmesan at the side. Some people like to trickle a little melted butter over it, but my advice would be to try it without first.

Lamb kebabs with pumpkin couscous

serves 2

ingredients

400g lean lamb, cut into cubes

juice of ½ lemon

olive oil

1 tsp dried oregano

salt and black pepper

2 medium onions

350g pumpkin flesh, in large cubes

1 large kohlrabi, peeled and cut into large cubes

500ml lamb stock

1 large clove garlic, crushed

2 tsp ground sweet paprika

1 tsp crushed coriander seeds

a handful of pitted black olives

2 tomatoes (optional)

fresh parsley or coriander leaves, chopped

couscous

bought harissa paste

preparation

• Make a marinade with olive oil, lemon juice, oregano and seasoning. Coat the meat well and leave at room temperature for an hour or so, or in the fridge if you want to leave it longer.
• Heat the oven to 160°C
• Slice one of the onions finely, and soften it gently in olive oil in a flameproof casserole, together with the garlic, paprika and coriander, for about 5 minutes.
• Deglaze the pan with the lamb stock. Stir in the chopped vegetables and olives and add enough stock to cover. Bring to the boil and cook in the oven for about an hour. The vegetables should
• be slightly caramelised, but do not allow the dish to dry out.
• Thread the meat onto skewers, alternated with pieces of onion, and if you wish some pieces of fresh tomato. Baste with the marinade, and grill for about 5 minutes each side until just done.
• Prepare the couscous according to the packet. Pile it onto a serving plate with the kebabs around the edge. Add the parsley to the vegetables, and serve them separately in their sauce.
• Home-made harissa is better, of course, but it’s not practical to make in small quantities and it doesn’t really keep. Shop-bought is fine - just find the brand you like best!