Baked But Not Cake
Honey-glazed pumpkin with spices . . . I knew I was going to get your attention. For starters, despite the fact that there are as many pumpkin recipes as they are yellowing leaves on trees, there are never enough - pumpkin recipes, I mean.
Pumpkin cooked with honey, as in pumpkin pie, is a sweet delight, so you can almost taste this dish just by reading its title - same marriage made in heaven: pumpkin and honey, plus the addition of cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and coriander adds bliss to the mixture. I found this recipe in Flavours of Morocco by Ghillie Bassan, which I will review on our sister site Paper Palate as soon as I stop trying out what seems to be every single recipe.
Honey-Glazed Pumpkin with Spices: Ambassel Mechoui
- 700g pumpkin flesh, with skin and seeds removed
- 50g butter
- 2-3 tablespoons runny honey
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 3-4 cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- A small bunch fresh coriander, finely chopped
Preheat the oven to 180C (350F) Gas 4. Put the pumpkin in a steamer and cook for about 10 minutes, until the flesh is tender but still firm. Tip the steamed flesh into an ovenproof dish.
Melt the butter in a saucepan and stir in the honey. Add the cinnamon sticks, cloves, ground ginger, and cayenne and season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour the mixture over the pumpkin, then bake in the preheated over for 15-20 minutes.
Tip the glazed pumpkin onto a serving plate, remove the cinnamon and cloves, then sprinkle with the coriander. Serve warm as a side dish to roasted or grilled chicken or meat.
