his year I ve got a constant pumpkin supply as my brother cultivates them so I have quite a few pumpkin recipes coming up for Halloween. If you are also planning to curve a jack-o-latern you can keep the emptied pumpkin flesh in the freeze to make tasty pumpkin soups (they will come handy for Christmas) and also the recipes that I am planning to share the next couple of days. Stay tuned for more pumpkin galore! This recipe of baked oven steaks makes for light and easy dinner. I first tried it in one of my favourite hangouts in Athens (different beast at Kifissia), and I loved it so much I though I would recreate my own version. The pumpkin is oven baked and gets a delicious caramelised flavour from its juices and spices. It is also baked with the skin on, which can be eaten as it becomes super soft with the baking. That made me realise that I am cutting it all wrong (as I used to try to cut out the skin when the pumpkin was raw) but now I know that the easiest way to cut a pumpkin is to bake first and then gently peel off the skin. You can serve the pumpkin steaks with a grain of your choice, I used quinoa but you can substitute with brown rice or buckwheat groats if you fancy. It is also served with a spicy Harissa sauce made of yoghurt to take away some of the harissa heat. If you can’t find harissa spice or paste you can substitute with spicy paprika.
Ingredients (for 1 portion)
- 2 pumpkin slices (with the skin on)
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1/4 tsp of cinnamon, 1/4tsp nutmeg, 1/4tsp harissa spice
- 1/4 cup cooked quinoa or other grain of your choice, cooked
- A handful of pomegranate grains and pumpkin seeds to garnish
For the homemade harissa paste
- 1tsp ground harissa spice
- 2tbsp greek yoghurt or tahini (if vegan)
- 1 garlic clove
- 2tsp apple cider vinegar
- Salt to taste
Preparation
- Line a baking tray with some parchment paper and lay down the pumpkin slices, season with the spices and the olive oil
- Bake in the oven at 160-180C for around 35-40 mins until very soft and brown.
- Mix the ingredients for the harissa paste (if making your own)
- Serve the pumpkins on a bed of quinoa and garnish with the pomegranate and pumpkin seeds