Prep time 20min
Cooking time 40min
Skill moderate
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
1 (660-700g) buttercup pumpkin, cut in half horizontally
Olive oil
Sea salt flakes
Cracked black pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg
2 leeks, cut in half
1 Tbsp butter
2 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
1 tsp rosemary or savoury, finely chopped
1 420g tin cannellini or borlotti beans
¼ cup vegetable stock
Extra virgin olive oil
Freshly grated parmesan cheese or crumbled blue cheese to serve (optional)
Method
Preheat the oven 190°C (170°C fan-forced)
Scoop out and discard the seeds.
Place the buttercup pumpkin, cut side up on to a baking tray.
Drizzle over enough oil to lightly coat the pumpkin.
Season with salt and pepper, and a little nutmeg. Rub into the flesh.
Place into the oven and bake until tender 25-35 minutes.
While the pumpkin is cooking, make the leeky beans.
Add a tablespoon of oil and butter to a large heavy base fry pan.
When the butter has melted add the leeks, garlic and rosemary. Cook over a moderate heat until the leeks and garlic have softened and become sweeter ( 5-10 minutes).
Add the tin of beans and liquid, stir to combine.
Add the stock and season with salt and pepper.
Turn down the heat and simmer together for 10 minutes to slightly soften the beans and for the sauce to thicken.
To serve, place pumpkin on a platter, spoon the creamy leeks and beans into the cavity of the pumpkin. As a tasty option grate over parmesan cheese and if you want a richer, deeper flavour crumble over a generous amount of blue cheese.
Cut into large wedges and enjoy with green salad.
