A very tasty side dish for the Thanksgiving table that could also be the main event for a vegetarian meal . Yes, there’s a long list of spices, but most are pantry staples – well, okay, not the nigella seeds – small seeds that look like black grains and taste slightly of onion. They are common in Indian cuisine and available in Asian grocery stores, but they are a garnish, and a tasty one, but can be omitted.
This dish was adapted from a recipe by that wonderful UK team Honey & Co.
Roasted Spiced Pumpkin and Pickled Apple Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 small pumpkin or kiri squash (potiron or potimarron) (about 2 1/2 pounds/1.2 kgs)
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp each of ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground fennel, ground nutmeg, ground coriander and ground cumin
- 2 pinches chili flakes
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil (or similar)
- 1 orange, juice and zests
- Handful (small bag) washed arugula
- 3 1/2 ounces (100g) semi-hard goat or sheep’s cheese
- 1 tsp nigella seeds
- For the dressing: (optional)
- 1 Golden Delicious or Pink Lady apple, diced with the skin on
- 1 lemon (juice)
- 2 tbs cider vinegar (or you can use white wine vinegar)
- 1 inch (5 c) piece of fresh ginger
- 1 tsp honey
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 380°F (200°C)
- Scrub the skin of the pumpkin or squash, cut in half and remove the seeds and any stringy flesh. Cut each half into equal size chunks and place in a large bowl.
- Mix all the spices and salt together in a small bowl.
- Drizzle the oil all over the pumpkin pieces and sprinkle with the entire spice mix and toss to coat all the pieces evenly. Using a micro-plane grater, zests the orange directly over the pieces, then cut the orange in half and squeeze the juice into the bowl. Toss again then place the pieces of pumpkin in a flat roasting tin in an even layer and put in the oven. Roast for 15-20 minutes until a knife inserted into the flesh goes in easily.
- While the pumpkin is roasting make the pickled apple dressing. Finely dice the apple (with the skin on for color and texture) and add the lemon juice and vinegar. Peel the ginger and grate it into the apple, add the honey and mix to combine. Set aside.
- Arrange the arugula in the bottom of a serving dish and top with hot roasted pumpkin; if there is any juice accumulated in the bottom of the roasting tin, pour it over everything. While still oven hot, douse it generously with the apple dressing and roughly crumble or grate the cheese over the pumpkin and sprinkle with the nigella seeds. Toss lightly and serve immediately
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https://www.charlottepuckette.com/side-dish/thanksgiving-vegetarian-side-dish/
