Ingredients
- 1 Hokkaido pumpkin
- 10ml vegetable oil
- 150g salted butter
- 300g blue cheese
- 1 garlic clove
- 70g hazelnuts
- 50ml bonito vinegar (you will find this in Asian stores but you could alternatively use a light white vinegar mixed with a few drops of soy sauce)
- 80g orzo (uncooked weight), cooked according to packet instructions
- 1 bunch chives or parsley, finely chopped
- Sea salt and black pepper
- Cut the pumpkin straight down the centre lengthways. Scoop out the seeds and run the seeds under cold water to remove the pumpkin flesh from them. Dry them on a clean cloth.
- In an ovenproof pan, heat the vegetable oil and place the pumpkin halves skin side up in the pan on a hob. After three minutes, add the butter and the garlic clove (minced), and transfer to a preheated oven for 20 minutes at 180 degrees. Once removed from the oven, take the pumpkin out of the pan.
- Add the hazelnuts and pumpkin seeds into the pan (with the butter and garlic), and brown for two minutes on a medium heat. Deglaze the pan with bonito vinegar and then put the pumpkin back in the pan. Add the orzo and make sure it is heated through. Spoon the hazelnut butter over the pumpkin and transfer to a serving dish.
- Add the blue cheese and chives or parsley, season and pour any remaining butter from the pan over the top.
