Name: Pumpkin with brown rice and toasted seeds
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 300 gm brown rice; 100 ml olive oil; 2 short-cut smokehouse-style bacon rashers, diced; ½ white onion, finely chopped; 400 gm peeled butternut pumpkin, diced; 1 tsp hot paprika; 1 tsp cumin seeds, coarsely ground; 125 ml chicken stock (½ cup); 8 large pimento-stuffed green olives, roughly sliced; 80 gm Danish feta, crumbled; 80 gm Pecorino Romano, grated; 2 tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds

Pumpkin with brown rice and toasted seeds

Cheese and bacon meet brown rice and pumpkin for a textural side dish that makes a perfect partner for roast lamb or chicken.

Serves 4

Ingredients

300 gm brown rice

100 ml olive oil

2 short-cut smokehouse-style bacon rashers, diced

½ white onion, finely chopped

400 gm peeled butternut pumpkin, diced

1 tsp hot paprika

1 tsp cumin seeds, coarsely ground

125 ml chicken stock (½ cup)

8 large pimento-stuffed green olives, roughly sliced

80 gm Danish feta, crumbled

80 gm Pecorino Romano, grated

2 tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds

Method

Main

1.Cook rice in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until tender (15-20 minutes). Drain well.

2.Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a casserole over high heat, add bacon and onion, and sauté until starting to caramelise (5-6 minutes). Add pumpkin and stir occasionally until starting to turn golden (3-4 minutes), then add spices and stir until fragrant (1 minute). Add stock, bring to the boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer, covered, until pumpkin is tender and liquid is absorbed (2-3 minutes). Remove pumpkin mixture from casserole and set aside.

3.Heat remaining oil in casserole, add rice and stir occasionally until starting to toast (2-4 minutes).

4.Transfer rice to plates and serve topped with pumpkin mixture, and scattered with olives, cheeses and pumpkin seeds.

Styling by Lisa Featherby

Styling by Lucy Tweed