These small ‘stuffed’ pumpkins can be roasted 2 days ahead then filled and baked on the day of serving. Serve cut in wedges as a light meal with a salad, or as a vegetable accompaniment to a full meal.
Serves: 4–6
INGREDIENTS
2 x 700 gram buttercup pumpkins
olive oil
butter
Filling
2 tablespoons olive oil
knob of butter
1½ cups frozen sweetcorn kernels, thawed
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons finely chopped rosemary
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 eggs
½ cup cream
¼ cup milk
2 tablespoons quick cooking (instant) polenta
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 180˚C.
Cut the top third off the pumpkins and discard. Using a teaspoon, scoop out all the seeds, taking care not to pierce the skin.
Brush the cavity and skin with olive oil and place on a lined baking tray. Put a small knob of butter in the cavity and season. Roast for 20-25 minutes until just tender but not collapsing, as they will be cooked further once filled.
Filling: Heat the oil and butter in a sauté pan and sauté the sweetcorn, garlic, rosemary and cumin with a good pinch of salt for 5 minutes. Cool.
Whisk the eggs, cream, milk, polenta, Parmesan cheese and parsley in a bowl and season well. Add the sweetcorn mixture and combine. Divide the filling evenly between the two pumpkins and bake for 30-40 minutes until the filling is set and golden. Cover the pumpkins lightly with aluminium foil if they get too brown before the filling has set.

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