RECIPE Maranda Engelbrecht PHOTO JOE | DAN Photography
Spotted our latest issue on shelves? Our cover gives you a peek into the beautiful wedding of Grant Bacon and Michelin-star chef Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen, held at Babylonstoren.
The menu, with delicious treats like aubergine caviar and savoury caramelised apple tarte tatin, also featured early garden harvest vegetable platters, including a whole baked pumpkin.
Here, Maranda Engelbrecht, the founder of Babylonstoren’s Babel restaurant and author of the Babel cookbook, shares the recipe for a whole baked pumpkin.
METHOD:
- Use any medium size pumpkin, but check first for marks from fruit flies and wasps, as it may be spoiled and not suitable for cooking. A completely dried out stem indicates that the pumpkin is ripe.
- Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees. Place the pumpkin on a baking tray and drizzle with a little olive oil. Bake for one to two hours depending on the size and type of pumpkin.
- The skin will soften. When you insert a skewer, it should slide in easily. Remove from oven and peel away some of the skin from the pumpkin. You can also cut a lid from the top part, by slicing horizontally with a sharp knife. Season with a little salt and a drizzle of honey and more olive oil. Serve with additional roasted pumpkin seeds.
Tip: Roast the pumpkin topped with sage, rosemary or thyme for additional flavour.
Get an inside look into Jan Hendrik and Grant’s wedding on page 48 of the Winter Issue of VISI (VISI 90).
