Serves 6-8

You need

6-8 slices (wedge shaped if possible) pumpkin of your choice, leave the skin on and if the pips look small & tender leave them in

200ml olive oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

20ml finely grated fresh ginger or 10ml powdered ginger

2 fresh chillies, finely sliced or 5ml chilli flakes (optional and to taste)

5ml ground cumin

5ml ground cinnamon

5ml ground cardamom

125ml honey

250ml yellow or orange tomatoes, halved (optional)

1 small mandarin orange per person, cut in half, skin on (optional)

125ml medium cream sherry or orange juice

25ml extra honey

25ml orange or lemon juice

To serve:

2 oranges segmented

125ml hazel or pecan nuts

About 125ml pumpkin seeds (you can use the seeds from the fresh pumpkin, or buy seeds)

3 large handfuls of fresh rocket leaves

A few yellow pansies, nasturtium or marigold flowers*

*always ensure that edible flowers have not been exposed to any insecticides

Optional: 1X1cm thick pork belly rasher (smoked or unsmoked) per person for a starter. If you are using the meat double up on the garlic, chilli and dry spices and mix these with 50ml honey and 100ml olive oil to baste the meat.

For a vegetarian main course add slices of goat milk cheese or crumble blue cheese over salad.

This salad is best served with bold flavoured meats such as pork or beef.

You can easily serve it as a hot dish, by just omitting the rocket.

 To prepare

Set your oven at 190°C

  • Place the pumpkin wedges on a flat baking dish
  • Mix the oil, the garlic, chilli, ginger, the dry spices and the honey
  • Pour the mixture over the pumpkin
  • Roast the pumpkin for approximately 30-40 minutes or until the thickest part of the slice is soft
  • After 20 minutes, spread the halved tomatoes and mandarins between the pumpkin slices, cut side up.
  • If it starts to brown too much cover with foil until it is cooked. You can also use a hot pizza oven or in an oven-style braai (barbeque) e.g. Weber with a lid
  • For extra flavour toast the nuts and pumpkin seeds in a dry frying pan for a few minutes, just until they are hot and start to brown (be careful, they burn easily)
  • Once cooked, move the pumpkin slices to a serving dish to cool to room temperature.
  • Pour the sherry into the pan and heat it slightly to burn off the alcohol while deglazing the pan to mix the caramelised honey and spices with the sherry (or orange juice). You may want to add more oil and a tablespoon of water if the pan is too dry. Add the extra honey and the orange or lemon juice.

To Serve

  • Arrange a layer of rocket on a platter or individual serving plates. For a rustic look, pour the dressing out of the roasting dish and reserve it for later, arrange the salad in the cool roasting pan. You can also sprinkle the rocket leaves over the salad
  • Arrange the pumpkin, tomatoes & mandarins
  • Sprinkle the nuts and seeds over the salad
  • Drizzle the sherry dressing over
  • Decorate with fresh flowers if you have some available

If you are serving a meaty starter or main course, place the meat, with the oil and flavourings in a plastic bag. Mix to coat the meat well. Arrange the meat on a baking tray or on the braai grid and roast or grill until golden. Arrange the rashers on the salad.

For a vegetarian main course add slices of goat milk cheese or crumble blue cheese over salad.

This salad is best served with bold flavoured meats such as pork or beef.

You can easily serve it as a hot dish, by just omitting the rocket.

Add crisp pork belly for a meaty starter or a main course!