So I’ve decided to post this recipe I did for my weekly column as it was a real winner on Halloween and there are still Pumpkins around. However you can still make it at any time, You could even substitute the Pumpkin for Butternut squash.

Here is what I wrote:-

Halloween is upon us so I wanted to show you a great dish that is hassle free for you if you are having a party.
Every Halloween when I have a party I want to be able to spend time with my guests and not be in the kitchen all day making fiddly buffet food.  I think sometimes one can feel a little pressured to be able to make an edible “Brain” or witches fingers.
So today I have done a recipe that still has a halloween theme by using pumpkin, its quick, simple and very tasty for your guests.
I’ve used Pork mince in this as 1, its economical so will stretch further for any unexpected guests for you and 2, it goes really well against the Pumpkin however you could use Beef mince or lamb if you don’t eat Pork.
Another point to make is that I was using leftover mashed potato from the day before, another time saver.
Serve this up in bowls to your guests and it will leave them spooked of how good it is.

Ingredients:

Pumpkin and potato mash:

Leftover Mashed potato, (enough to fit your dish you are using, there was about 4 potatoes worth left in mine)
1 small pumpkin chopped into chunks ( I bought mine from a local farm called Cattow’s Farm)
knob of butter
salt and pepper to season
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

Pork pie mixture:

500g pork mince
1-2 tbsp of rapeseed oil
1 onion diced finely
1/2 leek thinly sliced
2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
A thumbnail size of fresh ginger grated
1-2 green chilli’s finely chopped
3 tbsp of mild curry powder or madras, whatever heat you like it.
1/4 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
4 small chopped fresh tomatoes
Salt and cracked black pepper to season
handful of frozen spinach defrosted and drained
handful of frozen petit pois peas defrosted and drained
few sprigs of fresh chopped coriander to finish

 

 

Method:

 

–  Preheat oven to 180-200c depending if fan oven or not.

 

In boiling water, cook your pumpkin until soft. Mash with a hand potato masher, pop in your butter, nutmeg and seasoning then stir in the potato mash together. Leave aside.

Fry off your onion for a couple of minutes until starting to soften.
Add your leek and cook for a couple of minutes also. Add your garlic, chilli, ginger and curry powder and stir.

Add in your pork mince and continue to cook until the pork mince is almost all cooked through. Pop in the tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes.

Add in your peas and spinach, stir, take off the heat and pop to one side.

In an oven proof dish of your choice put in your Pork mixture, level off and sprinkle with fresh coriander.Top with your Pumpkin mash and place in the oven for 20-30 minutes or until crispy and brown on top.