Stuffed Butternut Pumpkin

Serves 6-8

Time 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients

1.5kg whole butternut pumpkin

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 small red onion, finely diced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 small zucchini, cut into 1 cm dice

½ red capsicum, cut into 1 cm dice

250g microwave basmati & wild rice* (do not cook)

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

¼ cup maple syrup

50g baby spinach, plus extra, to serve

2 tbsp pistachios, toasted, roughly chopped

2 tbsp currants

1 tbsp finely sliced basil

40g feta cheese, crumbled

Method

Preheat oven to 200°(180°fan-forced). Line a baking tray with baking paper. Cut pumpkin in half lengthways and remove seeds. Place pumpkin on prepared tray, cut side facing up. Spray pumpkin lightly with oil and season. Cook for 1 hour – 1 hour 15 minutes or until just tender. Set pumpkin aside to cool slightly then spoon out flesh from pumpkin halves, leaving a 1.5cm thick border. Mash pumpkin flesh and reserve. 

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 2-3 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add zucchini and capsicum and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add rice, vinegar and 1 tablespoon maple syrup and cook for 1 minute. 

Stir through spinach, remove from heat, cover with a lid and set aside for 5 minutes. Stir through reserved pumpkin, pistachios, currants, basil and feta. Season. 

Divide the rice mixture between pumpkin halves. Gently join halves together and tie with kitchen string at 2 cm intervals. Return pumpkin to baking tray, brush outside with remaining maple syrup and cook for 20 minutes. Set aside for 5 minutes. 

To serve, remove the string and cut into thick slices. Serve with extra baby spinach leaves if desired.