It’s autumn and there are pumpkins-a-plenty. Here’s a dish to serve as a meal.  If you’d like to speed up the cooking time, cut the pumpkin into narrower 2cm wide wedges and lay flat over two baking trays. 20-25 minutes should be enough and brush with miso glaze 10 minutes before end of cooking. 

serves 6

2 tablespoons white miso paste

1 tablespoon honey

¼ cup (60ml) soy sauce

1kg pumpkin, cut into 4cm wide wedges, seeds removed

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

200g mix of shiitake and oyster mushrooms (we use Mushroom Forestry’s)

1 long red chilli, seeds removed, thinly sliced

3 banana shallots or 6 spring onions, thinly sliced

½ cup chopped coriander leaves, or spring onion green tops

Preheat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan-forced). Line a baking tray with foil or baking paper. Combine the miso, honey and 1 tablespoon of soy in a small bowl. 

Arrange the pumpkin wedges, skin side down over the tray. Brush the wedges with olive oil. Roast for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven.  Brush the pumpkin flesh thickly with half of the miso mixture. Return to the oven and roast for 10 minutes, or until the pumpkin is tender and browned around edges.

Meanwhile, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for 5 minutes, until softened. Add the chilli and cook for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms, cook for 1 minute.  Stir in the remaining miso mixture and soy, gently stirring to coat the mushrooms. Cook for 1 minute, or until the glaze bubbles and coats the mushroom mixture. 

Heat the remaining olive oil in a small saucepan over a high heat. Add the chopped coriander or spring onion, be careful, as it will sizzle and spit. Fry for 30 seconds and turn off heat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the herbs to paper towel to drain.

Transfer the pumpkin wedges to a platter and spoon over the mushroom mixture. Scatter over the fried herbs. Serve immediately.

© Fiona Hammond May 2020