The slightly tart deep red cranberry is hardly sweet at all. It is an ideal berry to combine with the mild tasting pumpkin. I love the combination of red and orange! Butternut with cranberry topping is a great dish to make for guests. Once you have put the dish in the oven, it takes care of itself. You can easily prepare most of this dish in advance. Make the topping and pre-bake the pumpkin in advance. Finish roasting in the oven for another 40 minutes before eating.
Butternut with cranberry topping
Main course (serves 4)
Preparation ± 30 min.
Oven ± 1 hour
2 tbsp oil
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp ground coriander seeds
1 butternut squash
20 g / 1½ tbsp vegan butter
1 red onion, finely chopped
150 ml / 2/3 cup white wine or grape juice
1 tsp. ground coriander seeds (optional)
220 g / 1 3/4 cup cranberries
± 2-3 tbsp. maple or agave syrup
lemon juice to taste
½ bunch of dill
Preheat the oven to 200°C. In a small bowl, mix the oil, garlic, lemon juice, 1 tsp ground coriander, pepper and salt. Peel the pumpkin with a vegetable peeler. Cut in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Brush all over with a bit of the oil mixture. Place the halves on a baking tray with the cut side down and bake in the middle of the oven for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the cranberry sauce. Melt the butter in a small pan and fry the onion on low heat for 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the wine, coriander, 200 grams of cranberries and 1 tablespoon of agave or maple syrup and bring to the boil. Simmer on low heat for 10-15 minutes until it becomes a thick sauce in which you can still see some berries. Season with salt, freshly ground pepper, extra agave or maple syrup to taste and some lemon juice. Finely chop a quarter of the dill and mix into the sauce.
After 20 minutes, take the butternut out of the oven and leave to cool slightly. Place with the cut side down and score each half with crisscross lines. Be careful not to cut right through the flesh.
Return to the baking tray and brush with some more of the oil mixture. Bake for ± 40 minutes and brush with the oil mixture two or three times. After 30 minutes of baking, brush with the last of the oil mixed with 1 tablespoon of maple syrup. Spoon some of the cranberry sauce over the pumpkin and sprinkle with some whole cranberries. Remove from the oven after ± 10 minutes and garnish with the remaining dill. Serve with the rest of the sauce on the side.
