Cranberry, Pecan, Chickpea & Rice Stuffed Butternut Halves
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Loading... Ingredients
½ cup Spekko India Gate Basmati Rice, soaked & rinsed
2.5 cups vegetable stock
2 large butternuts
4 Tbsp olive oil
Salt
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic
½ tsp leaves
1 x 400 g can chickpeas, drained & dried
50 g pecan nuts, toasted & roughly chopped
50 g cranberries
Lemon
Handful of fresh basil leaves
Method
- Preheat the oven to 190° C & set out a baking tray.
- Put the rice & stock into a pot. Bring to the boil then allow to simmer over a medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until cooked. Drain off excess liquid.
- Wash the butternuts well. Slice them in half lengthways & scoop out the seeds. Score the inside flesh of the butternut in a criss-cross diamond pattern, going about half way deep into the butternut.
- Brush the butternuts with 2 tablespoons of olive oil & a pinch of salt.
- Set out on the baking tray & roast for 45 minutes to one hour, until cooked.
- While the butternuts are cooking, start with the filling: Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan over a medium heat. Add the onion & sauté for 7 minutes. Add the garlic & thyme & sauté for a further 3 minutes.
- Add the chickpeas, cooked rice, pecan nuts & cranberries. Sauté so they are well combined.
- When the butternuts are cooked, scoop out the inside flesh leaving about a 1 cm border. Roughly chop up the flesh & stir through the filling.
- Season the filling to taste with salt, pepper, lemon zest, & lemon juice.
- Stuff the butternuts with the filling, garnish with fresh basil leaves, & serve.