My bake-off entry: Roasted Pumpkin, Cheese and Kale Pesto Scones

This year's school staff bake-off was a little more of a challenge, as sugar was officially banished in favour of savoury categories only. This forced us all to put our thinking caps on to come up with new and interesting entries. Judging our creations this year was the lovely Anna Worthington, of Cakes By Anna fame. With her creative flair and rustic presentation in mind, and wanting to keep it seasonal, I did some experimenting with pumpkin scones. With the addition of some cavalo nero kale from our garden, this creation was made. In a typical morning rush, I forgot to photograph my entry prior to morning tea, so above is my half eaten entry.

Roasted Pumpkin, Cheese and Kale Pesto Scones

For the Pumpkin Puree:

1/4 of a large gray crown pumpkin, or any other variety you have.
salt and pepper, 
oil

1/8th teaspoon grated nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 200deg. C. 

Place the quarter of pumpkin, cut in half and skin-on, into a roasting dish. 

Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  

Roast for about 40 minutes until soft. Turn twice during cooking. 

Allow to cool, then peel off the skin and mash the flesh. 

Add the nutmeg and check the seasoning. 

This is enough pumpkin for two batches of scones. The left over will happily freeze until needed.







For the Kale Pesto:

6 cavalo nero kale leaves
1 generous handful of parsley
1 clove garlic - peeled
5 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons grated parmisan cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons walnuts

Wash the kale and parsley, and separate and discard the stalks. 

Put all the ingredients into the food processor and whizz until smooth.

Transfer to a bowl and cover and store in the fridge until required.

Push the plastic wrap down onto the pesto to stop it from discolouring. 









For the Scones:

2 cups flour
1 tablespoon caster sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
100g butter
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 egg
1/2 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup pumpkin puree

Filling and topping:
1 cup grated tasty cheese
about 1/2 cup kale pesto
about 2/3 cup extra pumpkin puree
3 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds, plus extra for the top.
3 tablespoons grated parmisan cheese for the top

Preheat the oven to 200deg. C

Sift the flour, sugar, salt, mustard and cinnamon together. 

Rub in the butter until the mixture looks like crumbs.

Combine the egg and butter milk. 

Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add the egg mixture and first measurement of pumpkin puree. 

Stir gently until just combined and turn out onto a floured piece of baking paper.

Press out it a large rectangle shape using another piece of baking paper to stop it from sticking to your fingers.

Spread with the pesto, followed by the extra pumpkin puree, tasty cheese and pumpkin seeds. 

Roll up along the long edge and cut into 3cm slices. 

Place the slices into a paper lined baking tray. Cluster them together. 

Top with the grated parmisan and extra pumpkin seeds. 

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown and risen. Allow to cool before transferring to a serving board. This is the one I did as a practise during the weekend. 

For the competition I served the scones with butter and garnished with deep fried cavalo nero and fresh bay tree sprigs. 

Happy baking xxx

Autumn Pumpkin Soup with Lamb Mini Meatballs

After all the unseasonal warm weather we have been having in the last few weeks, winter's icy breath blowing over Christchurch today came as an unwelcome but inevitable surprise. Crisp cold salads suddenly don't seem so appealing, and its time to reach for the kinds of foods that bring us warmth against winter's chill.

The autumn pumpkin harvest is well underway and any number of great meals can be made from this simple and seasonally inexpensive vegetable. It's a good time to stock up on pumpkins. Stored in a cool, dry and well ventilated place they will keep for weeks. Just be sure to choose a pumpkin that is free from blemishes and has the stalk intact, as any break in the skin will invite in mould and decay.

We brought this grey Crown Pumpkin a couple of weeks ago in anticipation of the winter chill. The following recipe is quick to prepare and can be served with or without the meat balls. It has bacon incorporated into the soup. If you prefer a vegetarian option just leave it out and use vegetable stock instead of water. Red split lentils can also be added to the soup if you would like to add a vegetarian protein source: add the lentils to the soup with the water; they will cook down to a pulp and blend with the pumpkin.

Pumpkin Soup with Lamb Mini Meatballs

1 tablespoon oil
1 large brown onion - roughly chopped
half of a medium sized pumpkin - seeds and skin removed, then cut into chunks
1 large clove of garlic - crushed or sliced
4 rashers of bacon - cut into slices
enough  boiling water to cover the pumpkin in the pot
Salt and pepper to taste

Approximately 100g lamb mince - not too lean, it needs some fat
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon oil

Heat the oil in a large pot. Add the chopped onion, garlic and bacon. Cook until the pieces start to brown. Add the pumpkin into the pot as you cut it up. Let the whole lot cook a little longer. 







Then add the boiling water, stir and allow to simmer until the pumpkin is tender.


While the soup cooks prepare the mini meat balls.






Combine the mince with the seasoning and roll into little balls. Because the meat has a fair amount of fat no other ingredients are required. 

If the meat is very lean I would add some fresh bread crumbs to soften up the mixture.






They should be rolled small enough that they can be eaten in one bite.

Heat the oil in a pan and cook the little balls.








Allow them to brown on the bottom before attempting to turn or they will fall to pieces.

They will only take a few minutes to cook.








Once the pumpkin is cooked, blend it into a smooth soup using a stick blender.

If you don't own such a gadget, then a kitchen whizz or even a simple potato masher will do the job. 

Once blended return the soup to the heat and check for seasoning. Pumpkin soup requires quite a lot of salt, so don't be frightened to add it.

Plate the soup into bowls, drop the meat balls on top and sprinkle with a little parsley. I served our soup with slices of ciabatta. 

Time to cuddle up in a cosy blanket and pull out the knitting my friends. Winter is on the way.