Pumpkin and Tomato Bake

Derf's Note:

Tasty fall dish for supper or a buffet. Add as much heat as you like or change the garlic and herbs to your taste. Make ahead and pop in oven when ready. Recipe has evolved to our tastes from "French Country Kitchen" by Ann Hughes-Gilbey

• Total Time: 1 hrs
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 2 1/2 lbs pumpkin, peeled
• 6 tablespoons oil (I use olive oil)
• 2 large onions, finely sliced
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 lb tomato, skinned if you want and sliced
• 2 -3 garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 -3 teaspoons chopped fresh basil (, or 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon dried) or 2 -3 teaspoons chopped tarragon (, or 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon dried)
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• salt
• 1 dash cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon wine or 1 tablespoon water
• 2/3 cup soft breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons butter

Directions:

1. Remove any seeds from the pumpkin and cut into 3/4 inch strips.
2. Cook in boiling salted water for 2 or 3 minutes.
3. Drain and dry thoroughly on paper towel.
4. Dice strips into about 1/2 inch cubes.
5. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large fry pan.
6. Brown the onions slowly.
7. Stir in the sugar.
8. Add the pumpkin, fry it gently until it starts to turn transparent.
9. Place evenly in the bottom of a shallow baking dish.
10. Heat the remaining oil.
11. Add the tomatoes, garlic, herbs and half of the parsley to the pan.
12. Season well with salt and cayenne.
13. Cook gently, just until the tomatoes start to collapse, turn once being careful to keep tomato slices unbroken.
14. When the moisture has reduced somewhat, spread the tomatoes, in neat rows, over the pumpkin pieces.
15. Add a tablespoon of wine (or water) to the pan, whisk up the pieces and pour carefully over the tomatoes and pumpkin.
16. Mix the remaining parsley with the crumbs and sprinkle evenly over the tomatoes and pumpkin.
17. Dot with butter.
18. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake for 20 minutes or until nicely browned.

Reviews

[Sackville]

This has got to be the ultimate autumn side dish! It is beautiful to look at, filled with flavour and easy to make. And you wouldn't believe the wonderful smells that filled my house when I was making the tomato topping. I used red onions and had to resort to dried herbs but I'm sure it would be even better with fresh.

[JustJanS]

I have had this in my cookbook forever, and now wonder why I never made it before. I love pumpkin, but this is really special. I plan to eat this again soon, and often. It's so simple, but it raises pumpkin out of the ordinary.