Niamh Shields burst onto the blogging scene in 2007 and has since snapped up countless accolades for her food writing by The Times, The Telegraph and The Stylist, to name a few. Niamh is passionate about cooking, and when she's not travelling the world collecting culinary tips, she's at home concocting new and interesting meals for friends and family, including her foody fledgling niece. Here, Niamh shares all her know-how for delicious and easy home-cooking.
Pumpkin, pecan and spinach mash for inbetween days
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Summer has gone. The leaves are falling, the winds rising, and the rain a more regular visitor. The nights close in earlier than before.
It’s that time of year when it is impossible to dress correctly, always being too hot, or too cold. It’s just not all that pleasant.
But, it’s not all bad.
Pumpkins are in season again, their proud round orangeness proclaiming the arrival of an imminent Halloween. Carve ‘em, light ‘em, and make them a jack ‘o lantern. Do eat them too, they’re delicious.
I love them in soups, curries, tarts and pies. I love a rough and tumble of diced cooked pumpkin with strong cheese, nuts and spinach. I especially love them in a mash.
Now this mash is non traditional. It’s crunchy and soft, salty and sweet. For me it was the perfect plate of comfort that I needed to get me through one of the first autumn evenings.
Now pumpkins may seem tricky, but I promise that they’re not. For this, buy one small one, cut in half and scoop the seeds and fibres out with a spoon, then drizzle with olive oil and roast for 25–30 minutes at 180 deg C, until just tender. Now they will be very easy to peel and mash, and the flavours will be concentrated. Just delicious.
Ingredients
Serves 4
1 small pumpkin or squash, about 1.5kg weight
1 x 200g bag baby spinach
6 slices bacon – streaky is best for flavour but back bacon will do, cut into thin strips
100g pecans
Sea salt and pepper to season
Method
Roast the pumpkin by cutting it in half and scoop the seeds and fibres out with a spoon, then drizzle with olive oil and roast for 25 – 30 minutes at 180 deg C, until just tender. Scoop out the flesh and leave to the side.- Sauté the bacon strips in a little oil in a frying pan over a medium heat until starting to crisp.
- Add the pecan and stir for 2 minutes to ensure that they don’t burn.
- Add the spinach and let it wilt, stirring for a minute or two.
- Add the soft pumpkin and stir through. Season to taste, and not too heavily with salt as the bacon is salty already.
Eat warm.
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