PUMPKIN, RICE AND TOASTED SEEDS

Prep time 15 mins Cooking time 30 mins Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

300g brown rice

100ml olive oil

2 beef bacon rashers, diced ½ white onion, finely chopped 400g peeled, de-seeded butternut squash, diced

1 tsp hot paprika

1 tsp cumin seeds, coarsely ground

125ml chicken stock

8 large pimento-stuffed green olives, roughly sliced

80g feta, crumbled

80g Pecorino Romano, grated 2 tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds

METHOD

Cook rice in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until tender, 15-20 mins. Drain well. Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a casserole over high heat, add beef bacon and onion, and sauté until starting to caramelise, 5-6 mins. Add pumpkin and stir occasionally until starting to turn golden, 3-4 mins, then add spices and stir until fragrant, 1 minute. Add stock, bring to the boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer, covered, until pumpkin is tender and liquid is absorbed, 2-3 mins. Remove pumpkin mixture from casserole and set aside. Heat remaining oil in casserole, add rice and stir occasionally until starting to toast, 2-4 mins. Transfer rice to plates and serve topped with pumpkin mixture, and scattered with olives, cheeses and pumpkin seeds.