It might seem odd to add further sweetness to the flesh of a pumpkin or squash by the introduction of honey, but it works when mixed with the pungent umami of the soy and the heat from the ground chilli. I used Aleppo pepper, but just use whatever you have. A smoky paprika might be good here, too, providing a more subtle warmth.
t is the season of cobwebs, trailing across the vegetable gardens and allotments, glistening with dew, each drop sparkling in the early morning light. They hang between the bean sticks and the browning vines of pumpkins. I baked my first squash of the season this week, a plump, smooth-skinned butternut, a little fatter than most. I basted its flesh, firm and orange-bright, with a paste of sweet honey and dark soy sauce and seasoned it with the warmth of ground Aleppo pepper and garlic.
The sweeping up of falling leaves has started in earnest and, with it, the need to come in for a warming supper from the oven. A gratin, vegetables baked slowly in cream with a crisp crust of breadcrumbs and cheese, fitted the bill. A good-natured recipe that won’t mind sitting quietly in the switched-off oven until we are ready.
Preheat the oven to 200C/gas mark 6. Peel the garlic, then crush to a paste with a pinch of salt, using a pestle and mortar. Peel the ginger, then grate to a purée, using a fine-tooth grater, into the garlic. Mix in the Aleppo pepper, then stir in the honey, soy sauce and oil. You should have a sticky, glossy dark dressing.
Remove from the oven and let it rest for a couple of minutes, then turn the golden moons of butternut carefully, coating them with the sticky dressing, then pile on top of the steamed rice with a few orange slices and trickle with a little roasted sesame oil.It is worth taking care to slice the fennel thinly. Apart from taking less time to cook, it harmonises better with the sauce.
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