Ravinder Bhogal’s pumpkin and squash recipes for autumn

Pumpkin, kale and spelt broth with fried sage

Sage and pumpkin are a match made in heaven. This hearty, vegetarian broth is exactly what I want to eat when the temperature begins to take a nosedive.

Prep 15 min
Cook 45 min
Serves 4

500g pumpkin, such as delica, cut into wedges
60ml olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp pul biber, or ¼ tsp chilli flakes
1 tsp fennel seeds, roughly crushed
24 small fresh sage leaves
200g kale, ribs finely sliced, leaves roughly torn
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
The zest of 1 lemon, plus the juice to serve
1 litre vegetable stock
125g pearled spelt

Heat the oven to 220C (200C fan)/425F/gas 7. Put the pumpkin wedges on an oven tray, drizzle with a tablespoon of the oil, season and scatter over the cinnamon, pul biber and fennel seeds. Roast for 25-30 minutes, until tender and caramelised.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a saucepan on a medium-high heat, then fry the sage leaves until crisp, and drain on kitchen paper. Add the chopped kale ribs, garlic and lemon zest to the hot oil and saute until just tender. Pour in the stock, spelt and 250ml water, cover and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to low, then simmer uncovered for 25-30 minutes, until the spelt is tender.

Off the heat, stir in the kale leaves to wilt, then add lemon juice and season to taste. Divide the pumpkin among bowls, ladle over the hot broth and serve scattered with the fried sage.

Comte, sage and pumpkin scones

Mashed pumpkin brings a sweet depth of flavour and richness to these cheesy scones. I make a double batch and keep half in the freezer to reheat on a rainy day.

Prep 10 min
Cook 45 min
Makes 8

200g kabocha or butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed and cut into 2cm pieces
300g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp chilli powder
1 tbsp dried oregano
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
60g cold unsalted butter
150g comte, grated
60ml buttermilk, plus a little extra for brushing
8 sage leaves

Heat the oven to 220C (200C fan)/425F/gas 7 and line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper. Steam the squash over a saucepan of simmering water for 15-20 minutes, or until tender. Leave to cool, then use a fork to mash it to a smooth puree.

Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl, add the chilli powder and oregano, season to taste, then gently rub in the butter with your fingertips until it’s a fine breadcrumb texture. Scatter in 100g of the cheese, add the pumpkin puree and buttermilk, and mix with a butter knife.

With floured hands, shape the dough into a ball, then transfer to a well-floured surface and, with well-floured hands, pat out to 2cm thick. Using a floured, 5cm round pastry cutter, cut out rounds of dough and place these on the lined sheet. Gently press the dough scraps together and continue cutting out rounds of dough until it’s all used up.

Brush the tops lightly with a little extra buttermilk, scatter the rest of the cheese over the scones, and lay a sage leaf on each, pressing it down to secure.

Bake for 15 minutes, until golden and risen, then serve immediately or at room temperature.

Pumpkin pilaf with labneh, pumpkin seeds and brown butter

This big-flavoured pumpkin rice is an almost effortless vegetarian centrepiece for the autumn table.

Prep 15 min
Drain 8+ hr
Cook 40 min
Serves 4

500g Greek yoghurt
½ tsp salt
50ml olive oil
100g unsalted butter
125g wheat vermicelli, broken into 2cm lengths
5 garlic cloves, peeled, 3 finely sliced and 2 finely chopped
1 large pinch saffron
1 stick cinnamon
4 green cardamom pods, bruised
250g basmati rice, rinsed until the water runs clear, then drained
400g pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and diced
30g golden raisins, or barberries or currants
3 tbsp pumpkin seeds
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp dried mint
3 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

To make the labneh, put the yoghurt in a bowl with the salt and stir well. Set a sieve over another bowl and line it with clean muslin. Spoon the salted yoghurt into the centre of the cloth, then gather up the sides, twist to secure and tie with string or a rubber band. Transfer to the fridge to drain for eight to 12 hours, or overnight – you’ll be left with yoghurt with a dense, fudgy texture.

To make the rice, heat the oil and 40g butter in a pan. Fry the vermicelli until golden brown, then add the sliced garlic and spices, and cook for a minute, until fragrant.

Add the drained rice, season with sea salt and stir to coat in the oil and spices. Toss the rice lightly until it is toasty and hot, then pour in 500ml boiling water and add the pumpkin and raisins. Cover, lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, until the pumpkin and rice are cooked through and all the water has been absorbed. Take off the heat and leave to rest for three to four minutes.

Meanwhile, put the remaining butter in a small pan on a medium-high heat until foaming and nutty, then take off the heat, add the chopped garlic, pumpkin seeds, lemon zest and dried mint, and swirl around. Stir in the lemon juice.

Fluff up the rice with a fork and spoon on to a platter. Spoon the labneh on top of the rice, drizzle over the brown butter, then scatter with parsley and serve.