National Vegetarian Week: Tony Bishop-Weston's Pumpkin with Vodka and Cinnamon Syrup
Vegan food writer and campaigner Tony Bishop-Weston and his wife, nutritionist and Foods for Life founder, Yvonne, are about to release their latest book, The Complete Book of Vegan Cooking.
Here the pair have exclusively given one of their latest vegan recipes for Pumpkin with Vodka and Cinnamon Syrup to us to share with our BigH readers.
Pumpkin and Vodka with Cinnamon Syrup
"This unusual dish is based on a traditional dessert from the Far East. Pumpkin wedges are baked in the oven with brown sugar and plenty of vodka, which results in a delicious syrup." - Tony Bishop-Weston.
Ingredients
1 small pumpkin, about 800g
350g cups soft dark brown sugar
120ml cup vodka
1 tsp ground cloves
12 cinnamon sticks, each about 10cm in length
fresh mint sprigs, to decorate
soya yogurt, to serve
Method
Preheat the oven to 190∫C. Halve the pumpkin, remove the seeds and fibres and cut into wedges. Arrange in a shallow, flameproof casserole or heavy ovenproof dish. Fill the hollows with the sugar.
Pour the vodka carefully into the pan, taking care not to wash all the sugar to the bottom. Make sure that some of the vodka trickles down to the bottom to prevent the pumpkin from burning. Sprinkle on the ground cloves and add two of the cinnamon sticks.
Cover the pan tightly and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes, or until the pumpkin is tender. Check the casserole or pan occasionally to make sure that the pumpkin does not dry out or catch on the bottom.
Transfer the pumpkin to a platter and pour the hot syrup over. Decorate each portion with mint and cinnamon sticks and serve with soya yogurt.
