Provencal Pumpkin Tian : Perfect Autumn / Fall Food

As I said in this post here, "you'll be seeing some pumpkin recipes soon" so here we go. This 'Tian' is perfect for this time of year. It's a creamy starter, or side dish, for six people. It works really well with roast meats and chicken - perhaps for Sunday lunch - or even a mid-week meal, read on and see what you think!

Ingredients

Serves Six
8g carb per serving
750g seeded pumpkin (weight with skin but without seeds and fibres)
pinch of grated nutmeg
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
25g (vegetable) oil
1 tbsp plain flour
250ml milk
1 medium egg, lightly beaten
85g Gruyere cheese, grated
handful of flaked almonds
salt/pepper for seasoning

Method
1. Preheat the oven to fan 180C/conventional 200C/ gas 6. Peel the pumpkin and cut the flesh into smallish pieces. Put it in a pan with about 6 tbsp water. Put the lid on and steam for 15-20 minutes until very soft.
2. Mash with a masher or fork, season and add the nutmeg. If it is watery, return to the heat and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated.
3. While the pumpkin is steaming, fry the onion in a medium-sized saucepan in the butter and oil for about 10 minutes, until softened but not brown. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Gradually pour in the milk, a little at a time, stirring all the time to prevent lumps from forming, and cook over a low heat until the sauce thickens.
4. Mix the white sauce with the pumpkin and the egg, and beat well, add seasoning if required. Pour into a well buttered small ceramic baking dish. Sprinkle over the cheese and almonds and bake for 40 minutes, or until slightly firm and golden on top.

If you can't get Gruyère cheese substitutes could be Comté, Emmental, or Swiss cheese, all of which offer similar nutty flavour and excellent meltability.

Serve as a starter, or as a side dish with meat, and perhaps cabbage or another vegetable(s) of your choice ...

Recipe idea from here

~ wishing you happy Autumn days ~

(or Spring days if you live in the southern hemisphere)

You will find a variety of recipes/food ideas within this blog and not all may be suitable for you. Always take account of your personal circumstances, needs, illnesses and medication you may be taking. Any allergies, or underlying health issues must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter. If you have any concerns about your health, it is always advisable to consult your doctor or health care team.

All the best Jan