Here we have a delicious, wholesome vegetable platter, of good comfort food. Butternut stuffed with a spicy Mexican mix of vegetables, rice and beans, served with crisp fluffy roast potatoes and a mix of sweet juicy roasted onions. This colourful platter of appetizing vegetables can be served as a meal on its own, or as an accompaniment to any meat dish.
4 med-large butternut halves cleaned, pips removed
1 cup basmati rice cooked
1,5 cloves of garlic crushed
1 red chilli finely chopped
1 medium red onion finely chopped
1/2 red pepper finely chopped
1/2 green pepper finely chopped
1 medium-large courgette finely chopped
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes halved
1/2 cup drained corn kernels
1/2 cup drained black beans
Third cup chicken stock
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp fresh coriander roughly chopped
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
Freshly ground salt and pepper
8 potatoes peeled and cut into quarters
1/2 cup sunflower oil
3 sprigs rosemary
Freshly ground salt and pepper
3 large white onions
2 red onions
0,25 cup olive oil
1 tsp brown sugar
5 sprigs fresh thyme
Freshly ground salt and pepper
Place the butternut halves on a baking tray and brush with olive oil.
Season with freshly ground salt and pepper and bake in a preheated, 200 degree Celsius oven, for about 40 mins, or until the butternut is soft.
While the butternut is in the oven, heat the olive oil in a large pan.
Add the chopped onion, garlic and chilli.
Cook with the lid on over a low heat, allowing the onions to become translucent.
Stir in the red pepper, green pepper, courgette and cherry tomatoes.
Cook for 5 mins on a medium heat, then add the cumin and smoked paprika, stirring intermittently.
Add the corn, black beans and the chicken stock.
Stir in the cooked rice, making sure all the ingredients mix together thoroughly. Season with freshly ground salt and pepper and stir again.
Take it off the heat and toss through the coriander.
When the butternut is cooked, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool for a few minutes.
Scoop out an even amount of butternut, out of the center of each half, to allow for the filling.
Fill each of the butternut halves with the rice filling, sprinkle with a generous amount of cheddar and return to the oven for 5-10 mins, until the cheese has melted. Remove from the oven.
Place the quartered potatoes and rosemary on a baking tray and pour the oil over. Toss the potatoes in the oil, making sure they are all well coated
Roast them in a 250 degree Celsius, pre heated oven, for approx 50 mins, or until they are crisp on the outside and tender on the inside
Remove them from the oven and sprinkle with freshly ground salt and pepper
Take 2 of the white onions and 1 of the red onions, skins on and make two cuts down the centre of each one (diagonally across each other), making sure not to cut more than halfway down.
Quarter each of the remaining onions, also leaving the skins on.
Place them in a roasting dish and top with sprigs of thyme.
Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle the brown sugar over the onions.
Season with freshly ground salt and pepper.
Roast the onions in an oven that has been preheated to 200 degrees Celsius for approx 40 to 45 minutes.
Place the butternut in a group to one side of a large platter.
Arrange the roast potatoes next to the butternut.
Nestle the roasted onions in-between the potatoes and butternut, then serve immediately.
