PUMPKINS are not just for displaying candles at Hallowe’en – it is a wonderful vegetable and deserves better.

I love roasting pumpkins but pureeing for soups is also a good idea. This recipe is an ideal accompaniment with a good piece of steak or some grilled fish.

Roast pumpkin with garlic, parsley and toasted pumpkin seeds

Ingredients (makes 6)

½ pumpkin, about 500g

Olive oil

30g butter

2 cloves garlic crushed

2 good sprigs of parsley roughly chopped

Salt & pepper

Pre set an oven at 170ºC degrees

Method

1. First remove the outside of the pumpkin skin with a sharp knife and scoop out the seeds from the centre. Using a fork, scrape away the stringy remains and place the seeds on tray with a drizzle of olive oil.

2. Roast in the oven until lightly toasted for about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to one side.

3. Cut the pumpkin flesh into six large equal chunks, place in a roasting tray and smear with olive oil, season well with salt and pepper and roast until golden brown and soft. This should take about 25 minutes, remember to turn the pumpkin once or twice to achieve an all- round colour.

4. Meanwhile, place the butter and garlic into a small saucepan and gently melt and keep warm.

5. When the pumpkin is cooked, place in a serving dish, return the butter to the heat and cook until the colour starts to change to a golden nut brown, remove from the heat, add the pumpkin seeds and parsley, and spoon over the roasted vegetable and serve.