Fonio with Spiced Roast Pumpkin and Pine Nuts
by Maria Bradford, featured in Sweet Salone Published by QuadrilleIntroduction
Fonio is a West African ‘superfood’. It’s cultivated from two species of grass with small grains. It’s extremely nutritious with a very favourable taste. It’s gluten free and high in dietary fibre. The grains can be used to make porridge, bread and beer and it can be made into flour as well. I often use it in salads and as an alternative to couscous or rice. In this dish it's combined with pumpkin, another well-known ingredient in Africa (and elsewhere around the globe). Pumpkin is also known for its nutritional value; it’s high in beta-carotene, vitamins C and E, iron and folate. This dish is just packed full of goodness.
Fonio is a West African ‘superfood’. It’s cultivated from two species of grass with small grains. It’s extremely nutritious with a very favourable taste. It’s gluten free and high in dietary fibre. The grains can be used to make porridge, bread and beer and it can be made into flour as well. I often use it in salads and as an alternative to couscous or rice. In this dish it's combined with pumpkin, another well-known ingredient in Africa (and elsewhere around the globe). Pumpkin is also known for its nutritional value; it’s high in beta-carotene, vitamins C and E, iron and folate. This dish is just packed full of goodness.
Ingredients
Serves: 4-6
- 1 medium pumpkin (about 500g/1lb 2oz) peeled, deseeded and cut into small cubes
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon West African Pepper Blend (see below)
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon sea salt (plus extra to season)
- 300 millilitres vegetable stock
- 150 grams fonio
- 100 grams pinenuts (lightly toasted)
- 1 - 2 red chillies (deseeded and finely chopped)
- 4 spring onions (finely sliced)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
FOR THE DRESSING
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2½ tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- pinch of caster sugar
WEST AFRICAN PEPPER BLEND
- 2½ teaspoons grains of paradise
- 2 tablespoons black peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons white peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon cubeb pepper
- 3 tablespoons allspice berries
- 1 medium pumpkin (about 500g/1lb 2oz) peeled, deseeded and cut into small cubes
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon West African Pepper Blend (see below)
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon sea salt (plus extra to season)
- 1¼ cups plus 1 teaspoons vegetable broth
- 5½ ounces fonio
- 3½ ounces pinenuts (lightly toasted)
- 1 - 2 red chiles (deseeded and finely chopped)
- 4 scallions (finely sliced)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
FOR THE DRESSING
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2½ tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- pinch of superfine sugar
WEST AFRICAN PEPPER BLEND
- 2½ teaspoons grains of paradise
- 2 tablespoons black peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons white peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon cubeb pepper
- 3 tablespoons allspice berries
Method
Fonio with Spiced Roast Pumpkin and Pine Nuts is a guest recipe by Maria Bradford so we are not able to answer questions regarding this recipe
For the West African Pepper Blend
This aromatic and spicy blend is at the heart of many of my dishes.
- Toast all the peppercorns in a dry pan over medium heat until fragrant.
- Allow to cool then grind in a spice grinder or pestle and mortar.
- Store in an airtight jar. It will stay fresh for up to 3 months.
For the Fonio with Spiced Roast Pumpkin and Pine Nuts
- Preheat the oven to 220ºC/200ºC fan/425ºF/gas mark 7.
- Put the pumpkin cubes in a roasting tin, drizzle over 3 tablespoons of the rapeseed oil, sprinkle over the spices and salt and toss to coat. Roast until brown and soft, about 30–40 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
- To cook the fonio, bring the stock to the boil in a saucepan. Add the fonio, lower the heat and cook until all stock has been absorbed, about 5–10 minutes (test it to make sure it’s tender). Stir through the remaining rapeseed oil and fluff the fonio with a fork. Turn off the heat and set aside to cool.
- For the dressing, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, vinegar and sugar together in a bowl and mix well.
- Put the roasted pumpkin, pine nuts, chilli, spring onions, herbs and fonio in a big mixing bowl. Add the dressing and toss together.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning and serve straightaway.
For the West African Pepper Blend
This aromatic and spicy blend is at the heart of many of my dishes.
- Toast all the peppercorns in a dry pan over medium heat until fragrant.
- Allow to cool then grind in a spice grinder or pestle and mortar.
- Store in an airtight jar. It will stay fresh for up to 3 months.
For the Fonio with Spiced Roast Pumpkin and Pine Nuts
- Preheat the oven to 220ºC/200ºC fan/425ºF/gas mark 7.
- Put the pumpkin cubes in a roasting tin, drizzle over 3 tablespoons of the rapeseed oil, sprinkle over the spices and salt and toss to coat. Roast until brown and soft, about 30–40 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
- To cook the fonio, bring the stock to the boil in a saucepan. Add the fonio, lower the heat and cook until all stock has been absorbed, about 5–10 minutes (test it to make sure it’s tender). Stir through the remaining rapeseed oil and fluff the fonio with a fork. Turn off the heat and set aside to cool.
- For the dressing, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, vinegar and sugar together in a bowl and mix well.
- Put the roasted pumpkin, pine nuts, chilli, scallions, herbs and fonio in a big mixing bowl. Add the dressing and toss together.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning and serve straightaway.
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