14
Jun

Austrian Pumpkin/Butternut Vegetables

My late mother-in-law Milli was a cooking and handicraft teacher. She often cooked traditional foods from the most eastern federal state in Austria, Burgenland (at the Hungarian border), where she lived all her life. Many dishes in that area have a strong Hungarian influence. But she was also ahead of her time, as long before it became fashionable, she started using whole grains instead of white wheat flour, to make meals more nutritious. Whenever Milli visited us in South Africa, she cooked our favourites for us, this recipe being one of them. It is really satisfying on cold winter days, and easy and quick to prepare.

Ingredients:

  • 1 large or 2 smaller butternuts (or pumpkin), peeled and de-seeded
  • 1 large green and 1 large red pepper, de-seeded and chopped into small pieces
  • 1 large onion
  • Vegetable stock cube or paste  (I use Dr Vogel’s Plantaforce cubes or paste)
  • 1 – 2 Tablespoons Caraway seeds
  • 250 ml sour cream (or full cream yoghurt or a mixture of the two) – vegans can use coconut milk and/or coconut cream.
  • 1/2  Tablespoon Paprika powder or to taste
  • Himalaya Salt & pepper to taste

Method:

  1. Place junks of butternut into power blender and let it chop the butternut into small pieces (or coarsly grate the butternut, if you don’t have a power blender)
  2. Place butternut, chopped peppers & onion into a large pot
  3. Add about 1 liter of water (vegetables should not quite be covered)
  4. Add the stock cube, caraway seeds, paprika,  salt & pepper
  5. Let the vegetables cook on low heat, until butternut is soft.
  6. Take some of the liquid out and place in a bowl. Mix the sour cream with the liquid well.
  7. Stir the sour cream mixture into the vegetables (don’t let vegetables boil after cream has been added, otherwise cream might separate).
  8. Adjust seasoning
  9. Serve with one of the following: crusty whole rye bread; potatoes boiled in their jackets; bread dumplings (watch this space for recipe); polenta.
  10. Freezes well.

 

 

 

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