Autumn Recipe: Hokkaido kisses Saffron

We love saffron all year long, but with the characteristic red colour of its stigmas, this spice just fits in so well with the warm, golden colours of autumn. When we think of the culinary colours of autumn time, the Hokkaido pumpkin probably immediately springs to mind. In Europe you can find the Japanese vegetable everywhere at farmer’s markets as well as supermarkets. At ours the Hokkaido is in high season in the autumn months.

This popular edible pumpkin is famous for its firm and un-stringy flesh. The ways it can be prepared are as varied as the world’s palates: we love it diced and deliciously prepared in a salad, exotically prepared in a pan with curry or chilli, hot and marinated out of the oven or in the form of a creamy soup with fine coconut or a fruity tomato note.

And what does it taste like when saffron kisses the Hokkaido? Well, we have to say: extremely tempting! The slightly nutty aroma of the pumpkin and its pleasant sweetness, which develops when cooking, go very well with the lovely tart flavour of this noble spice. A slight piquancy rounding off the unique taste experience. With such powerful culinary ingredients, not much more is needed for a unique firework of flavours. Convince yourself by trying out our simple and quick Hokkaido recipe!

Oven-baked Pumpkin with Chilli Saffron Marinade

Ingredients

1 average-sized Hokkaido pumpkin (about 600-800 gram)
30-50ml olive oil
1 tsp paprika powder
1 chilli, finely chopped
1 sachet MIASA Saffron
salt and paper to taste

Preparation

Wash (do not peel) the Hokkaido and start off by cutting it in half and removing the seeds. Then make incisions into the pumpkin, about 3-4 cm wide. Mix the other ingredients into a marinade. Sprinkle the marinade into the pumpkin incisions or swivel the pumpkin in the marinade. Then lay onto a baking tray covered in kitchen foil and bake in the top of a preheated oven, at 200 degrees (upper / lower heat) for about 20 – 25 minutes. The pumpkin is ready when soft and the peel has turned a slightly golden brown colour.

Goes very well with lamb’s lettuce salad with balsamic vinegar dressing or a fruity vinaigrette.

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