Head chef Marco Edwardes started his career in his homeland of Germany before making New Zealand home. After working at some stellar spots, he now leads the kitchen at Casita Miro on Waiheke Island, specialising in the cuisine of Spain and the wider Mediterranean rim. Here he shares a vege dish that lands nicely between winter and spring, with warming yet lively flavours and textures.
What does Sunday look like in your kitchen?
We start the day in the Casita Miro kitchen with a good hot coffee and a short briefing about the Sunday lunch service. We then start prepping and listening to some great tunes while one of the chefs prepares breakfast for the entire front and back of house, as well as vineyard teams, which we eat all together, family-style around 11am. This usually consists of some form of eggs on toast followed by one quick last coffee before heading back to the kitchen and preparing for the arrival of guests.
Why have you chosen this dish?
Pumpkin is one of my favourite vegetables at this time of the year. It’s healthy, delicious, great value for money and very versatile. It can be used for savoury and sweet dishes alike. This dish fits in well with what we do here at the little house of Miro, serving seasonal and delicious tapas which are also vegetarian- and vegan-friendly and complement our estate-grown Miro wines.
Roasted butternut pumpkin with saffron and orange vinaigrette
Serves 4
1 small butternut pumpkin, peeled & seeded
Extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp dukkah (Casita Miro has its own brand)
Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
Pickled red onion, to serve (optional)
Orange & saffron vinaigrette
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 orange, juice and zest
Pinch saffron strands
100ml extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
Pinch ground black pepper
Pinch sugar
1. To make the orange and saffron vinaigrette: Place the garlic, orange juice and zest, and saffron in a bowl. Whisk in the extra virgin olive oil, then season with salt, pepper and sugar. The vinaigrette can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks.
2. Preheat the oven to 200C.
3. Cut the pumpkin into large even pieces and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for approximately 20 minutes, or until tender.
4. To serve, place the warm pumpkin on a warm serving plate, drizzle with orange and saffron vinaigrette and finish with a good amount of dukkah and some pickled red onion, if using.
