BAKED PUMPKIN WITH GINGER SAUCE

A great favourite at Waihi bush and comes via Lorina Harding

Ingredients:
Large whole crown pumpkin with lid cut out on an angle and hollowed out (save seeds for planting)
Using your hand rub inside of the pumpkin with the following:
50 gms butter (or half and half with other cold pressed oil) NOT MARGARINE…
2-4 cloves of smashed garlic (finely chop or chuck in whole smashed and remove later)
1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
1/2 tsp rock salt (breaks down slowly and gives a better flavour)
ground pepper to taste
OPTIONAL:
*1 tsp Curry powder OR turmeric powder OR cardamom powder
*1 apple finely chopped (with or without skin)

Ginger sauce
2 knobs of butter
1/3 c brown sugar
1 Tbsp fresh ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup of nuts coarsely chopped (walnuts, almonds, hazelnut or other)
2 Tbsp FSO

Ginger Sauce
Lightly toast nuts in butter in heavy frying pan
Add sugar, ginger and salt and heat for several minutes until bubbly
Serve over pumpkin

How to make:
Bake the Pumpkin at 350 F/180C on tray for about an hour or until skewer enters easily
Serve at table and slice off wedges
Serve with ginger sauce