Cheery Pumpkin Patties

This dish is a sensation for young and old alike because the flavor of the pumpkin patties with cherry comp?brings everyone together.

1 1/2 lbs (1 kg) pumpkin, peeled and cut into 1 inch (2.5 cm) cubes
1/4 cup (60 mL) sucanat
2 free-range eggs
1/3 cup (100 g) kamut or whole grain flour
2 Tbsp (30 mL) candied ginger
1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground cinnamon
Pinch sea salt
1/4 cup (60 mL) macadamia nuts, ground
3 Tbsp (45 mL) extra virgin olive oil

Comp?
1/2 lb (250 g) sour cherries, pitted
1/4 cup (60 mL) red wine or 1/3 cup (80 mL) Grenadine and 4 Tbsp (60 mL) water
1/3 cup (80 mL) sucanat
2 tsp (10 mL) lemon zest
1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground cinnamon
Pinch ground cloves
1 Tbsp (15 mL) corn starch

Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).

Dust pumpkin pieces with sucanat. Place them on an ovenproof dish and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove from oven and mash the pumpkin. Stir in eggs, flour, ginger, cinnamon and salt and mash together until it's the consistency of a dense dough. Shape into patties then coat with ground macadamia nuts.

In a pan, heat oil over medium heat and panfry each side for two to three minutes until golden brown. Keep warm.

In the meantime, to make the cherry comp? bring liquids, sucanat, lemon zest and spices to a boil in a saucepan; simmer four to five minutes. Add cherries and cook for four to five minutes longer. Dissolve corn starch in two tablespoons of cold water. Add it to the mixture and cook for three to four minutes longer.

Serve the pumpkin pancakes warm with the cherry comp? Serves two.

Source: alive #216, October 2000