Baked Kūmara with Burnt Butter & Gremolata
Introduction
Easy to do and easy to eat! Slipping a few kūmara into the oven to cook until tender takes the pressure off preparing a midweek meal. Burnt butter and gremolata fancy them up.
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
6-8 slim red-skinned kūmara
Flaky sea salt
50g (about 2 oz) butter
Juice of 1 lemon (use the rind for the gremolata)
Gremolata
3 Tbsp chopped parsley
Finely grated zest 1 large lemon
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
Flaky sea salt
Method
1 Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Give the kūmara a good scrub, prick them all over with a skewer so they don’t explode as they cook (it happens, and it’s nasty), then, while they’re wet, roll them in flaky sea salt; place the salt on paper towels because if you try to apply it with your fingers, the salt will stick to your fingers and that defeats the purpose. Use tongs to move them around. Don’t worry about how much salt sticks (or doesn’t stick; it won’t stick to a dry kūmara though, so splash them under the cold tap).
2 Place the kūmara on an oven rack. I put a baking tray (sheet) on the bottom of the oven because some salt will flake off and make a mess on the oven floor (a tray is easier to wipe). Bake for 50-60 minutes, until tender when pricked with a skewer.
3 To make the gremolata, chop the parsley, lemon zest and garlic together. Season with salt, then set aside until required.
4 Transfer the kūmara to a wooden board and immediately cut them in half with a sharp knife.
5 Heat a small frying pan (skillet) over medium-high heat, then add the butter. Cook the butter, swirling the pan often, until it turns brown and the sediment darkens. Pour in the lemon juice, swirl the contents, then spoon over the kūmara. Top with gremolata and serve.
