This recipe is such a great lunch or dinner recipe all year round! I love the combination of sweet baked orange kumara (or sweet potato!) with fresh pesto and slightly spicy chorizo; it has an Autumnal feel that is especially suited to the transition from warm to cold.
If you wanted to make this recipe vegetarian, I would recommend removing the chorizo, adding half a teaspoon of smoky paprika to the filling mix and topping with grilled halloumi. To be honest, I'm a bit made at myself for not adding halloumi to start with; self confessed halloumi lover over here.
If you're making this for the family and are worried about the kick chorizo can have, don't be deterred! The creamy pesto dressing offsets the small amount of spice in the sausage; you can also try and find mild chorizo, which will automatically remove spice from the dish.
If you wanted to make this recipe vegetarian, I would recommend removing the chorizo, adding half a teaspoon of smoky paprika to the filling mix and topping with grilled halloumi. To be honest, I'm a bit made at myself for not adding halloumi to start with; self confessed halloumi lover over here.
If you're making this for the family and are worried about the kick chorizo can have, don't be deterred! The creamy pesto dressing offsets the small amount of spice in the sausage; you can also try and find mild chorizo, which will automatically remove spice from the dish.
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 2 large orange kumara/sweet potato, halved lengthways
- Olive oil
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
- 3 small or 1 large chorizo sausage, cut into rounds
- 1tsp dried oregano
- 420g tin cannelini beans, drained
- 1-2 stalks kale, leaves removed and torn
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 heaped tbsp mayonnaise
- 1heaped tbsp fresh basil pesto
- 2tbsp pine nuts, toasted
Method
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius fan bake. Lay the kumara halves on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and season. Place into the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes or until tender, turning once during cooking. Set aside.
- While the kumara is cooking, place a frying pan over a medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and garlic. Stir and cook until softened, then add the chorizo and kale.
- Once the kale has wilted and the chorizo has become golden, add the cannelini beans and stir well. Season to taste and set aside.
- To make the dressing, mix together the sour cream, mayonnaise and pesto in a bowl. Season to taste.
- To assemble, place the kumara onto serving plates. Use a fork to loosen the flesh, and pull slightly at each side to create a dip in the center. Spoon the chorizo mixture evenly amongst the kumara, then drizzle with dressing.
- To finish, sprinkle with pine nuts and drizzle with olive oil. Serve immediately.
