Pumpkins are back in season and i adore them. Whether they are roasted, mashed, pureed, made into warming soups or as i have done here added a bit of zing and marinated them up.  This method is used a lot in Italy and it served at room temperature as an antipasto.

Ingredients

Serves 4

500g pumpkin, peeled, deseeded

200ml olive oil

100 ml red wine vinegar

50 ml water

1 garlic clove, peeled and sliced

2 Tbsp sugar

1 red chilli, seeds removed and sliced thinly

1 tsp fresh mint leaves

Salt and cracked pepper

Method

Begin by preparing the pumpkin, once peeled slice into 5mm thick slices.

Heat the oil up in a large pan over a moderate heat and fry the pumpkin slices until golden on both sides and the pumpkin is tender.

Remove and layer on a platter.

In a small saucepan, heat the vinegar, water, garlic, sugar and chilli together. Bring to the boil and simmer for 4 minutes.  Remove from the heat.

Pour over any oil from cooking the pumpkin into the vinegar mixture and mix well to combine.  Pour the vinegar mixture over the pumpkin, add the mint leaves and sprinkle with a little salt and cracked pepper.

Let marinate for at least 30 minutes, turning occasionally.

Best eaten at room temperature.

Will keep for 3 days in the fridge.