Oven roasted gem squash is stirred through ostrich mince stewed with tomato passata & Cajun spices, before being stuffed back into its little gem squash bowls and crowned with crunchy chickpeas. Sided with a fresh cucumber & Danish-style feta salad, and garnished with a scattering of toasted pumpkin seeds. It’s classy comfort food, Chef!
Ostrich Mince-filled Gem Squash
Ostrich Mince-filled Gem Squash
with a Danish-style feta & cucumber salad
Hands on Time: 30 - 45 minutes
Overall Time: 45 - 60 minutes
Ingredients:
- Chickpeas
- Cucumber
- Danish-style Feta
- Free-range Ostrich Mince
- Garlic Clove
- Garlic Cloves
- Gem Squash
- Green Leaves
- NOMU Cajun Rub
- Onion
- Onions
- Ostrich
- Pumpkin Seeds
- Tomato Passata
From your kitchen:
- Oil (cooking, olive or coconut)
- Salt & Pepper
- Water
- Sugar/Sweetener/Honey
- Butter
GEMS IN THE OVEN
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Place the deseeded gem squash halves on a roasting tray, cut-side up. Lightly drizzle with oil and season. Roast in the hot oven until soft, 25-30 minutes. Place the drained chickpeas into a bowl and toss with a drizzle of oil and seasoning. Set aside.
TOASTED SEEDS
Place the pumpkin seeds in a pan over medium heat. Toast until golden brown, 3-4 minutes (shifting occasionally). Remove from the pan and set aside.
SAUCY MINCE
Place a pan over medium heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, fry the diced onion until golden, 4-5 minutes (shifting occasionally). Add the grated garlic and fry until fragrant, 1-2 minutes (shifting constantly). Add the mince and work quickly to break it up as it starts to cook. Add the NOMU rub and fry until browned, 3-4 minutes (shifting occasionally). Pour in the tomato passata and 150ml of water. Simmer until the sauce has reduced and thickened, 8-10 minutes (shifting occasionally). Stir through a sweetener and seasoning. Remove from the heat, cover, and set aside.
GOLDEN CHICKPEAS
When the gem squash reaches the halfway mark, remove the tray from the oven, pop a small knob of butter into each half, and scatter the dressed chickpeas over the open space of the tray. Return to the oven for the remaining time.
QUICK SALAD
In a salad bowl, toss together the shredded green leaves, the cucumber matchsticks, the drained feta, ½ the toasted pumpkin seeds, a drizzle of olive oil, and seasoning. Set aside.
FINAL TOUCHES
When the roast is done, scoop the cooked gem squash flesh & chickpeas into the pan with the saucy ostrich, reserving the empty shells. Mix until combined and refill the empty gem squash shells with the ostrich & gem squash mixture. Return to the oven to heat through, 5 minutes.
DELISH DINNER
Plate up the filled gem squash shells and serve the cucumber & feta salad alongside. Serve any remaining filling on the side. Scatter over the remaining pumpkin seeds. Amazing, Chef!
Gem Squash - 1
Chickpeas - 120g
Pumpkin Seeds - 10g
Onion - 1
Garlic Clove - 1
Free-range Ostrich Mince - 150g
NOMU Cajun Rub - 10ml
Tomato Passata - 200ml
Green Leaves - 20g
Cucumber - 50g
Danish-style Feta - 30g
GEMS IN THE OVEN
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Place the deseeded gem squash halves on a roasting tray, cut-side up. Lightly drizzle with oil and season. Roast in the hot oven until soft, 25-30 minutes. Place the drained chickpeas into a bowl and toss with a drizzle of oil and seasoning. Set aside.
TOASTED SEEDS
Place the pumpkin seeds in a pan over medium heat. Toast until golden brown, 3-4 minutes (shifting occasionally). Remove from the pan and set aside.
SAUCY MINCE
Place a pan over medium heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, fry the diced onion until golden, 4-5 minutes (shifting occasionally). Add the grated garlic and fry until fragrant, 1-2 minutes (shifting constantly). Add the mince and work quickly to break it up as it starts to cook. Add the NOMU rub and fry until browned, 4-5 minutes (shifting occasionally). Pour in the tomato passata and 300ml of water. Simmer until the sauce has reduced and thickened, 8-10 minutes (shifting occasionally). Stir through a sweetener and seasoning. Remove from the heat, cover, and set aside.
GOLDEN CHICKPEAS
When the gem squash reaches the halfway mark, remove the tray from the oven, pop a small knob of butter into each half, and scatter the dressed chickpeas over the open space of the tray. Return to the oven for the remaining time.
QUICK SALAD
In a salad bowl, toss together the shredded green leaves, the cucumber matchsticks, the drained feta, ½ the toasted pumpkin seeds, a drizzle of olive oil, and seasoning. Set aside.
FINAL TOUCHES
When the roast is done, scoop the cooked gem squash flesh & chickpeas into the pan with the saucy ostrich, reserving the empty shells. Mix until combined and refill the empty gem squash shells with the ostrich & gem squash mixture. Return to the oven to heat through, 5 minutes.
DELISH DINNER
Plate up the filled gem squash shells and serve the cucumber & feta salad alongside. Serve any remaining filling on the side. Scatter over the remaining pumpkin seeds. Amazing, Chef!
Gem Squash - 2
Chickpeas - 240g
Pumpkin Seeds - 20g
Onion - 1
Garlic Clove - 1
Free-range Ostrich Mince - 300g
NOMU Cajun Rub - 20ml
Tomato Passata - 400ml
Green Leaves - 40g
Cucumber - 100g
Danish-style Feta - 60g
GEMS IN THE OVEN
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Place the deseeded gem squash halves on a roasting tray, cut-side up. Lightly drizzle with oil and season. Roast in the hot oven until soft, 30-35 minutes. Place the drained chickpeas into a bowl and toss with a drizzle of oil and seasoning. Set aside.
TOASTED SEEDS
Place the pumpkin seeds in a pan over medium heat. Toast until golden brown, 3-4 minutes (shifting occasionally). Remove from the pan and set aside.
SAUCY MINCE
Place a pan over medium heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, fry the diced onion until golden, 6-7 minutes (shifting occasionally). Add the grated garlic and fry until fragrant, 1-2 minutes (shifting constantly). Add the mince and work quickly to break it up as it starts to cook. Add the NOMU rub and fry until browned, 4-5 minutes (shifting occasionally). Pour in the tomato passata and 450ml of water. Simmer until the sauce has reduced and thickened, 12-15 minutes (shifting occasionally). Stir through a sweetener and seasoning. Remove from the heat, cover, and set aside.
GOLDEN CHICKPEAS
When the gem squash reaches the halfway mark, remove the tray from the oven, pop a small knob of butter into each half, and scatter the dressed chickpeas over the open space of the tray. Return to the oven for the remaining time.
QUICK SALAD
In a salad bowl, toss together the shredded green leaves, the cucumber matchsticks, the drained feta, ½ the toasted pumpkin seeds, a drizzle of olive oil, and seasoning. Set aside.
FINAL TOUCHES
When the roast is done, scoop the cooked gem squash flesh & chickpeas into the pan with the saucy ostrich, reserving the empty shells. Mix until combined and refill the empty gem squash shells with the ostrich & gem squash mixture. Return to the oven to heat through, 5 minutes.
DELISH DINNER
Plate up the filled gem squash shells and serve the cucumber & feta salad alongside. Serve any remaining filling on the side. Scatter over the remaining pumpkin seeds. Amazing, Chef!
Gem Squash - 3
Chickpeas - 360g
Pumpkin Seeds - 30g
Onions - 2
Garlic Cloves - 2
Free-range Ostrich Mince - 450g
NOMU Cajun Rub - 30ml
Tomato Passata - 600ml
Green Leaves - 60g
Cucumber - 150g
Danish-style Feta - 90g
GEMS IN THE OVEN
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Place the deseeded gem squash halves on a roasting tray, cut-side up. Lightly drizzle with oil and season. Roast in the hot oven until soft, 30-35 minutes. Place the drained chickpeas into a bowl and toss with a drizzle of oil and seasoning. Set aside.
TOASTED SEEDS
Place the pumpkin seeds in a pan over medium heat. Toast until golden brown, 3-4 minutes (shifting occasionally). Remove from the pan and set aside.
SAUCY MINCE
Place a pan over medium heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, fry the diced onion until golden, 6-7 minutes (shifting occasionally). Add the grated garlic and fry until fragrant, 1-2 minutes (shifting constantly). Add the mince and work quickly to break it up as it starts to cook. Add the NOMU rub and fry until browned, 5-6 minutes (shifting occasionally). Pour in the tomato passata and 600ml of water. Simmer until the sauce has reduced and thickened, 12-15 minutes (shifting occasionally). Stir through a sweetener and seasoning. Remove from the heat, cover, and set aside.
GOLDEN CHICKPEAS
When the gem squash reaches the halfway mark, remove the tray from the oven, pop a small knob of butter into each half, and scatter the dressed chickpeas over the open space of the tray. Return to the oven for the remaining time.
QUICK SALAD
In a salad bowl, toss together the shredded green leaves, the cucumber matchsticks, the drained feta, ½ the toasted pumpkin seeds, a drizzle of olive oil, and seasoning. Set aside.
FINAL TOUCHES
When the roast is done, scoop the cooked gem squash flesh & chickpeas into the pan with the saucy ostrich, reserving the empty shells. Mix until combined and refill the empty gem squash shells with the ostrich & gem squash mixture. Return to the oven to heat through, 5 minutes.
DELISH DINNER
Plate up the filled gem squash shells and serve the cucumber & feta salad alongside. Serve any remaining filling on the side. Scatter over the remaining pumpkin seeds. Amazing, Chef!
Gem Squash - 4
Chickpeas - 480g
Pumpkin Seeds - 40g
Onions - 2
Garlic Cloves - 2
Free-range Ostrich Mince - 600g
NOMU Cajun Rub - 40ml
Tomato Passata - 800ml
Green Leaves - 80g
Cucumber - 200g
Danish-style Feta - 120g