Cuban Street-Style Grilled Pumpkin and Scallion Plate

About This Recipe

Calabaza, the dense Caribbean pumpkin, is a staple in Cuban cooking, usually boiled into soups or mashed. This street-style plate takes it in a different direction, grilling thick wedges directly over open flame until the edges char and the flesh turns creamy, then finishing with a garlicky scallion-ginger oil that plays off the pumpkin's natural sweetness. Getting good char without drying out the pumpkin means precooking it briefly - a short steam or par-boil - so the interior is nearly tender before it ever hits the grill, leaving just enough time over the flame to build color and smoke without turning the flesh mushy or leaving it raw in the center.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 2 lbcalabaza or kabocha pumpkin(peeled, cut into thick wedges)
• 4 tbspolive oil(divided)
• 1 tspfine sea salt(divided)
• 4scallions(finely sliced)
• 1 tbspfresh ginger(grated)
• 4 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1lime(juiced)
• 0.25 tspred pepper flakes

Instructions

1. 1

   Par-cook the pumpkin

   Steam or boil the pumpkin wedges for 8-10 minutes until just barely fork-tender but not falling apart. Drain and pat dry.

2. 2

   Season

   Toss the wedges with 2 tbsp olive oil and half the salt.

3. 3

   Grill for char

   Grill over medium-high direct heat 4-5 minutes per side until deep grill marks and light char appear.

   Keep the lid open and watch closely - calabaza has enough natural sugar to burn quickly once it starts caramelizing.

4. 4

   Make the ginger-scallion oil

   Warm the remaining 2 tbsp oil in a small pan, add ginger and garlic, and cook 30-45 seconds until fragrant but not browned. Remove from heat and stir in scallions, red pepper flakes and remaining salt.

5. 5

   Finish and serve

   Arrange the grilled pumpkin on a platter, spoon the ginger-scallion oil over the top, and finish with a squeeze of lime juice.

Variations

• •

  Roast the par-cooked pumpkin at 450°F for 15-20 minutes in the oven if you don't have a grill.

• •

  Add a spoonful of honey to the ginger-scallion oil for a sweeter glaze.

• •

  Swap calabaza for butternut squash, which has a similar texture and sweetness.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat in a hot oven or skillet to re-crisp the edges rather than microwaving, which softens the char.

Frequently Asked Questions