By Brett McGregor
Serves 4 as a side

Ingredients

• 3 Sweetas Kumara (any variety)
• 3 tbsp Olivado Olive oil
• 3 tbsp maple syrup – divided measure
• Salt & pepper to taste
•  Topping
• 3 rashers streaky bacon, finely sliced
• 1 clove garlic, finely sliced
• 3 tbsp chopped parsley
• Zest of a lemon
• 60g sliced almonds
• Salt and pepper to taste

 
Method
Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius.
Slice kumara in half lengthwise, take a sharp knife and make slices ¾ through the skin (be careful not to slice all the way through), make these slices about a ½ cm apart.
Place olive oil, 2 tbsp maple syrup and salt and pepper into an oven proof dish. Add the kumara and brush over olive oil mixture. Cover with tin foil and bake for about 40 minutes – until soft.
While the kumara is cooking make the topping. Heat a fry pan on a low heat and add the bacon, cook for 3 minutes then add the garlic. Cook slowly to render the fat and crisp the bacon (a further 5 minutes). Drain onto a paper towel to cool. In a bowl add the parsley, zest, bacon and garlic along with the almonds. Season and combine.
When kumara cooked, remove from oven and brush with left over maple. Sprinkle over topping mixture and serve.

Recipe created by Brett McGregor

Prep time 10 minutes

Dressing
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp chilli flakes
2 tbsp palm sugar
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tbsp pineapple juice
1 tbsp tamari soy sauce

Salad
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp lime juice
2 cups finely shredded orange kumara
2 cups finely shredded carrot
1/4 cup red onion, finely sliced
1 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup coriander, sliced

Add garlic, chillies to a mortar and pestle and crush to make a paste. Add sugar and continue to work. Add lime and pineapple juice, tamari and stir to combine. Taste and adjust flavour as needed, adding more sugar for sweetness, tamari for saltiness, lime juice for acidity, or chilli for heat. Set aside. Place shredded carrot, red onion, almonds, and coriander into a bowl and add the sesame and lime juice, then add dressing and toss to coat.

Recipe created by Brett McGregor

Baked kumara, spiced chickpeas with kumara hummus dressing
Serves 4 as a side Prep time 10 mins Cook time 30 mins
 
2 medium orange kumara, washed, sliced in half lengthwise
425 g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon each cumin, coriander, smoked paprika
 
Dressing
1/4 cup Kumara hummus
1 tablespoon juice
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
Water to thin a little
 
To garnish
1/4 cup cherry tomatoes, diced
½ red onion, sliced finely
small handful parsley and coriander, chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
 
Method
 
Preheat oven to 200 Degrees c. Line a large baking sheet with foil. Toss rinsed and drained chickpeas with olive oil and spices and place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Rub the kumara with a bit of olive oil and season with salt and pepper, place on the same baking sheet and bake for 25 - 30m.
 
Meanwhile prepare your dressing by adding all ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisking to combine, add enough water to thin so it’s pourable. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
 
For the topping, simply combine the tomato, onion, parsley and coriander with lemon juice and set aside. Once the kumara are fork tender and the chickpeas are golden brown - roughly 30 minutes - remove from oven.
 
For serving, place kumara flesh-side up and gently fluff with a fork. Top with chickpeas, sauce and garnish. Serve immediately.

Recipe created by Brett McGregor

Kumara Bacon Salad

Let's be honest... If something has bacon in it, it's going to taste pretty dam good, right?!
✔4-5 red Sweetas Kumara (peeled and cubed)
✔3-4 rashers of bacon
✔Cherry tomatoes, quartered
✔1 red capsicum, finely sliced
✔70g goats feta, cubed
✔large handful of baby spinach, chopped
1) Toss the cubed kumara in a touch of olive oil with salt and pepper. Lay out on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Place in the oven 200C. Bake for 15 minutes.
2) After 15 minutes, lay the bacon rashers on top of the kumara, turn the oven up to 220C. Bake for another 15-20minutes until nice and golden.
3) Let the kumara and bacon, cool a bit; roughly chop the bacon up.
4) Add all the ingredients into a serving bowl, gently toss.
Delish!! Enjoy, no dressing needed

Recipe created by Nicci Webb from At a Pinch (www.atapinch.com)

Kumara Curry Wedges

• 4 Sweetas Kumara (less or more!)
• 1-2 tbsps olive oil
• 1 tbsp of curry powder

Peel & chop the kumara into wedges, toss in olive oil and curry powder. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 200C; until beautiful and golden. It's that simple!
Sprinkle with fresh thyme, and a little bowl of hummus and olive oil

Recipe created by Nicci Webb from At a Pinch (www.atapinch.com)

Kumara Mash ~with a twist...

✔️850g bag of Sweetas Kumara
✔️50g butter
✔️1/4 cup milk
✔️1 tsp cinnamon
✔️fresh thyme

Peel & roughly chop the kumara. Place in a pot, fill with cold water. Boil on the stove, until the kumara are soft.
Drain the kumara, place back into the pot, add the butter, milk, & cinnamon. Mash. Add more milk or butter if you desire. Sprinkle with a little more cinnamon and fresh thyme. Serve

Recipe created by Nicci Webb from At a Pinch (www.atapinch.com)

This is a great addition to barbecue food! Cut the vegetables into big bold pieces for the best effect and ease of cooking.2 medium peppers, deseeded and cut into chunky wedges
3 courgettes or 1 medium egg plant, cut into 1 cm thick slices or slabs
2 onions, cut into wedges
8-10 whole unpeeled cloves of garlic
2 medium kumara, peeled and sliced into 1/2 cm thick slabs (optional)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp brown sugar
freshly ground black pepper

Place all the prepared vegetables in a baking dish. When cutting the onions, leave part of the base on so the wedge stays together when cooked. Combine the oil, crushed garlic, sugar and pepper. Stir into the vegetables to evenly coat. Cook on a medium to hot barbecue plate for about 10 minutes or until tender.

Serves 4-6.

700g Meadow Mushrooms White Button or Swiss Brown - quartered
500g Sweet As! Red Kumara - peeled and 1cm dice
250g bacon - small dice
250g onion - small dice
2 tbsp garlic - finely diced
3 tbsp fresh thyme - finely chopped
4 eggs
¾ cup flour
2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
salt & black pepper to taste
cooking oil & butter

In a saucepan add diced kumara and cover with salted cold water and put over high heat. Bring to boil and cook for about 5 minutes until soft. Strain and cool.

Bring another saucepan to the heat, add a little cooking oil, when hot, add bacon, onion, garlic and thyme. Cook for 10 minutes until the onion is soft before adding mushrooms. Cook for 20 minutes until cooking liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat, cool then place in a bowl with kumara.

For the batter whisk the eggs and flour to a thick, smooth consistency. Pour over mushroom and kumara mix add chilli sauce and season. To cook heat up the griddle top of your BBQ to medium heat. Add a little oil and butter then spoon out the fritters. Cook until golden one side and turn. Keep warm until all are cooked.

Serving suggestion: on their own with a small salad, with salsa, poached eggs and Hollandaise. Omit bacon and add 250gm more mushrooms for a vegetarian option.

Serves 4.

Recipe by Al Brown

1 tblspn olive oil
500g boneless chicken thighs, cut into large chunks
500g red kumara
onion, sliced
1/4 cup red curry paste
400g tin low-fat coconut milk
3/4 cup water
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 tablespoons chopped basil leavesHeat the oil in a frying pan. Add the chicken and cook it over a high heat until it is golden brown.
Reduce the heat to medium, add the onion to the pan and cook it for a further 3-4 minutes.
Add the red curry paste and cook for another minute.
Add the red kumara, coconut milk, water and fish sauce. Simmer for 20 minutes or until the kumara is soft.
Stir in the basil.
Serve with rice and green beans.
Serves 6.