RECIPE: grilled truffled pumpkin & peach pecorino

Dear friends, Scarlett here! I am writing from London, again. The first week of gaining cooking experience in a professional kitchen is already over... And already, it's half time. It went by so quickly! It's very intense (not only for my hands - who are more than just a tiny bit bruised from working all day). There are still a few days to go; and already I've got a suitcase full of inspiration (...and a few tiny bits of must-haves and memories from London... After all, it is a city that offers pretty much everything; from shoes to cookbooks).

Apart from cooking at the Modern Pantry, I also got to have dinner there on Saturday. Yay! It was such an amazing experience. The food there really is special (and I'm not saying this merely because I work there now, laugh). It combines ingredients from all over the world. If you're a foodie, and if you're ever in London, plan a trip to Clerkenwell and stop by for a pancake, some proper English tea time (I must make room for that on my next trip to London) or simply a Tiramisù cake... Don't they just make you drooling? I will be back next week with more impressions. In the meantime check my blog for more pictures and updates (I'm trying hard to edit the thousands of pictures I'm taking one by one... London can be a tad overwhelming...). Ta! 

GRILLED TRUFFLED PUMPKIN & PEACHES WITH PECORINO

INGREDIENTS

• 1 piece pumpkin
• 1 courgette / zucchino
• 1 peach, cut in eighth 
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1 handful shaved pecorino
• 3 mint sprigs, leaves coarsely chopped
• 1 tbsp. truffle oil
• 1 tbsp. grape seed oil
• 1 orange, zest and juice
• 1 drop acacia honey
• 1 pinch chili flakes
• 1 tsp. pink pepper corns, freshly ground
• 1 tbsp. Maldon sea salt (or more to taste)

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and turn the grill / upper heat function to full. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Slice the pumpkin very thinly (use a mandolin, if you prefer, and make sure your fingers are safe). Same with the courgette (if you like slice it horizontally to get long shaves). Cut the peach in eighth. 
3. Place the pumpkin and courgette on the baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with some Maldon sea salt and the pink pepper corns. Place in the oven, on the highest rack, and roast / grill for 20 minutes.
4. In the meantime, heat the butter in a frying. Fry and pan the peach pieces (the butter should be bubbly now with the juice and sugar of the peaches). Heat through.
5. In the meantime, prepare the dressing: truffle oil, grape seed oil, orange zest and juice, honey, chili flakes, remaining pink pepper and Maldon sea salt to taste. Shave the pecorino cheese and finely chop the mint. 
6. When slightly charred, remove the pumpkin and courgette from the oven. Let cool for a few minutes. Then arrange on a plate, drizzle with the dressing and decorate with the peach pieces, pecorino shaves and mint. Serve tepid.