A pan-cooked pumpkin with garlic

This is good on its own, with a yummy sharp green salad or as a side dish for cold meats.  It is a layered potato, pumpkin, thyme and garlic dish.

Potatoes-4 medium sized, floury or waxy it doesn’t matter

Pumpkin-600g

Duck fat or olive oil (I use olive oil!)-3 lightly heaped tablespoons

A few sprigs of thyme-or rosemary

A single clove of garlic, chopped

Peel the potatoes and pumpkin and slice them no thicker than a two-pound coin.  Melt the duck fat-or heat the olive oil, in a shallow non-stick pan, add the potato and pumpkin slices, neatly or higgledy-piggledy, season them with salt, black pepper, thyme or rosemary leaves and a little chopped garlic as you go.  Turn the heat to low and cover the pan with a lid.  Let the slices cook for about 25-30 minutes.  As they start to soften, press them down with a spatula so they form a sort of ‘cake’ that will be golden underneath, with slices of potato that are soft right through.  You can check for tenderness by inserting a skewer right down through the centre.  If it goes in effortlessly then they are done.  Serve straight from the pan!