PUMPKINS EVERYWHERE
It’s the height of pumpkin season and since we’re so used to seeing them everywhere, we don’t often stop to appreciate their uniqueness, aside from being the only food item with a spice mix flavoring things from coffee to bread. We think of pumpkin as a symbol of fall, but actually, since it’s sown in spring, it’s the last of the summer fruit harvests. That’s right; horticulturally pumpkin is a fruit, related to berries.
Native to North America, pumpkin has been grown globally for years, but except for sweet custards and purees in the Near East and Asia, it’s generally relegated to animal fodder, especially in Europe. I remember seeing pumpkins scattered around cattle food troughs in Italy. Only in North America is pumpkin considered primarily human food, suitable for many dishes at table; it’s recipes interchangeable with those of winter squash.
Moreover, pumpkin is the only fruit iconic of not one, but two holidays and aptly so. It puts on a mask as a Jack-O-Lantern for Halloween and it was one of the first foods the Indians introduced to the settlers in Massachusetts. Finally, pumpkin is valued for both its meat and its seeds, which roasted are called Pepitas, favorites in several cuisines, especially those with Iberian roots.
Sadly, though we enjoy pumpkin while it’s in season, about 8 weeks, as is normal for fruit, we forget about it when autumn is over and focus on holiday party foods. Then comes deep winter, when pumpkin and the other hardly squash dishes would be perfect, but we don’t revisit them. Pumpkin custard pie would be a great dessert on a cold winter night, as would the chilled chiffon version on a hot summer one, but they aren’t offered despite pumpkin being available in cans all year.
The recipes below are a sampling of the many in posts on this site. For general recipes on pumpkin, go to Nov.8, 2012, Oct. 21, 2014 and Oct. 15, 2020. For details of Stew in a Pumpkin, a favorite of mine click on Nov. 11, 2015. To see recipe examples of squash and pumpkin interchanged, go to Oct. 22, 2015. For Squash recipes go to Oct 24, 2019, Nov. 4, 2021, and Oct. 22, 2022. Pumpkin desserts are on Nov. 8, 2018, Nov. 18, 2021 and Nov. 17, 2022. Pumpkin desserts other than pie are on Oct. 6, 2016 and Oct 21, 2019.
RECIPES
Ham, Gouda, Pumpkin Canapes: 4 open sandwiches or 16 canapes
PUMPKIN BUTTER
15 oz. can pumpkin puree
⅓ cup ginger ale
¾ cup sugar
½ teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 30 minutes until thickened, stirring very frequently to avoid burning. Let cool completely and refrigerate until ready to use.
PROSCIUTTO TOASTS
4 slices hearty bread
¼ cup pumpkin butter
2 oz. prosciutto
¼ lb. Gouda cheese (smoked or regular) thinly sliced
Fresh thyme-or a sprinkle of dried
Set oven or toaster oven to broil. Top each slice of bread w. 1 tablespoon pumpkin butter. Divide prosciutto over pumpkin butter. Top with cheese slices and thyme. Broil toasts 8-10 minutes until cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown in places. For Canapes cut each bread slice in 4 pieces before toasting. Serve hot.
NOTE: To make ahead, wrap and refrigerate before toasting. Toast to reheat.
Creamy Pumpkin Soup: Serves 6
1 ½ lb. pumpkin cut in chunks without rind
1 lb. white potatoes
1 Tbs. oil
2 Tbs. butter
1 large onion chopped|
2 cups vegetable stock
1 tsp. tarragon
½ tsp. nutmeg
2 cups milk
1-2 tsp. lemon juice
Salt and pepper
Heat the oil and butter and sauté onion until soft; add the pumpkin and potatoes and sweat over low heat, stirring often until tender. Add seasonings and stock, simmer 10 min Cool slightly and puree. Add milk and reheat to serve, but don’t allow to boil. Add lemon juice as a seasoning perk before serving.
Pumpkin Ravioli: Serves 4
1 lb. pumpkin cooked and mashed until smooth
½ tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbs. butter
24 wonton wrappers
Mix pumpkin with the cinnamon. Lay out the wrappers on a flat surface and place 1 tsp. of the squash mix. In the center of each; top with another wrapper and dampen the edges with water and press to seal. Alternately, place ½ tsp. filling in the center and fold the wrapper over to form a triangle.
Bring 4 qts. salted water to a boil and cook the ravioli, a few at a time, until they float. Remove and drain on a plate. Melt the butter, pour over the ravioli and rewarm in a microwave before serving. Garnish with parsley and/or Parmesan.
Spinach Ravioli: Serves 4 This dish is especially good when served combined with the squash ravioli in equal amount. With or without meat the combination makes a full entrée.
(1) 10 oz. package of chopped spinach- thawed and drained
1 cup ricotta or cream cheese
½ tsp. nutmeg
2 Tbs. butter
24 wonton wrappers
Repeat the process as directed above, substituting the spinach, mixed with the cheese and nutmeg for the ingredients in the squash recipe. Serve on the same plate with the squash ravioli using the full 4 Tb. butter as a sauce.
Stew in a Pumpkin: Serves 6
This is a favorite recipe of mine, and one I’ve also featured in a post on reasonably priced dinners. It’s great for a weekend or a dinner party at this season. Can also be made and served individually in small pumpkins.
3 Tbs. butter
2 lbs. beef cubed—well trimmed pork can also be used
3 Tbs. cornstarch
2 large onions diced
3 tomatoes chopped
2 Tbs. butter
¼ tsp. EACH salt and pepper
3 cups beef stock
½ lb. prunes
½ lb. dried apricots
3 sweet potatoes sliced
(2) 10 oz. packages corn –thawed and drained
1 pumpkin, top cut off and reserved, cleaned of pulp and seeds.
Melt 3 Tbs. butter in a Dutch oven. Roll the meat in the cornstarch and brown. Set aside. Melt 2 Tbs. butter in a separate pan and sauté vegetables until tender. Add to meat with juices. Add all remaining ingredients except pumpkin cover and simmer 1 hr. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Ladle stew into the pumpkin; set in a roasting pan with 1 inch of water, and bake for 1 hr. Carefully transfer pumpkin from the pan to a serving dish and replace its top as a lid for garnish. Serve at once scooping out some of the pumpkin meat as you ladle out the portions.
NOTE: I save clean-up by sautéing the vegetables in the Dutch oven first and then browning the meat. It’s one less pot. Also if you have it on hand, replace one cup of stock with beer. It deepens the flavor.
Pumpkin Crisp: Serves 4 From Homemade Magazine- Can double as turkey dressing
2 lb. pumpkin peeled, seeded and in 1 inch cubes
4 Tbs. butter divided
1 cup chopped onion
2 cups toasted bread cubes- stuffing mix is good
1 tsp. crushed dried rosemary
¼ cup chopped walnuts
Salt and pepper
Simmer the squash in water until tender, about 7 min., drain and toss in a 3 quart casserole dish with 1 Tbs. butter and salt and pepper to taste. Sauté onion in remaining butter until tender, about 5 min. Add bread and rosemary and cook about 2 min. more tossing to coat bread with butter. Stir in walnuts and spoon over squash. Bake in a 400 deg. oven until bread is browned. Toss before serving.
Hands down the best custard pumpkin pie recipe is on any can of Libby’s pureed pumpkin.
For the traditionalists who simply want to upgrade the standard custard pie, here are some topping ideas:
Nut Topping: Mix 2/3 cup pecans or walnuts+ 2/3 cup brown sugar + 3 Tbs. butter. Sprinkle over pi. Place in a 425 deg. oven until it begins to melt. Spoon over pie.
Eggnog Cream: Reduce 2 cups commercial eggnog over low heat, by half about 20-25min. Chill well and spoon over pie before serving or pass on the side.
Meringue: Beat 2 egg whites until soft peaks form, add 1-2 drops vinegar and continue beating adding ¼ cup sugar gradually until stiff peaks form. Swirl over chilled pie, covering top, but not crust. Place in a 425 deg. oven until peaks turn golden.
Pumpkin Chiffon Pie– This is a great pie for anyone who doesn’t like the more intense flavor of pumpkin custard or to serve in warm weather.
1 baked pie shell- this is especially good with cinnamon and sugar and/or ground nuts added into the dough
1Tbs. gelatin softened in ¼ cup cold water
1 ½ cups cooked pumpkin
½ cup sugar
¾ tsp. salt
1 tsp. Cinnamon
½ tsp. ginger
2 eggs-separated
1 cup milk
¼ cup chopped toasted walnuts, pecans or Brazil nuts for garnish
Beat the egg yolks slightly; combine with the seasonings milk and pumpkin inch and cook over boiling water stirring constantly 5 min. Add the gelatin and stir until dissolved. Chill until slightly thickened. Beat the egg whites to soft peaks then add the sugar, beat to stiff peaks and fold into the pumpkin mixture. Pour into the baked shell, garnish with the nuts and chill until firm. Serve cold.
Pumpkin Tiramisu: Serves 10-12
1 ½ cups whipping cream
¾ cup sugar
8 oz. cream cheese
15oz. can pumpkin
¾ tsp. pumpkin pie spices
3 oz. pkg. ladyfingers halved
¼ cup rum
2 oz. amaretto cookies -crushed
Beat the first 2 ingredients until stiff, beat in the next 3 until smooth. Line a 9 inch springform pan with half of the halved ladyfingers, squeezed together so no spaces remain. Sprinkle with 2Tbs. rum. Cover the ladyfingers with half the filling and top with the rest of the ladyfingers and 2 Tbs. rum. Spread the rest of the filling on top and Sprinkle with crushed cookies. Chill overnight.
Pepitas: Yields 2 cups- From https://www.rachelcooks.com/pumpkin-seeds-pepitas-eight-ways/
Traditional
2 cups Pepitas
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 to 1 tsp of freshly ground pepper
Preheat oven to 300°F. Line cookie sheet with foil or parchment paper. Combine all ingredients and spread in a single layer on prepared sheet pan. Bake for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through. Seeds should be golden and crunchy.
NOTE: This website lists 8 different flavorings such as pumpkin, chili-maple, and ginger-soy.
Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix:
1 cup sugar-preferably bar or super-fine sugar
½ tsp. EACH salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice
Stir everything together in a glass jar. Screw on the lid and shake well and put in a cool dark place for several days to incorporate the flavors, shaking every day or so to keep them blended. This can be adjusted to suit personal preference.
