Pumpkins

Know Your Ingredients

 

Pumpkins are native to the Americas.  They are closely related to the squash and gourd families.  They provided a thick wall of vegetable that can be roasted, baked, boiled, or steamed.  They are loaded with lutein and carotene and rich in vitamin A.  They also have calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium and many other nutrients.  One cup of pumpkin is 30 calories.

Pumpkins are much more versatile that you may think.  Not only is the flesh edible, but both the flowers and the seeds can be eaten.  I like to garnish pumpkin soup with pepitas (toasted, salted pumpkin seeds). Pumpkin lends itself equally well to sweet and savory dishes.

 

Canned pumpkin is fine to use in any recipes that call for pureed pumpkin.  However, butternut squash is often added to maintain a bright orange color.  You will find that your home processed pumpkin is paler and maybe a little more chunky.

 

How to select your pumpkin

left a savory pumpkin, right a sugar pumpkin

 

There are basically two types of pumpkins.  The short round pumpkins are called sugar pumpkins are best used for sweet dishes.  The tall, long or irregular pumpkins are savory pumpkins.  I have used many, many pumpkins in all kinds of recipes.  I’ve used both kinds of pumpkins in sweet dishes and savory dishes.  There is very little different and both lend themselves well to any recipe calling for pumpkin.

            Plan how you are going to use the pumpkin and your cooking method. Select a pumpkin that will fit your needs.  For example if you plan to bake the pumpkin, make sure the pumpkin will fit in the oven.   If you are making a recipe that calls for one cup of pumpkin, don’t select a huge pumpkin.  You may want to consider using canned pumpkin.  You may not have the time to process fresh pumpkin.

 

Cooking with pumpkins

Fresh pumpkin is available for a short time in grocery stores.  One medium sized pumpkin will provide 9-12 cups of pumpkin puree. The good news is the puree can be placed in Ziploc bags and frozen.  I recommend freezing one or two cup portions.

            Pumpkins have a lot of water content.  I prefer to bake the pumpkin if I am planning to puree the pumpkin.  If I want cubes or chunks of pumpkin, I prefer to steam the pared chunks.    The reason for this is to remove as much water as you can during the cooking process.  This preserves the essence flavor of the pumpkin.  Cook your pumpkin in liquid only if you are using the pumpkin in soup, stew, or possibly in a sauce.

 

This Week’s Challenge

Try using pumpkin is a different way.  Pumpkins are most often used in sweets like, pie, cookies, bread or cheesecake.  Try using pumpkin in a savory dish.  Use one of these recipes or research it online.  Pumpkin can be used much like butternut squash.

 

Tip for this Week – Processing a pumpkin

            Paring a whole pumpkin is very time consuming and the skin is tough and difficult to remove.  Cut the pumpkin in half lengthwise.  Remove the seeds and save them to toast later.  Remove all the fiber on the inside, using a spoon to scrape them from the walls of the pumpkin.

Cut the pumpkin in half from
top to bottom.



Scoop out the contents of the pumpkin.

Cleaned out pumpkin half.

 

            Cut the pumpkin in strips about one inch wide.  Using a sharp paring knife carefully peel the skin off.  A vegetable peeler usually will not work on pumpkin.  Once the skin is removed, cut the strip in one inch cubes.  The cubes can be cooked or used in recipes.

Cut the pumpkin half in one
strips and peel 

Use a paring knife to remove the skin.





 



Cut the strips in cubes.

Cut the flesh from the stem portion
and cube the flesh.






 

 



 

 

 

 

The result is 8-12 cups of cubed pumpkin

 

 

 

            It is much easier to process a baked pumpkin for pumpkin puree.  Cut a hole in top removing the stem.  Place the pumpkin on a baking sheet with edges.  Place the pumpkin in the oven and bake for one to two hours at 250 degrees. 



The sugar pumpkin I plan to puree
and turn  into Pumpkin Butter



 

Cut around the stem portion.

 

 

 

 

 



Remove the top and set  askew so
that the steam can escape while baking.

Set the pumpkin on a baking sheet with sides.
It may discolor the sheet, so you can place foil
on the bottom before placing the pumpkin on it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cut small portions of the pumpkin and
pare by removing the skin and the fibers
from the inside of the pumpkin. 

Bake the pumpkin and allow it to
cool nough to handle it

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Allow the pumpkin to cool until you can handle it.  Reserve the liquid.  You may need it during the puree process.  Cut the pumpkin in small enough chunks to handle.  Remove the skin and trim the fibers from the inside. 

Place the pared pieces in a pot or a blender

Continue to pare the pumpkin and reserve the juice.




Once the pumpkin is pared, it is ready to puree.

I prefer to puree in a pot with a stick blender. 
The pumpkin can also be pureed in small
portions in a blender.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stir the pumpkin to make sure it is evenly pureed

 

 

 

Place the pared pumpkin in a pot or a blender. Once all the pumpkin is processed.  Puree it.  I like to do this in a big pot with a stick blender.  It can also be done in small batches in a blender.  Add the reserve liquid if the puree is too thick.  Water can also be used.  The pureed pumpkin can now be used in your recipe or packaged and frozen to use later.

 

Another tip:  I usually buy one or two pumpkins before Halloween.  The day after Halloween the pumpkins are greatly reduced in price. I usually stock up with four or five pumpkins.   Pumpkins with store fine in the garage for months.  Check them regularly for soft spots use these right away removing all the soft spots and cooking thoroughly.  Also look for mold or seepage, throw those pumpkins away. 

 

This Week in Punkin’s Kitchen

Easy Pumpkin Dessert



Served with whipped cream and sprinkle
of gingersnap crumbs

 

1 large can pumpkin (for two pies)           1 t        Cinnamon

1 can condensed milk                              ½ t       Ginger

3 eggs                                                       ¼ t       cloves

1 ½ C sugar                                              ½ stick melted butter

½ box yellow cake mix                              ½ C     pecans

 

The ingredients

1.    Mix the pumpkin, milk, eggs, sugar and spices together thoroughly.   Add the milk and blend.

Pumpkin,, sugar and spices



Add the eggs



Add the evaporated milk.

Blend well.



Pour in to a prepared baking dish.

 

2.    Pour into a 9” x 13” baking pan sprayed with Pam. 

3.    Sprinkle half of the cake mix lightly over the pumpkin mixture.

Sprinkle about half of the dry cake mix \
over the pumpkin mixture

Dot with pecans



Drizzle the melted butter over the top.

 

4.    Sprinkle with pecans and drizzle the butter over the top . 

5.    Bake one hour at 350 degrees or until golden brown on top.

6.    Serve warm or cold.

It should be golden on top.

 

 

Aunt Punkin’s Pumpkin Soup

Garnished with Mexican crema, basil and crostini

 

4 C                  Fresh pumpkin, cleaned, pared and cut in one inch cubes

2 Cans           Chicken broth or vegetable broth

1 C                  Onions, chopped (optional)

½ t                   Marjoram

½ t                   Thyme

                        Salt and pepper to taste

1 Can             Evaporated milk or cream

                        Sour cream or crème fraiche (optional)

                        Pepitas, chopped (optional)

 

The ingredients

1.    Sauté the onion in the butter until soft.

Onions sautéed until soft and added to the
pumpkin in the soup pot.



Pumpkin added to the soup pot and
chicken broth added.  I had some
homemade stock to use.

 

2.    Cook the pumpkin and onions in the broth until the pumpkin is tender. 

 

Pumpkin is tender.

Puree in a blender or use a stick blender



 

 

 

 

 

 

3.    Puree them in a blender and return the soup to the pot. 

4.    Add the seasonings. 

5.    When the soup is about to boil, add the evaporated milk or cream.  Do not let the soup boil once the milk or cream has been added.

 

Add the evaporated milk, stir while bringing
the soup back up to temperature 

 

6.    Garnish with a dollop of sour cream and chopped pepitas

 

Variations:  Canned pumpkin can be used.  Add enough chicken broth to get the consistency that you want and omit the puree step unless you add the onions.  It is easy to make this vegetarian by substituting the chicken broth with vegetable broth.

 

 

Pumpkin Butter

 

1/3       Pumpkin, baked and peeled

            Water

            Sugar

1 t        Cinnamon, ground

½ t       Ginger, ground

¼ t       Cloves, ground

 

The ingredients

1.    Baked the pumpkin and cool. 

2.    Remove the skin, seeds and inside fibers. 

3.    Puree in a blender.  You may need to add pumpkin liquid or water in order to puree the pumpkin.  Try to add a little as necessary to keep the puree as thick as possible. 

Pureed pumpkin in a large pot.

Sugar and spices added.

4.    Measure the puree and place in a large saucepan. 

5.    Add sugar to half the amount of the pumpkin.  The proportion is two parts pumpkin, one part sugar.  If you have 7C pureed pumpkin add 3 ½ C sugar. 

6.    Stir in the spices and simmer.  Cook until reduced slightly. 

Sterile the canning jars and drain.



Add  the hot pumpkin butter

 

7.    Place in sterilized canning jars and process in a water bath for 10-15 minutes.

8.    Remove from the water bath and allow to cool.  Check to make sure the lids have sealed.

Process the jars in a water bath.

Allow the jars to cool and check to
make sure they have sealed.

9.    Label the jars with the contents and the date.

 

 

Sweet Pumpkin Pickles

A great fall treat.

 

6 C      Prepared pumpkin

2 C      Vinegar, distilled

2 C      Sugar

3          Cinnamon sticks

 

The ingredients

1.    Prepare the pumpkin by removing the pulp and seeds, peel the skin and cut the flesh into one inch cubes. 

2.    Steam the pumpkin until tender.  Be sure it does not touch water while cooking.

Steam tray placed in the bottom of the
pot.  Add water underneath the tray.



Fill the pot with pumpkin cubes and steam
 until slightly tender

 

3.    Drain the pumpkin while you make the syrup.  (I usually save the pumpkin water from the pan to use to thin the pumpkin puree for the pumpkin butter or add to soups.) 

4.    Simmer the vinegar, sugar and cinnamon sticks for 15 minutes. 
 

Add the vinegar and simmer.

Place the sugar and cinnamon sticks in
a large saucepan.



5.    Add the steamed pumpkin to the syrup and simmer five minutes. 

Steamed pumpkin ready to add to the syrup

Pumpkin added to the syrup

 

6.    Remove the cinnamon sticks (I like to add one stick to each jar of pickles.) 

7.    Pack the pickles into sterilized pint jars and process in a boiling water bath for five minutes.

 

Pack the pumpkin in sterilized jars and
pour the syrup over the pumpkin

Seal the jars and process in a water bath.

This recipe is from Putting Food By, p. 210

 

 

 

Happy Cooking!