Big or small, yellow, orange, green, white or grey – pumpkins never fail to conjure up fairytale dreams and princess fantasies. Oh, and they’re good for you too.
PUMPKIN POINTERS
> Pumpkin is extremely versatile and works well with most ingredients. Favourite partners include sage, bacon, coconut milk, garlic, lamb, nutmeg, paprika, pine nuts and soft cheeses.
> It is commonly referred to as a vegetable, but is actually a fruit.
> The seeds can be cleaned and tossed with a little Worcestershire or soya sauce and slow roasted at a low temperature until crisp. They are delicious eaten as a snack or tossed into salads.
PUMPKIN HEALTH
> Pumpkin seeds contain iron, essential fatty acids, zinc, magnesium and potassium.
> Pumpkin seeds are said to aid in prostate health. The components in pumpkin seed oil appear to interrupt the triggering of prostate cell multiplication by testosterone.
> They are remarkably low in kilojoules, yet high in carbohydrates. Pumpkin has a rather high glycaemic index of 75, which means that the energy provided is quickly metabolised by the body.
> Pumpkins are usually orange in colour when ripe (although there are also white, red, and grey varieties) and contain massive amounts of lutein, alpha- and beta-carotene. These nutrients are converted into vitamin A in the body.
PUMPKIN TRIVIA
> The largest pumpkin ever recorded weighed in at a massive 666kg! See it at www.howarddill.com and get tips on how to grow your own giant pumpkin!
> The origin of the versatile pumpkin dates back centuries. The name originates from “pepon” the Greek word for large melon. Shakespeare referred to “pumpion” in The Merry Wives of Windsor.
> Native Americans wove dried strips of pumpkin into mats, and also roasted strips of flesh to eat.
>The all-American pumpkin pie originates from the colonists who sliced off the top of the pumpkin and filled it with milk, spices and honey. It was then baked in hot ashes.
> Pumpkin chucking is a competitive activity in the US and Belgium. Teams build various mechanical devices designed to throw a pumpkin as far as possible.
SHORT ORDERS
> Pumpkin absorbs a lot of liquid when boiled, so unless you’re making a soup or mash, opt to steam, roast or bake it.
> Add pumpkin chunks to your favourite stew, it absorbs the flavours brilliantly.
> Toss 500 g–1 kg chopped pumpkin with a little olive oil, ground coriander, ground cumin, salt and pepper. Roast in a preheated 180eC oven until tender. Cook couscous, brown rice or lentils in chicken stock and toss with roasted pumpkin, freshly chopped Italian parsley, dukkah and olive oil.
> Cook pumpkin in water with about 1 T (15 ml) Thai green or red curry paste until tender. Place three-quarters of the mixture in a blender and blitz until smooth, return to pot with remaining pumpkin and add a tin of drained and rinsed lentils, chickpeas or butterbeans.
> Make your favourite chilli con carne recipe go further by adding cooked pumpkin cubes to the mix.
> Toss chunks of roasted aubergine, pumpkin and baby marrow with warm cherry tomatoes and Danish feta. Serve as a side dish or light lunch with mixed leaves.
> Bake a fluffy pumpkin souffle (pictured) that’s guaranteed to knock your guests’ socks off! Cook 2 C (500 ml) pumpkin puree in a little chicken or vegetable stock, drain well and puree, set aside to cool. Preheat oven to 180hC. Beat 4 egg whites until stiff and set aside. Add 2 T (30 ml) grated Parmesan, 2 T (30 ml) reduced-fat cream, pinch (1 ml) toasted chilli flakes, 2 t (10 ml) cornflour, 2 t (10 ml) honey and salt and pepper into the pureed pumpkin. Gently fold in the egg whites, starting with a spoonful, mix and then add the remaining egg whites. Spoon into two 250 ml (or four 150 ml) greased moulds, fill, leaving a 1cm gap at the top. Bake for 30–35 minutes until risen and slightly golden. For even more flavour, roast the pumpkin before pureeing. Serve as is or with a salad and crusty bread.
I’ve invited the family to ours this xmas for a big dinner, so obviously the roast is pretty central to that.. I found a bunch of ideas at this roast recipe site, but cant seem to decide on anyone – there’s so many to choose from! It’s fun planning such a big christmas meal though!