Still Craving Pumpkin?

This Halloween, my boyfriend's seven year old daughter just had to have a pumpkin. Well, the trip for one reasonably sized pumpkin turned into three huge pumpkins, and I had the bright idea to roast them all and store the puree in the freezer to use for baking after the holiday was over. What I thought would be a simple project ended up being an eight hour long endeavor that left me with enough pumpkin to feed a third world country. I thought I would share my lessons learned, advice on how to prepare and store fresh pumpkin, as well as continue posting great recipes using the puree all through the winter. Also note that you can also use butternut squash in these recipes and have similar results if you cannot find pumpkins after Thanksgiving in your area.

Pumpkin is by far one of my favorite vegetables. I consider winter's only redeeming quality to be that it is once again "pumpkin time". It is versatile, being used in many desserts, as well as savory soups, sauces, and I have even seen recipes for chili. Mix it with a little bit of ginger, some cinnamon, nutmeg, and either honey or sugar, and you have the basis for some of the best pies, cakes, or cookies all year. However, pumpkin is often overlooked as the main course. Without all the sugar and spice, it tastes like squash, and can easily be made into many boldly flavored dishes for a cold night. Pumpkin is packed full of nutrients, and is a fantastic source of fiber. Using it fresh rather than canned is the best way to take advantage of all the vitamins in this amazing vegetable. While you can find canned pumpkin in your grocery store all year long, there is no substitute for the taste of fresh pumpkin in your recipes. I also would like to say the same about ginger. Fresh grated ginger root tastes exponentially better than ground ginger. To be honest, you would be better off just throwing away that little bottle on your spice rack.

Pumpkin can be easily roasted in the oven, giving it a nice, rich flavor. It is a very watery vegetable, and after peeling and pureeing it, I usually let it sit in a colander for half an hour before I start to bag it up. If you don't strain the liquid out of your puree, it will likely be too moist for any baking recipes. It keeps in the freezer for several months in gallon bags. I usually pull a bag out and put it in the refrigerator a day or two before I need it, and one gallon bag is enough for somewhere around 3 or 4 recipes.

Preparing the Pumpkin:

Cut the top off of your pumpkin, and scoop out the seeds and stringy parts inside. If you like, you can pick out the seeds and save to toast. From here, cut it in half lengthwise and place in a big enough baking dish with skin facing up. Bake at 425* for 30-45 minutes, or more depending on the size of the pumpkin. You want it to be soft all the way through. Remove from oven, and let cool. Once the pumpkin is no longer hot, peel off the skin and either mash with a hand-held masher, or puree in a food processor. Strain in a colander or strainer with a cheesecloth inside as mentioned earlier, and either bag in gallon bags, or a couple cups at a time in smaller ziplocs.

Pumpkin Desserts:

Better Pumpkin Pie

Because of all the fresh ingredients used in this recipe, this is one of the best pumpkin pies you'll ever taste. I like to use honey in place of the sugar, because it gives it a great flavor and is better for you.

• 1 1/2 c pumpkin puree
  
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 c honey
• 3/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon of fresh ground ginger root
  
• Generous dash of ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 c heavy cream
  

• Pie crust (I will include an excellent pie crust recipe below)

Beat eggs until sunny yellow and well blended, then beat in honey and pumpkin. Add ginger, spices, and salt. Pour in to pie shell and put pie into preheated oven. Bake at 450* for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350* and continue baking for about 20 more minutes or until filling is firm. Remove from oven and let cool before cutting the pie.

*To put the heart marking on your pie like in the picture, make an indentation in the middle with your thumb before baking. Fill it with heavy cream, then bake as directed. When the pie is finished, there should be a lighter heart shape in the middle.

This pie is also very good if you use a pie shell made from ginger snap cookies!

All-Purpose Light Piecrust

I got this recipe out of the December 2009 issue of Cooking Light Magazine. This is a delicious pie crust that doesn't go overboard on fat.

• 5 ounces all purpose flour (about 1 1/4 c)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 c vegetable shortening (look for one without trans fat)
• 4 teaspoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 c boiling water

1. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder in a bowl; cut in shortening with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal.

2. Make a well in center of flour mixture. Combine butter and boiling water. Pour butter mixture in center of well. Gently draw flour mixture into butter mixture until moist clumps form. Press dough into a four inch circle. Cover, chill 30 minutes.

3. Slightly overlap two sheets of plastic wrap. Unwrap dough; place on plastic. Cover with two more sheets of overlapping plastic wrap. Roll dough into 13 inch circle.

Pumpkin Roll with Ginger Cream Cheese Filling

• Cooking spray
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 c honey
• 3/4 c all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
  
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp cloves
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp fresh ground ginger root
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2/3 c pumpkin puree
• 1/2 c toasted chopped pecans
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 1/2 c powdered sugar
• 1 8oz package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 butter, softened
• 1 tsp pure vanilla
• 2 tsp granulated sugar
• 2 tsp grated ginger root
• 2 tsp water
  
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Spray a 15"x10" pan with cooking spray, line with wax paper, then spray again and set aside. Preheat oven to 375*.

Beat eggs with a mixer at moderate speed until yellow and frothy, should take about 3 minutes or so. Add honey and ginger, continue to beat. In another bowl combine flour, spices, soda and powder, and salt. Gradually add to eggs and honey, Beating well. Add pumpkin, pecans, and lemon juice, continue to beat until thoroughly mixed. Pour out onto prepared pan.

Bake at 375* for 10-12 minutes, or until cake is springy and toothpick comes out clean.

Sift 1/2 cup powdered sugar onto a 15"x10" dishtowel. Run a knife around edges of cake, and turn over onto the dishtowel. Carefully peel the wax paper off the top of the cake. At the edge of the cake, begin rolling up cake and dishtowel, place seam side down on a wire rack and let cool.

Make frosting; Beat cream cheese and butter with a mixer until creamy, add remaining cup of powdered sugar, a little at a time. In a small food processor, puree ginger, sugar, and water together, until a paste forms. Add this to the frosting along with lemon juice and vanilla. Beat until well mixed, smooth, and creamy.

Carefully unroll the cake, spread the frosting on the top, and then roll the same way, this time without the towel. Gently place the roll seam side down on a platter and chill in the refrigerator for an hour or two. Garnish with powdered sugar from sifter, and cut into 8 pieces. 

Pumpkin Fudge

• 1 c granulated sugar
• 1 c brown sugar
• 1 c toasted chopped pecans
• 1/2 c pumpkin puree 
• 1/2 c evaporated milk
• 1/2 stick butter
• Generous dashes of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice
• 1 small piece of ginger root
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp cornstarch

Cook sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin, cornstarch, evaporated milk, spices, and whole piece of ginger until it reaches 236* as read on a candy thermometer. Remove and discard ginger. Add butter, vanilla, and nuts, beating until creamy. Pour out into a greased plate or pan and let cool (I usually end up putting mine in the refrigerator because I am impatient!). Cut into squares and enjoy.

Savory Pumpkin Comfort Food:

Here are a few ideas for how you can use pumpkin for dinner on a chilly night.

Pumpkin Spaghetti

This is one of those dishes that usually get a weird look when you mention them, but everyone loves once they have actually tasted it. It's surprisingly similar to a tomato sauce, but with a great nutty squash flavor. For being so rich, this has very little fat, especially if you serve it over veggies instead of pasta, cutting out the carbs. It is so easy to make, and takes hardly any time.

• 2 c pumpkin puree
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 whole white or yellow onion, sliced thinly
• 1 roll of vegetarian italian or breakfast sausage, or a package of vegetarian crumbles
• 5 or 6 fresh basil leaves

• 1 package of spaghetti
•  Olive oil to toss the pasta in. 
  Simmer puree, garlic, and onion in a sauce pan while browning vegetarian sausage. Add sausage to the sauce, and splash some chicken broth in if it gets to thick. Cover and simmer 15-20 minutes to let flavors blend, meanwhile boil the spaghetti about 8 minutes or so. It's always good to undercook the pasta slightly, because it continues to cook after you drain it. Toss in olive oil. Tear up basil leaves, or chop coarsely, and toss into the pumpkin sauce mixture. Stir until basil is mixed in, and simmer 5 more minutes, adding more chicken or vegetable broth if needed. Serve spaghetti noodles in bowls with sauce spooned over. Garnish with a basil leaf or two.  
  
  Creamy Ham and Pumpkin Soup 
  
  This is not a vegetarian recipe nor is it extremely healthy, but it is one of  my favorite pumpkin soups and always disappears quickly.
  

• 3 c pumpkin puree
• 1 c heavy cream
• 2 c chicken broth
• 1 tbsp flour
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger root
• 1/4 tsp white pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 c diced ham

Gently simmer the pumpkin and broth in a saucepan or pot, adding the flour when the mixture is hot. Blend in the remaining ingredients and continue to simmer for 15 more minutes covered.

Mushroom Ravioli with Pumpkin Alfredo

• 2 c heavy cream
• 1/2 c grated parmesan
• 1 c pumpkin puree
• Flour (enough to thicken sauce if needed)
• Dash nutmeg
• 1 pckg wonton wrappers
• 1 pckg baby portobella mushrooms
• 3 cloves garlic

• Olive oil

Chop caps and stems of mushrooms. Heat olive oil in a pan and toss in 1 finely chopped clove of garlic. Saute mushrooms in garlic and oil until cooked through. Set aside and allow to cool. Lay out wonton wrappers and begin filling with small spoonfuls of mushroom mixture, gathering up corners of the wrapper and twisting to shut. You can also fold them over diagonally and press edges with a fork if you would prefer a more polished look. When all the raviolis have been filled, bring a pot of water to a boil and boil the pasta for a couple minutes until the wrappers are cooked through. This does not take nearly as long as storebought dried pasta. Drain and toss with a splash of olive oil, then set aside.  

In a saucepan, bring cream to a low boil, add in pumpkin and lower heat to a simmer. Simmer a few minutes then slowly add in parmesan, stirring. Add nutmeg. If the sauce is thinner than you prefer, add flour, a spponful at a time, until it is the desired consistency. If it is too thick, then add milk a spoonful at a time. remove from heat and serve with ravioli. 

Seeing as how I have a million bags of pumpkin in my freezer, I will have quite a bit of cooking to do these next couple months. Watch for more pumpkin recipes!

As always, I'd love to hear what you think, or what recipes you'd like to see here. Comments are welcome, and you can also email me with questions, suggestions, recipes, and rants at khamilton@thegeekygourmet.net

Still Craving Pumpkin?