Tag Archive for: Pumpkin

Roasted Pumpkin Puree

Aurora and Pumpkin


Pumpkin is an essential part of the fall season in my humble opinion, but it is much more than the trendy “Pumpkin Spice” everything that suddenly jumps into our lives in the cooler weather. Real, home-grown pumpkin has a rich sweetness that is just plain lacking in almost all of the commercially available pumpkin products today. Let’s take that one step further and slow-roast that incredible goodness of a pumpkin and now you’ve got something that resembles that canned pumpkin as much as a brand new truck does a 100 year old buckboard!

The type of pumpkin does matter, so think about it before you dive in. Don’t fret about not growing your own – buy one this year from your local Farmer’s Market, local grower or CSA share, and then plant your own patch next spring. The smaller pumpkins tend to be sweeter, especially the ones called “pie pumpkins” like our New England Sugar Pie pumpkin have been selected and refined for their rich sweetness along with their smaller, easy to handle size. Larger pumpkins will not be as sweet, but have their own flavors so don’t discount them. Plan on using 2 to 3 of the smaller pumpkins to put up a goodly supply of puree, or one of the larger ones. You will want to put up more than you think you will use, as once your family and friends taste some of the deliciousness, it will go much faster than you initially think! Keep in mind that the commercially grown “Jack-O-Lantern” pumpkins are hybrids, grown specifically for carving and usually have absolutely no flavor at all!

The process is extremely simple and doesn’t require your presence in the kitchen, so this is a great thing to do when you are home but have other projects. Set the timer to keep you on track and you’ll do fine.

Let’s get into it!

A plant growing in the dirt on a sunny day.

Aurora and the Pumpkin

We are using the Connecticut Field Pumpkin for this, as we were shooting photos and had it available to roast. It has a mildly sweet flavor and is large enough to keep us in pumpkin puree for awhile. Aurora had to help, of course – inspecting and being part of the process!

A plant growing in the dirt on a sunny day.

Connecticut Field Pumpkin

The tools needed are pretty simple – a knife, cutting board, large spoon or spatula to scrape out the seeds and a colander if you want to keep the seeds for roasting and eating or saving and planting.

A plant growing in the dirt on a sunny day.

Pumpkin cut open

Cut the pumpkin open in half. This pumpkin weighed about 15 – 20 pounds, and you can see how thick the walls are, giving lots of pumpkin for cooking!

A plant growing in the dirt on a sunny day.

De-seeding

Use the large spoon or spatula to remove the seeds and as much of the pulpy connective tissue as possible.

A plant growing in the dirt on a sunny day.

Cleaning the Seeds

Use the colander with a warm water spray to clean the seeds and remove the connective tissue. Then they are ready for roasting or drying and saving to plant next year.

A plant growing in the dirt on a sunny day.

Roasting the Pumpkins

Ready for roasting! I wanted the slow roasted flavors that make the sugars caramelize a bit, so heated the oven to 300°F and roasted this one for about 2 hours, maybe a little more. I checked it every half hour or so with a toothpick – when it goes all the way in with very little resistance, the pumpkin is properly roasted.

If you need to roast it faster, you can – just use 350 – 400°F and peel the pumpkin, then cut it into 1 – 2 inch chunks or cubes. It will roast in about 30 – 45 minutes, you’ll need to check it every 15 minutes to make sure you don’t over-do it. It won’t have quite the slow-roasted flavors, but will be much better than the store-bought version nonetheless.

A plant growing in the dirt on a sunny day.

Peeling Roasted Pumpkin

Next is peeling the pumpkin after it has cooled. You can see the darker spots, don’t worry, it isn’t burned – just well-roasted!

A plant growing in the dirt on a sunny day.

Chunks Ready to Puree

Cut the pumpkin into chunks after peeling. Cut them into manageable sizes for your food  processor, blender or whatever you will use to puree it. Keep the juices from the roasting pan, as you’ll add them to the puree later on.

A plant growing in the dirt on a sunny day.

Puree Time

Into the food processor next! This shows the first batch and was a bit too full as it took a long time to work the pumpkin down and puree it. I added much less pumpkin to subsequent batches, and they processed  a lot faster.

A plant growing in the dirt on a sunny day.

Transferring the Puree

After pureeing, scoop it into a bowl large enough to hold all of the puree. You will need a bowl that is a bit larger than what holds the sliced chunks.

A plant growing in the dirt on a sunny day.

Stirring the Puree

Remember the juices in the roasting pan? Add them to the puree and stir them in for added flavor.

A plant growing in the dirt on a sunny day.

Jars of Roasted Pureed Pumpkin

Here’s what we wound up with from one large pumpkin – 3 quarts and 9 pints of slow-roasted, pureed home-grown pumpkin! What is that worth at the store? We’ll use the quarts for soups and stews, with the pints going for pancakes, bread, muffins and cornbread.

We left about an inch of head room in the jars so we can freeze them without the jars breaking. Freezing is the preferred method, as canning is no longer recommended for pumpkin.

A plant growing in the dirt on a sunny day.

Painter’s Tape for Labels

Here’s a bonus tip: Use painter’s tape for labels that will go into the freezer. We use name brand such as 3M, as the store brand doesn’t stay on as well. Using it as labels is very inexpensive as a roll will last for several months, sometimes almost a year. The tape stays on in the freezer, but comes off afterward with no sticky, gummy residue.

A plant growing in the dirt on a sunny day.

Clean Tape Removal

 

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Pumpkin-Orange Cheesecake

A close up of a cake on a plate


This pumpkin-orange cheesecake is a centerpiece dessert with multiple layers of rich flavors that roll across your tongue, surprising you with each new taste. Rich and complex, this cheesecake is to be savored and enjoyed with friends and family. The orange is the first surprise, coming in soon after the pumpkin announces itself. Then the caramel, toasted nuts and salt crystals come into play, creating an entirely new experience than most have had with cheesecake.

There are several variations that can easily be done here, depending on your skill level and time. First, making the caramel sauce in advance is important because the flavors you will have with home-made caramel sauce are much richer and fuller than the preservative laden sauce from a store. Second, using local pumpkin will give another flavor dimension that is impossible with store bought canned pumpkin. Third, the choice of salt is important. I really prefer FalkSalt, a handmade sea salt from Cyprus by a Swedish company that is dried into pyramid shaped crystals. They have an incredible visual appearance, great flavor and a satisfying crunch that just really completes the whole experience. My personal favorite is the Chipotle, as the slight hint of spiciness combined with the saltiness really complements all of the different sweet flavors. You should be able to find FalkSalt at a well-stocked grocery or specialty food store near you.

Both Thanksgiving and Christmas are top-shelf culinary times, and this cheesecake will set itself apart at either one. It will disappear almost as fast as the compliments roll in! We have adapted this recipe from one we tried and loved last Thanksgiving from Sunset magazine. Give it a try and enjoy!

Pumpkin-Orange Cheesecake

CRUST

  • 1 package (9 oz.) chocolate Graham crackers
  • 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter

FILLING

  • 3 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 3/4 cup granulated raw sugar
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 Tbs flour
  • 4 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup sour cream or plain whole milk yougurt
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • Zest of 2 medium oranges
  • 2 Tsp pumpkin pie spice (1 part freshly grated nutmeg, 1 part ground allspice, 2 parts dried ground ginger, 4 parts ground cinnamon and 1 part ground cloves)

TOPPING

  • 6 Tbs caramel topping (see note)
  • 1/8 Tsp sea salt such as RealSalt
  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans
  • Flaked salt crystals like FalkSalt

Note: Caramel topping can be store-bought or made youself in advance. Home-made caramel is much more tasty and doesn’t take too much time.

Flaked salt crystals make a great garnish to the edge and add a depth of flavor. I prefer FalkSalt, the Chipotle flavor adds a spicy note to the sweetness!

  1. Make crust: Preheat oven to 350°. Whirl crackers in a food processor until finely ground. Whirl in butter just until incorporated. Pour crumbs into a 9-in. springform pan and press over bottom and about 1 in. up inside of pan. Bake 7 minutes, then let cool on a rack. Reduce oven heat to 300°.
  2. Make filling: In a large bowl, with a mixer on medium speed, mix in cream cheese, sugars, and flour until smooth. Beat in eggs on low speed 1 at a time. Add remaining filling ingredients and beat until just blended. Wrap bottom of springform pan with foil, pressing it up the outside.
  3. Set springform pan in a roasting pan and pour filling into crust. Pour enough boiling water into roasting pan to come about halfway up side of springform pan. Bake until cheesecake barely jiggles in the center when gently shaken, about 1 1/4 hours. Let cheesecake cool on a rack 1 hour, then chill until cold, at least 5 hours.
  4. Whisk caramel topping and table salt in a bowl and spoon over cheesecake. Arrange pecans around rim and sprinkle flaked salt over pecans.

Recipe Tip! For a crack-free cheesecake, mix the filling just until it’s smooth and blended–no more. (Too much air in the mixture will make it deflate, and then crack, in the oven.)

Makes about 16 small servings

Pumpkin-Orange Cheesecake

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Thanksgiving Turkey and Pumpkin Soup

'roasting the Pumpkins


There are many ways to use the remains of the Thanksgiving turkey. Of course, having a delicious herb-roasted and smoked turkey will leave fewer leftovers, but there are bound to be some no matter what. One of my favorites from childhood is Scrapple, but that is the subject of another post and recipe.

It has been colder here, so soups have been on the menu. Roasted bone and carcass broth based soups are always very satisfying and nutritious this time of the year.  I wanted to share a different take on the re purposing of the noble Thanksgiving turkey in the role of a rich, hearty and extremely satisfying soup. This recipe uses pumpkin, as there is usually some left from making the pies, but any hard shell winter squash will work beautifully. The best flavor will be from a pie pumpkin, not a carving or field pumpkin. Taking advantage of the abundance of vegetables used at the Thanksgiving feast, this soup can be as rich and complex or as simple and straightforward as you wish. You can also make a couple of soups, as once the roasting of the carcass is done there are endless routes one could go with this soup. Roasting the turkey carcass after it has been cooked intensifies its flavors and prepares it for creating the rich stock, which is the base for partnering with the creamy smoothness of the roasted pumpkin.

Thanksgiving Turkey and Pumpkin Soup

For the Stock-

1 Turkey carcass- whole with some meat and skin left on it, or with wings

2 Onions–  quartered

3-5 Medium carrots

5-6 Lbs. Pumpkin, sliced open and seeds removed

1 Bouquet Garni- 2 Dried Bay leaves, 1 small bunch Flat Leaf Parsley, (preferably fresh, dried is ok),  2 sprigs fresh Thyme (dried is ok)

1- 6 Oz. can of tomato paste

 

Roast the carcass on a large roasting pan or heavy baking sheet at 450F for 1  hour. It should be medium brown. Add the quartered onions, carrots, potatoes and pumpkin and roast for 1/2 hour. Other root vegetables can be roasted as well for different flavor dimensions. The vegetables should be soft, slightly darkened and well roasted, while the carcass should be nicely browned and almost falling apart.  Browning the carcass and vegetables in the oven before simmering them in a pot gives the stock a more pronounced flavor and deeper color. Scoop out pumpkin, use 1 Lb now, reserve the rest. Place everything in a large heavy stock pot. Deglaze the roasting pan by adding 2-3 cups of water to the pan on the stove, bring to a simmer and scrape the browned bits loose with a wooden spoon. A cup of red wine with the water to deglaze will add an incredible depth to the flavor. These bits are very concentrated in flavor, called the “stock foundation” by the French. Add to stock pot, along with Bouquet Garni and tomato paste, which adds color and depth of flavor. Cover carcass completely with water- about 10-12 Qts and slowly simmer very gently for a minimum of 10-12 hours. During the first few hours, fat and proteins will rise to the top. For a clear stock- skim the top, but it is not absolutely necessary, as the fats will collect at the top when cooled, and the proteins will remain in the stock.

Once the stock has simmered, allow to cool. Skim fat from top and strain out bones and Bouquet Garni. Mash up remains of vegetables. Bone the turkey, leaving the soft cartilage and bits of meat. You should have a very thick stock, with no whole vegetables showing.

For the Soup-

Remainder of roasted pumpkin

1-2 Lbs leftover Turkey, shredded

6-8 Cups Turkey stock

4 Tbs Butter, preferably unsalted

2 Medium Onions, chopped

4-6 Garlic cloves, minced

2-3 Medium potatoes, cut into medium cubes

15 Fresh Sage leaves, coarsely chopped

Freshly ground Salt and Black Pepper

Fresh cream if desired

In heavy stock pot, preferably cast iron, melt butter over low heat and slowly cook onions for 15 minutes, then add garlic for 5 minutes. Add remainder of roasted pumpkin and bring to a simmer. For a smoother soup, puree pumpkin, onion and garlic mixture now. Return to pot, add potatoes, Turkey and stock. Slow simmer for 30 minutes. Potatoes should be tender. Add ground Salt and Pepper and chopped sage leaves, reserving some for a garnish. Finish simmering for 10 minutes to blend flavors. Add splash of cream to each bowl and  serve hot with fresh bread.

This is always a hit, so I make extra. Enjoy and let us know how yours turns out!

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3 Great Heirloom Pumpkin Recipes

Connecticut Field Pumpkin

 

Here’s 3 great heirloom pumpkin recipes that we have used and enjoyed. Too often people think of pumpkin in a strictly Halloween or pumpkin pie way, when there are so many other unique and wonderfully tasty ways to enjoy it. Pumpkin is not only a fall or winter vegetable, but can be frozen or stored in a cold cellar environment for several months, in addition to the traditional canning. Please try these, enjoy and tell us what you think!

Here’s what could come out of your garden for this recipe –  Pumpkin, Leeks, and Thyme!

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Pumpkin Soup with Chipotle Chile
This Southwestern recipe is a favorite of mine, as it is so unexpected yet delicious that everyone comes back for more. Vary the amount of chipotle, as a little gives a seductive smoky flavor and a little more adds some heat. Pie pumpkins will give a sweeter taste, but any heirloom pumpkin will give a rich, deep flavor once it is roasted. Any firm winter squash, such as acorn or butternut can also be used in addition or substitution for the pumpkin. You won’t believe how wonderful the flavor of fresh roasted pumpkin is! Do not use canned pumpkin, it will give the soup a canned flavor. Freeze extra soup in small quantities.
Servings: 10
Ingredients
  • 3 Lbs pumpkin
  • 3 Tbs unsalted butter
  • 3 Leeks white parts only-finely sliced
  • 2 large shallots minced
  • 5 scallions finely sliced
  • 1-2 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 Tbs fresh ginger minced
  • 1 Tbs pureed chipotle en adobo
  • 8 cups rich chicken stock- can use 4 cups stock and 4 of water for lighter flavor
  • 3 Tbs fresh thyme leaves or 1 Tbs dried
  • 1-2 cups heavy cream to taste
  • Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Cut pumpkin in half, scrape out and save seeds, peel and cut into 1 inch cubes on heavy cookie sheet or roasting pan. Roast in oven at 400F for 20-30 minutes. If skin is very tough, add 1/4 cup of water to pan while roasting.
  2. Saute leeks, shallots and scallions in butter in a large heavy pot for 10 minutes.
  3. Add garlic, ginger and chipotle en adobo, cook for 2 more minutes.
  4. Stir in the pumpkin, stock and thyme.
  5. Slow simmer for 45 minutes, until pumpkin is very soft.
  6. Puree in small batches in blender or food processor and return to pot.
  7. Add cream, taste for seasoning and add salt/pepper as needed.

Here’s what could come out of your garden for this recipe – Pumpkin, Onions, Chile, Cumin, and Chives!

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Warm Pumpkin Salsa
This is served on top of a flan or baked custard dessert, but can be used with many dishes as a counterpoint or accompaniment. Sweet, yet savory and a little spicy, this is another unusual use of pumpkin that wows friends and family. Everyone raves about this warm salsa, the time of year it is served and comes back for more. I even think it's pretty good over some real vanilla bean ice cream! Make a trial batch to see how the flavor evolves, then make extra when preparing for friends and family. It will go quickly!
Servings: 4
Ingredients
  • 2/3 cup small diced fresh pumpkin
  • 1/3 cup small diced tart apple- Granny Smith etc.
  • 2 medium red onions diced small
  • 1 1/3 Tbs coconut or olive oil
  • 1/3 cup Marsala wine
  • 1/4 Tsp fresh ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 Tsp ground red chile
  • 1/4 Tsp fresh ground cumin
  • 1/4 cup orange juice
  • 2-3 Tbs brown sugar
  • 1 Tbs apple cider vinegar
  • 2 Tsp minced red jalapeno chile- can use green jalapeno
  • 1 Tbs chopped chives
  • 2 Tbs roasted/salted pumpkin seeds
  • Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Saute the pumpkin, apple and onion in canola oil in a heavy pan over medium heat until onion is slightly browned.
  2. Deglaze the pan with Marsala wine.
  3. Add spices, orange juice and brown sugar, cook over low heat until most of liquid has evaporated.
  4. Add apple cider vinegar, reduce slightly.
  5. Remove from heat, add jalapenos, chives and pumpkin seeds.
  6. Taste for seasoning, add salt and pepper as needed.

Here’s what could come out of your garden for this recipe – Pumpkin, Onions, and Sage!

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Pumpkin Soup with Sage
Simple yet rich in flavor, savory, hearty and deeply satisfying this pumpkin soup will do justice as an introduction to the Christmas meal. With the addition of meat such as turkey or ham, preferably smoked, this becomes a one dish main course that teams wonderfully with hot homemade biscuits.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
  • 1 small pumpkin- about 5 lbs.
  • 4 Tsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 6 Tbs unsalted butter
  • 2 medium yellow onions finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 4-6 cups chicken stock
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 18 fresh sage leaves and 1 cup vegetable oil for frying
  • 9 shallots halved lengthwise
Instructions
  1. Quarter, seed and peel pumpkin, rub with olive oil and roast on baking sheet in 350F oven for 30 minutes, or until soft. Allow to cool.
  2. In a heavy stock pot, melt 4 Tbs butter, then brown onions and garlic over medium heat for about 15 minutes, or until onions are soft.
  3. Add pumpkin to mixture, continue cooking for 5 minutes. Add chicken stock and slow simmer for 30 minutes.
  4. Puree soup in food processor or blender until just smooth.
  5. Return to pot, thinning with water if too thick. Keep soup warm on lowest flame and heat diffuser if needed.
  6. Heat vegetable oil and fry sage leaves until just crisp and drain on paper towels.
  7. Add to soup and keep warm.
  8. Drain oil, melt remaining 2 Tbs butter over medium heat and cook shallots until soft and golden, about 15 minutes.
Recipe Notes

To serve, ladle soup into individual bowls and distribute 3 sage leaves and 3 shallot halves into each bowl.

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