FRESH BITES: PIE PUMPKINS
Jack-o’-lanterns can do double duty on Halloween
Patricia Rodrigues feels sad the day after Halloween as she watches neighbours throw out their pumpkins, big and small.
“It’s such a waste,” says Rodrigues, an administrative co-ordinator with TTC. “They could be eating that!” While big, stringy jack-o’-lanterns are ready for the compost bin once the trick-or-treaters leave, small orange pie pumpkins (one to two kilograms) should go straight to the kitchen for dishes sweet and savoury. Rodrigues learned to cook with pumpkin and squash while growing up on the island of Zanzibar off Africa’s east coast. Her favourite dish combines pumpkin chunks steamed until tender with sautéed onions, green chiles and a little salt, topped with fresh coconut.
Her latest creation is a pumpkin loaf fragrant with cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg, which all grow on Zanzibar, known as the spice island.
I found pie pumpkins at Loblaws grown by the Howe family of Aylmer, Ont. Manager Kevin Howe said he’d just finished harvesting his 10-hectare pumpkin patch, and was about to ship his last load of tigerstriped Styrian jack-o’-lanterns, which contain edible green seeds without the tough coat. The Howes have grown pumpkins for more than 40 years, cushioning the crop on a bed of straw from last fall’s rye. Howe said pie varieties, also known as sugar pumpkins, are bred for their fine-textured flesh and good eating, but lots of people are buying them for Halloween, getting two for one.
Howe says white jack-o’-lanterns sold out early, and he’s thrilled with his spooky new warted pumpkins, orange with green bumps, which he expects will be even more popular next year. “There’s so much detail,” he says, “it’s as if an artist painted it.”
Buy and store:
Choose a jack-o’-lantern with a sturdy stem that stands up on its own.
For cooking and/or decorating, choose a small to medium-sized pie pumpkin (labels are helpful) with firm, smooth orange skin that feels heavy for its size. Avoid cracks or bruises. A 2.5 lb (1 kg) pie pumpkin will give you about 1-3/4 cups (430 mL) of purée.
Store whole pumpkins in a dry place for months.
Once cut, wrap the flesh in plastic and use within 5 days. Or cook and freeze in airtight containers up to six months.
Prep:
Wash pumpkin, discard stem and cut in wedges or squares. Cut away seeds and fibres.
Oven: Roast at 375 F (190 C), skinside up, 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Or place in a baking dish with a little water, cover and bake at 325 F (160 C) about 50 minutes, until tender.
Purée: Remove rind and serve as a vegetable or purée in batches in a blender or food processor. If too watery, drain pulp in a fine sieve. Pack purée or chunks in airtight containers and refrigerate or freeze.
Boil/steam: Cut pie pumpkin into large cubes and remove seeds and fibres. Boil in lightly salted water or steam 20 to 30 minutes until tender. Rodrigues steams pumpkin chunks low and slow in a pan with no added water.
Microwave: Cut pumpkin in half and remove seeds and fibre. Peel, then cut flesh into 1-1/2 inch (4 cm) cubes. Cover and microwave in an 8-cup (2 L) casserole on high for 15 to 18 minutes, stirring several times, until tender.
Roasting pumpkin seeds
Wash seeds, removing fibres that cling. Spread seeds on baking sheet; let dry overnight on counter. Toss with 1-1/2 tsp (7 mL) vegetable oil and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake at 250 F (120 C), stirring occasionally, for 1-1/2 hours or until golden and crunchy.
Serve
Use fresh, frozen or canned pumpkin purée in pies, muffins, scones, pancakes and breads.
Try pumpkin cheesecake, crème brûlée and ice cream.
Make pumpkin soup or use purée to thicken any creamy vegetable soup.
Serve soup or pork-pumpkin stew in the pumpkin shell.
Make your own pumpkin spice latte.
Make pumpkin ravioli with sage butter sauce or add cubes to risotto alla zucca. Pumpkin Ginger Loaf
Star Tested Patricia Rodrigues used the spices of her homeland for these moist loaves.
2-1/2 cups (625 mL) all-purpose flour 2 tsp (10 mL) baking powder 1 tsp (5 mL) baking soda 1 tsp (5 mL) salt 1-3/4 cups (410 mL) cooked pumpkin or canned pumpkin purée 1 cup (250 mL) granulated sugar 1 cup (250 mL) packed light brown sugar 3/4 cup (180 mL) unsalted butter, melted (20-30 seconds in microwave) 4 tsp (20 mL) milk mixed with 1 tsp (5 mL) vinegar 2 tsp (10 mL) grated fresh ginger 1 tsp (5 mL) ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp (2 mL) grated fresh nutmeg 3 large eggs Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C). Grease and flour two 9x5-inch (23 x 12.5 cm) loaf pans, shaking out excess flour. In a small bowl, sift or stir together flour, baking powder, soda and salt. In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat cooked pumpkin until smooth. Add white and brown sugar, melted butter, sour milk, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg. Beat in eggs one at a time until smooth. Add flour mixture in three batches, folding in quickly and lightly with a spatula. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour, until tester inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool on rack.
Makes 2 loaves.