Conscious Choice: The Great Pumpkin

November 2001 | Cooking with the Seasons

The Great Pumpkin

by Terra Brockman

Good Grief, Charlie Brown, there is a great pumpkin! But it’s not the ubiquitous Halloween jack-o-lantern; it’s the neglected pie pumpkin, a tasty, nutritious, versatile member of the squash family that can be used in soups, pastas, risottos, and a multitude of pies, cakes, muffins, even pancakes.

The pumpkin’s name is derived from the Greek word pepon, which means "large melon," which was turned into pompon by the French, then into pumpion by the British. American colonists gave this vegetable the name pumpkin, and are credited with making the first pumpkin pie filling. They sliced off the pumpkin top, removed the seeds, filled the insides with milk, spices, and honey and baked it in hot ashes.

But long before the colonists made their proto-pumpkin pie, the Native Americans were cultivating and eating pumpkins. Like all squashes, the pumpkin is native to the Americas. Many of the original varieties cultivated by Native Americans have been lost, but we do know what they did with them — they cut the flesh into narrow strips and roasted them over fires. Some strips were consumed right away and others were dried and kept for winter meals.

An 1893 heirloom variety that may be similar to the pumpkins eaten by Native Americans is the winter luxury (also known as luxury pie) pumpkin. The tannish-orange fruits have a netted skin and are about ten inches in diameter. They have a thick flesh; so that you can make three or four pies from one pumpkin, and the flavor is mellow and rich. The best thing about the luxury pumpkin is the smoothness of the flesh. It seems pre-pureed. You can just scoop it out and use it — with no worry of stringiness or toughness.

No matter whether it’s a luxury pumpkin, the deep-orange sugar, autumn gold, or any other pie pumpkin, all are excellent sources of vitamin A and potassium. And don’t discard the seeds! They contain a high amount of fiber and phosphorus. Roasted and salted they make a delicious and nutritious snack. Seed recovery is an excellent project for kids, as they love sloshing through the fibers in search of the slippery seeds.

Try some of the recipes below to broaden your pumpkin horizons and perfect a new Thanksgiving pumpkin delight.

Holiday Pumpkin Risotto in Pumpkin Shells

This risotto can be made as an everyday dish, but the fancy presentation of risotto mounded into miniature Jack-Be-Little pumpkins makes it an impressive holiday favorite.

4 miniature pumpkins (preferably Jack-Be-Little) 3-1/2 to 4 inches in diameter

1-1/4 cups diced (1/4-inch) peeled seeded fresh pumpkin (preferably from sugar or luxury pie pumpkins)

2 cups chicken stock

2 cups water

1 small onion, chopped fine

1 Tablespoon olive oil

3/4 cup Arborio rice

1 ounce (1/3 cup) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Fill a small roasting pan with about one-half inch of water. Place the mini-pumpkins in the water and cover tightly with foil. Roast the pumpkins until very tender, forty-five to fifty minutes. Cool slightly. Cut out the tops and reserve, then scoop out the seeds. Discard water from roasting pan, then return pumpkin shells to the pan and keep them warm, covered with foil.

2. Make the risotto while the pumpkins roast. Begin by cooking the diced pumpkin in a medium saucepan two-thirds full of simmering water until tender, two to three minutes. Drain thoroughly.

3. Bring the stock and water to a simmer in a small saucepan and keep at a bare simmer.

4. Cook onion in oil in a two- to two-and-a-half-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about three minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring, for one minute. Add one cup of simmering stock and cook at a strong simmer, stirring constantly, until the stock is absorbed. Continue simmering, adding the stock a half cup at a time, stirring constantly and letting each addition be absorbed before adding the next, until rice is tender and creamy looking but still al dente, about eighteen minutes total. (There may be some broth left over.)

5. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the diced pumpkin, cheese, and butter, stirring until the butter is melted. Season with salt and pepper and cover to keep warm.

6. To serve, put each roasted mini-pumpkin shell on a plate, fill it with risotto, and cover with a reserved pumpkin top. Makes four servings.

Southwestern Pumpkin Soup

This recipe comes from the Watermark restaurant in Cleveland, Ohio. It is flavored with cumin and chili powder and topped with cheddar cheese — and it’s very easy to make.

3 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth

1 cup whipping cream

2 cups pureed pumpkin or one 15-ounce can of pumpkin

3 Tablespoons packed dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3/4 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

Chopped fresh cilantro

1. Using a heavy medium pot, bring chicken stock and whipping cream to a boil. Whisk in pumpkin, brown sugar, cumin, chili powder, coriander, and nutmeg.

2. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until the soup thickens slightly and the flavors blend, about fifteen minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish each serving with cheddar cheese and cilantro and serve. Makes four servings.

Coconut Pumpkin Soup (Keg Bouad Mak Fak Kham)

From Hot Sour Salty Sweet: A Culinary Journey Through Southeast Asia, by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid (Artisan, 2000)

This versatile silky soup can be part of an Asian or Western meal. For the real thing, search out the large wedges of pumpkin with gray-green skin sold in Southeast Asian groceries and in Caribbean produce markets. Or use any pie pumpkin or winter squash.

3-4 shallots, unpeeled

1-1/2 pounds pumpkin or butternut squash

2 cups canned or fresh coconut milk

2 cups mild pork or chicken broth

1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons Thai fish sauce, or to taste

Generous grindings of black pepper

1/4 cup minced scallion greens (optional)

1. In a heavy skillet, or on a charcoal or gas grill, dry-roast or grill the shallots, turning occasionally until softened and blackened. Peel and then cut the shallots lengthwise in half, and set aside.

2. Peel the pumpkin and clean off any seeds. Cut into small half-inch cubes. You should have four-and-a-half to five cups of cubed pumpkin.

3. Place the coconut milk, chicken broth, pumpkin cubes, shallots, and cilantro leaves in a large pot and bring to a boil. Add the salt and simmer over medium heat until the pumpkin is tender, about ten minutes. Stir in the fish sauce and cook for another two to three minutes. Taste and add a little more fish sauce if you wish.

4. Serve from a large soup bowl or in individual bowls. Grind black pepper generously over each bowl, and, if you wish, garnish with a sprinkling of minced scallion greens. Leftovers freeze very well and are excellent reheated. Makes four to six servings.

Fettucine with Pumpkin, Shiitakes, and Mascarpone

4 cups half-inch pieces seeded peeled fresh sugar pumpkin or butternut squash

1-1/2 Tablespoons olive oil

4-1/2 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth

1 cup mascarpone cheese or farmer’s cheese

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup butter

12 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, thinly sliced

1 pound fettuccine (try black fettucine for a stunning orange/black presentation)

2/3 cup shelled toasted pumpkin seeds

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Toss the pumpkin with olive oil in a large bowl. Transfer the pumpkin to heavy baking sheet or roasting pan. Bake until the pumpkin is tender and beginning to brown, stirring once, about thirty minutes.

2. Transfer the pumpkin to a food processor. Add two and a half cups of chicken stock. Puree until smooth. Add mascarpone cheese and ground cinnamon. Process to blend. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Melt butter in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté until beginning to brown, about five minutes. Add the remaining chicken stock. Boil until the stock is reduced by half, about eight minutes. Reduce heat to low. Stir in pumpkin mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Cook the fettuccine in a large pot of boiling salted water until barely tender. Drain. Transfer fettuccine to a large serving bowl. Add sauce and toasted pumpkin seeds; toss to coat thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately passing Parmesan cheese separately. Makes six to eight servings.

Prairie Honey Pumpkin Bread

This rich, moist autumn tea bread is wonderful slathered with cream cheese or apple butter.

3-1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg

2 cups granulated sugar

3/4 cup honey

1/2 cup water

1 cup vegetable oil

1 cup pureed pumpkin

4 eggs, beaten

1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

1/2 cup golden raisins (optional)

1/2 cup dried sour cherries (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Oil three mini-loaf pans or one nine-by-five-inch loaf pan and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sugar. Then stir in the honey, water, oil, pumpkin, and eggs until you have a smooth batter. Fold in the optional pecans, raisins, and dried sour cherries if desired.

3. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for fifty to sixty minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool in the pans. This bread freezes well for up to three months and makes a wonderful holiday gift. Makes three mini-loaves or one nine-by-five-inch loaf.

Pumpkin Pie Pancakes

2 cups flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon allspice

3/4 cup sugar

1-1/2 cup canned pumpkin (or fresh, cooked and mashed)

3 eggs

1 cup milk

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1. Put all dry ingredients in one bowl and stir. Place all wet ingredients in another bowl and mix by hand or with a beater.

2. Combine the dry and wet ingredients until just barely blended.

3. Place one tablespoon of butter or oil on the hot griddle before adding batter. Pour quarter-cup batter scoops onto the griddle and cook until bubbles form. Flip and cook other side. Serve hot with sautéed apples or pears as a topping. Makes six servings.

Terra Brockman is the director of The Land Connection Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving farmland and promoting small-scale, diversified, organic agriculture in Illinois. Visit www.thelandconnection.org or call 309-965-2407 to learn how to get involved.

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