Before your pumpkin turns into carriage!

Cinderella, The Enormous Turnip, Raiponce… Such pretty fairy tales based around the vegetable garden! They all end up happily ever after. Talking about tradition… At the very end of October, beginning of November there is always special times that our children are waiting for such as St Martin’s day (for those who do not know the tradition, this is also called the Lantern Festival when a nice little song performance by children deserves a treat)  and of course Halloween (no need to describe it) which is more likely for the international community.

 Now, a little riddle for you…

I am a fruit, I have a bright colour and I can be funny, scary and tasty…

I am… I am…

 I am the PUMPKIN!

 The traditional use of the pumpkin at Halloween time would have been from an Irish legend… the one of Jack O’ Lantern who carved a turnip (originally) to shelter his fire wood and used it as a lantern. Every year, he would reappear at the date of his death as a souvenir for all the lost minds…

 After this little ghost story interruption, let’s come back to reality.

What will you do with your enormous pumpkins at home?

 I will not teach you how to carve a pumpkin, but I will give you the opportunity to devour it! or to revive it! before your pumpkin turns into carriage ! First, you stab it, then you empty it and finally you squash it!!! Isn’t it scary? I have two types of crimes for you…

Just a little fact … The pumpkin is from Mexico, it is not a vegetable (mistake!) but considerate as a fruit (did you know that?) It is an excellent source of vitamins (A B C E) and it contains phosphorus, magnesium, carotenoid and antioxidant.

 Let’s stop being mystical and let’s start being crafty!

 Enjoy your pumpkin at its maximum before putting it to your pile of compost in the garden or handing it to the organic waste collection for those who life in town and have the chance to use this service (in any case, don’t forget to reduce it in pieces and the Nature will do the rest…).

The seeds: you can dry them in the oven, add salt and eat them as a snack!

The flesh: you can use it to make a soup, a mash, a tart or a cake…

I am now going to describe 2 of my favourites…

 First crime, squash it into a Velouté!

• fry 2 onions in olive oil,
• in the same pan, add the chunks of pumpkin and cover with water,
• cook it for 30min then blend it. The texture will be unctuous!
• For a rich version of the velouté, add cream & cheddar

* Serve it with a trickle of olive oil, a pinch of herbal salt, a turn of pepper mill and grated parmesan for the greediest.

Second idea, hide it into a Cake!

Ingredients: 800g pumpkin, 3 eggs, 4 tbsp of flour, 8 tbsp of sugar (or less), raisin

• steam the pumpkin, stain it and mix it with the other ingredients…
• put in the oven 5min at 230°C + 45min at 150°C.

* If you fancy to add lemon zest, almond powder and cinnamon is nice too! For this version is 35min at 180°C.

* It will surprise your guests as it is not a common recipe ;)

 Damn Good!

Marie