Jack O’Lantern, Jack O’Lantern you are such a scary sight...

I hope you enjoy the selection of sweet and savoury pumpkin dishes we have gathered together this month. It just goes to show how versatile this vegetable really is. Pumpkins and squashes were first cultivated from Canada down to Argentina and brought over in the 1700’s to Europe. The varieties include Butternut which is pear-shaped, creamy in colour with orange flesh and has a sweet nutty flavour and Hokkaido which is a small round green squash with yellowish flecks. Pumpkins have some great names such as Atlantic Giant, Crown Prince, Hundredweight or the well known deep orange oval shaped Jack O’Lantern also called Golden Nugget.

No Fault Pumpkin Pie

300g pumpkin puree, 3-4 tbsp honey / maple syrup or sugar ,2 tbsp molasses

¼ tsp powdered cloves (optional), 1-2 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp grated fresh ginger, 4 eggs beaten, 1 can evaporated milk or 2 cups milk or soya cream

For pastry: 8oz plain wholewheat flour, 4oz butter or margarine, 2-3 tbsp ice cold water or 2 eggs beaten

Make your pastry and part bake Gas Mark 4 for 5-8mins. Peel, de-seed and cut into small cubes your golden nugget pumpkin, steam for 10mins until soft then purée. Add the sugar or honey, molasses, powdered cloves (optional), ground cinnamon and ginger. Mix the eggs until fluffy and then add to the mixture with the milk or soya cream. Pour into the pie crust and bake in the oven at 350C or Gas Mark 4 for 40-50 minutes. The top should feel firm to the touch. Serve with organic vanilla ice cream or soya cream!

Roasted Butternut Squash with red onions, sage and goats cheese

This makes a really nice side dish with your favourite rice or baked potatoes.

1 butternut squash (about 450g when prepared), 2 large red onions sliced

A handful of fresh chopped sage, 4oz firm goats cheese, Salt, pepper, 1 large clove of garlic crushed

Oil the baking sheet and heat the oven to Gas Mark 6. Cut the red onion into half and slice, arrange in the dish with the cubed squash. Add the garlic, salt and pepper, toss in the oil and bake for 15-20mins until tender. After 10 minutes cooking, sprinkle over the cubed goats cheese and sage.

Spicy pumpkin & lentil soup

1 small red/green pumpkin peeled, seeded and cubed, 2 carrots sliced

3oz red split lentils, 1 fresh crushed chilli, 1 large onion

1 crushed garlic, 1 pint of stock, Juice of 1 large lemon

Handful of fresh chopped mint , salt & pepper

Heat some oil in a pan and lightly sauté the chopped onion, garlic and chilli. Add the chopped pumpkin and carrots for a minute with the lid on. Rinse the lentils and add to the pan with the stock. Cook until the lentils and vegetables are tender (20mins approx). Purée, adding more liquid if necessary, then stir in the lemon juice and finely chopped mint. Simmer for another 5mins and serve topped with a dollop of natural yoghurt and hot pitta or wholemeal bread.

 

Japanese Pumpkin Salad

1 small pumpkin or squash peeled, seeded and chopped , salt & pepper

olive oil for basting, 250g roasted cashew or chestnuts nuts, 1 sliced red pepper

3 sticks of finely chopped celery, 150g sliced mushrooms, 1/3 diced cucumber

For the dressing whisk together:

1 tbsp grated ginger, 2-3 cloves of crushed garlic, 1 tbsp sesame seeds, 2 tbsp olive oil,

2 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp tamari sauce, 2 tbsp vinegar

Chop & peel the pumpkin ,drizzle with olive oil and bake in the oven for 15mins Gas mark 4 , then add the cashews or chestnuts for a further 5-8mins. When cool, mix together with the chopped salad vegetables, pour over the dressing and toss well before serving .