I once took a really gorgeous photograph of a field of pumpkins somewhere in California.
There’s something about that profusion of orange globes that just makes me feel happy.
What makes me even happier is eating anything made with pumpkin. Maybe it’s the fragrant spices that we associate with pumpkin (cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, or curry and cumin in savory recipes), or maybe it’s just the wonderful earthy flavour of the pumpkin itself.
Whatever it is, cooking with pumpkin is a great way to welcome fall, and with Thanksgiving and Halloween not far away, keep these recipes in mind for your holiday celebrations. Remember to use pure canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
Curried Pumpkin Soup
2 Tbsp butter
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1 Tbsp curry powder, or 1 Tbsp red Thai chili paste (adjust amount of curry to suit your taste)
½ tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
One 398-ml can pumpkin puree
1 cup homogenized milk or light cream
½ cup well-stirred coconut milk
Chopped cilantro to garnish
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat; add the onion and sauté until transparent, about three minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for one minute more.
Stir in the curry, salt and pepper and cook for one minute. Stir in the chicken broth and the pumpkin; bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for 20 minutes.
Puree the soup with an immersion blender or in batches in a blender, taking care to cover the lid with a folded towel so hot soup doesn’t erupt out of the blender; return blended soup to saucepan. Stir in the milk and coconut milk and heat just until heated through. Sprinkle chopped cilantro over top of soup. Makes four servings.
Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Icing
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
4 eggs
1 and 2⁄3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
One 398-ml can pumpkin puree
Sift dry ingredients together and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until light and fluffy. Gradually stir in the dry ingredients and mix until well combined.
Spread the batter in a greased 15x10x1-inch baking pan (you can use a 9x13 pan instead, but your bars will be thicker and need a longer baking time). Bake at 350º F for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of the pan comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan before icing with cream cheese frosting. Makes about 36 bars.
Cream Cheese Frosting
One 250-gr package of cream cheese (regular or light, not fat-free)
1⁄3 cup softened butter
4 cups icing sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp milk
Cream together butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in icing sugar, vanilla and milk. Mix on high speed until smooth and creamy.
Pumpkin Spice Biscotti
2 eggs
¾ cup pumpkin puree
2 tsp vanilla
¼ tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cloves
½ tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
3 and ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1½ cups brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 Tbsp chopped crystallized ginger (optional)
11 ounces white chocolate (use quality white chocolate from a bar, not chips because they don’t melt well)
Preheat oven to 350º F. Combine the eggs, pumpkin puree and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer; beat until creamy, then beat in spices. Slowly beat in the flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda until the crumbly texture becomes smooth (knead dough gently with hands if necessary).
Knead in the crystallized ginger. Divide dough in half and form two 12-inch long slightly flattened logs, two to three inches wide, on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes, then remove from oven and reduce oven temperature to 300º F.
Allow biscotti to cool for 15 minutes, then cut biscotti on the diagonal into three-quarter-inch-thick slices with a serrated knife.
Lay each slice on its side on the baking sheet and return to the oven for an additional 20 minutes. Remove from oven and place on wire rack to cool (biscotti will continue to harden as they cool).
Melt the white chocolate in the microwave (do this slowly, in 30-second intervals on medium power, stirring after each 30 seconds).
Either dip one side or end of each biscotti into the chocolate or drizzle it over each one. This recipe will make about 24 biscotti.
Angela Shellard is a self-described foodie. She has done informal catering for various functions. Contact: [email protected].
