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Fresh Pumpkin Recipes - Healthy Pumpkin Desserts and More
There are so many ways to use this versatile autumn vegetable. Try these delicious, healthy fresh pumpkin recipes for pumpkin desserts and more.
The sight of glowing golden pumpkins piled up outside the greengrocer’s shop is a sure sign that autumn, or fall, is well and truly with us.
Pumpkin is a beautiful, delicately flavoured vegetable, and a highly nutritious one. As with so many brightly coloured veg, pumpkin are high in carotenoids, a type of antioxidant, substances which protect against cancer and heart disease, and keep the body youthful for longer.
Pumpkin is also rich in fibre, minerals and vitamins. By making fresh pumpkin recipes, you maximise the nutritional benefits of this versatile veg. But you can substitute canned pumpkin in any recipe which uses puree.
Pumpkin has a reputation for being watery, yet the flesh has a lower water content, weight for weight, than tomatoes or cabbage. The secret lies in the cooking. Never boil pumpkin in lots of water, as it will soak it up and turn into a soggy mass. Use just a tiny amount of water to cook it.
If you buy a magnificent pumpkin to make into a lantern, cook any scraped out flesh in water and freeze it.
It doesn’t matter how big a pumpkin is. The large ones have just as much flavour as the smaller ones, although they can be harder to cut up and prepare because of their size.
Buy a whole pumpkin – or grow one – and it’ll keep for 3-4 months. Handle it gently, as once bruised it will quickly start to rot. Store in a cool, dry place, away from frost. If you see any soft patches starting to appear, use the pumpkin at once.
Pumpkin is often sold ready-cut into halves or quarters. The flavour and nutritional value decline rapidly once the pumpkin is cut, so use as soon as possible, and store, wrapped, in the fridge. It’s better to buy a whole one and freeze any extra flesh.
Most fresh pumpkin recipes use pumpkin puree. As a rule of thumb 500g (3 cups) of diced pumpkin yields about 175ml (1 cup) puree.
Cutting up a pumpkin can be quite hard, especially if it’s a big one. Use a large, sturdy and well-sharpened knife or a cleaver. Don’t attempt to cut through the stalk to get two perfect halves.
Roast pumpkin is much easier to skin than raw, and makes an intensely flavoured puree to serve as a vegetable accompaniment or use in recipes. Roast the halved pumpkin at 350F/180C/gas 4 for 30-40 minutes until tender. Scoop out the flesh and mash, or puree in a blender or processor.
To make pumpkin puree by boiling, cut the pumpkin into four, scrape out seeds and fibres and cut the flesh into chunks, removing the skin as you go. Place in a heavy pan with the smallest possible amount of water and place on a low heat until the juices start to run, then turn up the heat and cook as quickly as possible until tender. Strain, keeping the liquid to use in soups, and mash or blend the flesh to a puree.
