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The Pumpkin Cookbook, 2nd Edition
139 Recipes Celebrating the Versatility of Pumpkin and Other Winter Squash
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Excerpt
Contents
Acknowledgments
Preface
Chapter 1: Versatile Pumpkin
Chapter 2: Starters, Snacks & Beverages
Black Bean Dip
Holiday Pumpkin Dip
Pumpkin-Shaped Cheese ball
Herbed Parmesan Twists
Thai Curried Pumpkin in Phyllo Cups
Pumpkin Butter
Pumpkin Chutney
Pepita Party Mix
Pumpkin Seed Gorp
Spicy Pepita Nuts
Black Bean Quesadillas
Orange-Banana Smoothie
Mango Pumpkin Smoothie
Chapter 3: Soups & Salads
Roasted Ginger Pumpkin-Pear Soup
Caribbean Black Bean Pumpkin Soup
Creamy Kale Pumpkin Soup
Southwest Chicken Pumpkin Soup
Lentil-Pumpkin Soup with Spinach
Mushroom-Pumpkin Soup
Tarragon Pumpkin Soup
Roasted Carrot-Pumpkin Soup with Parsley Cream
Harvest Pumpkin Soup
Split Pea Pumpkin Soup
Thai Pumpkin Soup
Roasted Corn Pumpkin Chowder
Italian Pumpkin Soup with Crushed Amaretti Cookies
Great American Beer Soup
Winter Salad with Maple Pumpkin Dressing
Spinach Salad with Bacon and Pepitas
Red Cabbage and Maple-Roasted Delicata Salad
Composed Cannellini Bean and Chicken Salad with Pumpkin Dressing
Sliced Greens with Purple Pepper and Orange
Roasted Potato Pumpkin Salad
Spring Spinach and Strawberry Salad with Pepitas
Autumn Toasted Couscous Salad
Chapter 4: Side Dishes
Grilled Squash
Mashed Potatoes and Pumpkin
Pumpkin Purée with Almond Topping
Grated Candied Pumpkin
Spinach and Pumpkin
Cape Malay Pumpkin
Golden Roasted Vegetables
Wild Mushroom Pumpkin Risotto
Sage-Pumpkin Risotto
Apple, Cranberry, and Pumpkin Stuffing
Golden Pumpkin Corn Pudding
Roasted Pumpkin and Barley Pilaf
Roasted Pumpkin Parmesan Polenta
Cabbage Braised in Pumpkin Ale
Kadu (Afghani Sweet Pumpkin)
Pumpkin Gratin with Caramelized Onions
Chapter 5: Main Courses
Blue Cheese and Pumpkin Galette
Rich Pastry Dough Used in Blue Cheese and Pumpkin Galette
Pumpkin Pizza with Gorgonzola
Chicken-Pumpkin Tacos
Pumpkin-Filled Ravioli with Fried Sage
Cheddar-Pumpkin Tart
Savory Tart Crust Used in Cheddar-Pumpkin Tart
Crêpes with Spinach and Creamy Pumpkin Sauce
Pasta with Pumpkin and Wild Mushrooms
White Bean, Chicken, and Pumpkin Chili
Chicken in Pueblan Green Pumpkin Seed Sauce (a.k.a. Pipiàn de Pollo)
Moroccan Chicken and Pumpkin Stew
Barbecued Chicken Thighs with Spicy Pumpkin Sauce
Roast Chicken with Harvest Vegetables
Mexican Pumpkin Lasagna
Pumpkin-Turkey Medley
Grilled Salmon with Pepita Crust
Creamy Shrimp and Rice
Ham and Cheese Pumpkin Soufflé
Maple Glazed Ham and Pumpkin
Tex-Mex Chili
Meatloaf with Pumpkin Glaze
Spicy Beef Stew in a Pumpkin Shell
Punkin' Joes
Pork Tenderloin with Red Wine Sauce
Apricot Stuffed Pork Tenderloin with Pistachio Crust
Pork Stew with Pumpkin and Prunes
Armenian Lamb Stew in a Pumpkin Shell
Lamb Kebabs with Red Peppers, Onions, and Pumpkin
Thai Green Lamb Curry
Braised Cabbage with Sausage and Pumpkin
Spaghetti with Peppers, Onions, and Sausage
Northern Italian Pumpkin Lasagna
Creamy Fusilli, Sausage, and Pumpkin
Chapter 6: Breads
Hazelnut-Pumpkin Biscotti Iced with Chocolate
Almond-Pumpkin Biscotti
Currant-Pumpkin-Oat Scones
Lemon-Pumpkin-Cranberry Scones
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Bread
Pumpkin Cornbread
Cranberry-Orange-Pumpkin Bread
Banana-Pumpkin-Nut Bread
Orange-Pumpkin Pancakes
Date-Nut-Pumpkin Muffins
Spicy Cranberry Pecan Pumpkin Muffins
Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins
Pumpkin Popovers
Lemon-Cranberry-Pumpkin Coffee Cake
Pumpkin-Walnut Biscuits
Chapter 7: Pies
Piecrust Pastry Dough
Pumpkin Pie Spice
Traditional Pumpkin Pie
Southern Pecan Pumpkin Pie
Date-Nut Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin Chess Pie
Meringue Pumpkin Pie
Spicy Pumpkin Ice Cream Pie with Gingersnap Pecan Crust
Oat Crumb Crust
Pumpkin-Pear Galette
Chapter 8: Cookies
Pumpkin-Molasses Snaps
Pumpkin-Currant Cookies
Oatmeal-Chocolate Chip Crisps
Jack-o'-Lantern Cookies
Pumpkin Pops with Lemon Icing
Chocolate-Pumpkin Brownies
Graham Cracker Pumpkin Tannies
White Chocolate, Pepita, and Apricot Pumpkin Bars
Orange-Walnut Pumpkin Bars
Chapter 9: Cakes
Surprising Pumpkin-Orange Cheesecake
Pumpkin Roll with Mascarpone Filling
Caramel Sauce
Pumpkin Cheesecake with Graham and Zwieback Crust
Pumpkin Bundt Cake
Chocolate-Pumpkin Cake
Pumpkin Cake or Jack-o'-Lantern Cake
Spice Cake with Pumpkin Mascarpone Icing
Pumpkin-Carrot Cake with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
Gingerbread with Pumpkin-Ginger Ice Cream and Caramel Sauce
Chapter 10: Desserts & Delicacies
Pumpkin Baked Alaska with Pumpkin-Ginger Ice Cream
Lemon-Pumpkin Strudel
Orange-Pumpkin Spanish Cream
Pumpkin Mousse in Phyllo Cups
Pumpkin-Rice Pudding
Pumpkin Panna Cotta
Almond Bread Pudding with Crème Anglaise
Crème Anglaise
Pumpkin-Ginger Ice Cream
Peachy Pumpkin Crisp
White Chocolate Pumpkin Fudge
Pumpkin Fudge
Frozen Pumpkin Dessert with Nut Crust
Metric Conversions
Index
Other Storey Titles
Copyright
Share Your Experience!
Acknowledgments
Writing a cookbook is an act of love in large part because those you love and live with must eat your successes and failures. My husband, Jack, jokes that he gains 10 pounds for every cookbook I write. Fortunately, there has been time in between for him to lose it. He has been my best critic and most supportive pal throughout the writing of this book, and for that I am most grateful. Our family's Sunday pizza nights were diverted into tasting sessions for various recipes, thanks to the palates of Meg and Jezz, Dick and Lisa, Lennie, Molly, and Emrich. Having eaters on hand is essential for a cookbook writer, and my new neighbors in California pitched right in. The next-door Reidy family — Bill and Gina and their four kids, Chelsea, Olivia, Sam, and Elliot — took the job of tasting very seriously.
Recipe testers were invaluable for their careful testing and forthright commentary. Thanks especially to the stalwarts who kept coming back for more: Wendy Taylor, Donna Elefson, Judy Madden, Andy Shatken, Susan Smith, and Marcia Mallory. Thanks also to my daughters, Kate Stovel and Meg Holland; my brother and his wife, Dennis and Susan McCoy; my niece, Maura Kahn; and Sandy Jorling, Mimi Jorling, Polly Friedrichs, Larrie Rockwell, Kelly Martin, Lara Sellers, Becky Pettit, Mary Tierney, Joe Zeeman, Kimmie McCann, Jane Stuebner, Esther Christensen, Lynda Scofield, Pam Turton, and Pam Wakefield.
For ideas and inspiration, I thank Barby Linnard. Judy Witts shared wonderful recipes. Dianne Cutillo, former editor at Storey Publishing, was most helpful and supportive in getting this project launched. Andrea Dodge, my editor, has been enthusiastic and encouraging throughout.
Preface
My love affair with pumpkin began badly. As an aspiring ballerina longing for a tutu or, at the very least, a ballerina dress, my costume for the recital was puffy, not graceful; shiny and bright orange, not subtle and romantic. I was a pumpkin, not a twirling, leaping dancer in a lovely costume! It was the end of my ballet career, but not the end of the shiny orange costume my mom had lovingly sewn for me. The costume lived on in kid plays and for many Halloweens until, no longer puffy or shiny, the limp and shredded orange satin was retired to the trash.
When my second daughter was born, my mom came up to help out. For some reason I have yet to fathom, my husband and I thought that helping with a baby, running after a two-year-old, and helping to run our house would not keep her busy enough. Since she was a wonderful cook and expert pie maker, and it was pumpkin season, we asked her to make a pumpkin pie from scratch. Only after we had wiped the last delicious crumbs from our lips did she tell us she always used canned pumpkins in her pies and had never before used a fresh pumpkin.
Things started to improve when this same daughter was a little older and needed her adenoids removed. We gave her a huge Teddy bear to take to the hospital. She promptly named the bear "Pumpkin" for reasons known only to her. A very worn and weary Pumpkin now sits on a big-girl bed and is much beloved by the new generation.
And here I am, many years later, riding on this family theme by chopping and peeling fresh pumpkins, opening can after can of prepared purée, and becoming utterly fascinated with the versatility and flavor of pumpkin as an ingredient in all kinds of recipes. This amazing gourd, which appears in many cuisines and cultures around the world, has gotten my creative juices flowing, as you will see in the following pages.
1
Versatile Pumpkin
When I told people I was writing a pumpkin cookbook, I got one of two reactions. "Ohhhh, I LOVE pumpkin, how exciting, when is it coming out?" or "You are writing about WHAT? Pumpkin? Why would you want to do that?" This book is clearly for the first group, but the second group will find there is a lot to love about pumpkins, clearly a superfood!
Pumpkins happily grow in all climates across the United States. In fact, they grow on every continent except Antarctica. One of the many winter squashes, pumpkins have long been prized for their nutrition, adaptability, and staying power. The sturdy outer skin allows them to be stored in a cool place for months. Native to North America, pumpkins have been cultivated for about 9,000 years. For the indigenous people, pumpkin was a mainstay of their diet, and it has served as such for succeeding cultures. Pumpkin offers protein, complex carbohydrates, vitamin C, potassium, and huge amounts of vitamin A and beta-carotene, the precursor to vitamin A. It is high in fiber and low in calories. For sustenance, pumpkin is hard to beat.
Since pumpkin has been around for so long, and since it is found in cuisines across the globe, it is not surprising that pumpkin shows up in appetizers, soups, breads, desserts, salads, and savories of all kinds. It offers much more than the annual slice of pie at Thanksgiving, and I have by no means exhausted all the possibilities in this book. The mild, slightly sweet flavor lends itself to numerous ingredients. I had a great time adding pumpkin to my old favorite recipes, thinking up new combinations, and adapting ideas from other cultures. While in some cases the pumpkin flavor is almost too subtle to detect when used with strong, savory ingredients, it always adds texture, color, and nutrition. In other cases, the sweetness of pumpkin is the featured flavor, deepened by the addition of sugars and spices and leaving no doubt of its presence. A number of my recipe testers reported that they could not "taste" the pumpkin. True sometimes, but not a problem, because the lovely color is always there, as is the nutrition and the smooth texture.
Types of Pumpkins
Pumpkins are members of the gourd family, technically Cucurbitaceae, affectionately known as cucurbits. The vines of this great family include hundreds of species, from cucumbers to melons to squash. Thin-skinned summer squash do not include pumpkin, which belongs in the category of thick-skinned winter squash. In some countries, pumpkin is a term used for all hard-skinned squash. Of the many types of winter squash, the most well-known and readily available are pumpkin, butternut, acorn, hubbard, and buttercup. However, finding fresh pumpkin in markets during spring and summer is a bit of a challenge.
Pumpkin has a number of varieties, all of which are edible, but some are superior to others. The large ones that we carve into jack-o'-lanterns tend to be dry and stringy. Giant pumpkins, which may weigh over 1,000 pounds, follow suit. The original Halloween pumpkin is the Connecticut Field variety, which also makes a good pie. For the best eating, however, choose a denser, sweeter variety such as sugar or pie pumpkin; the pale-skinned Long Island Cheese pumpkin; a delicious Japanese pumpkin known as kabocha; bright orange French Red or Cinderella pumpkin; dusky peachy Sonia pumpkin; or blue-skinned Australian Queensland pumpkin. Don't forget the wonderful delicata with its edible skin. The names may change with the location, but taken together they form a subtly colored palatye of the fall harvest that can be roasted, steamed, boiled, microwaved, grated, stuffed and served up in more ways than you can imagine.
There are cute little guys also, which are fun for decorating or using as little serving dishes when lightly roasted. Perfectly round baseball pumpkins, ribbed munchkins, Baby Bear, Jack Be Little, or Baby Bo can mark places, fill a bowl, or decorate the hall table.
Storing, Preparing, and Cooking Fresh Pumpkins
Many think of pumpkin as existing solely in dessert, especially in pie. In fact, pumpkin is a wonderful vegetable by itself in addition to being an adaptable ingredient in all kinds of savory dishes. Its mild flavor and soft texture when served with salt, pepper, and a dab of butter provide a wonderful background to more highly seasoned poultry, meat, and fish.
Fresh pumpkins are abundant in the fall but practically nonexistent in the market during winter, spring, and summer months. In the United States, most pumpkins are sold in the fall, when 80 percent of the crop is snatched up for jack-o'-lanterns and decorative pieces to create the harvest mood. The one exception I have found is the Japanese kabocha pumpkin, which sits alongside butternut squash throughout the year. I find sugar, cheese, and kabocha pumpkins the most satisfactory to use. If these are not available — it can be hard to get your hands on a fresh pumpkin once the supply of fall pumpkins is gone — butternut squash is an excellent substitute, with its smooth, creamy texture. It is reliably available in grocery stores everywhere throughout the year. The scarcity of fresh pumpkin after late fall or early winter is one reason to cook up entire pumpkins and store the leftovers in the freezer for late-winter dishes.
Alternatively, keep whole fresh pumpkins during winter months by storing them in a dark, cool, dry place — not a refrigerator. A basement is perfect. For those without basements, store them outside and under cover from rain and rodents.
Adding Flavor
Fresh and dried herbs as well as spices can perk up the mild flavor of pumpkins.
Recommended herbs for savory pumpkin dishes: sage, thyme, rosemary, parsley (always use fresh because dried has no flavor), oregano, and marjoram
Recommended spices for savory pumpkin dishes: ginger, cumin, turmeric, chili powder, curry powders and pastes, whole cinnamon, whole cloves, and mustard
Don't be limited by these. Add your own favorites!
Cutting and Peeling
Sugar pumpkins are the easiest to cut because of their small size. Wash the skin and, with a large knife, cut the pumpkin in half. Remove the stem. Scrape out the seeds and fibers with a large metal spoon and cook (see Cooking Pumpkin, below).
For large pumpkins, like the Long Island Cheese pumpkin, be sure to use a large, sharp chef's knife and a stable cutting board. Put a damp paper towel under the board to hold it in place. Slice a small amount from the bottom so the pumpkin won't wiggle while you cut. Start at the top and rock the knife back and forth as you cut the pumpkin in half from top to bottom. Remove the seeds and fibers and lay the cut sides on the board. Cut into quarters at least, or into smaller pieces if called for. Cook and peel as indicated in the recipe.
If a pumpkin is very hard to cut, you might try using a cleaver. If all else fails, throw the pumpkin on a concrete surface to smash it or at least crack it open, then use your knife. This is obviously a method of last resort, but it really works, especially if you can drop the pumpkin from a few steps. You may need to resort to such drastic measures if your pumpkin is several months old because the skin becomes harder with time.
To peel an uncooked pumpkin, place the pumpkin cut-side down on a cutting board. With a sharp paring knife, cut the skin toward the bottom cut edge. Cut away from yourself. A cooked pumpkin is much easier to peel. When cool enough to handle, simply use a sharp paring knife to lift the skin from the pumpkin flesh.
Cooking Pumpkin
For all methods, scrub the outside of the pumpkin before cooking. Except for roasting whole or miniature pumpkins, pumpkins should be cut in half and the seeds removed. Pumpkin is done when the flesh is easily pierced with a fork.
Boil |
Steam |
Preparation Cut into wedges |
Preparation Cut into wedges |
Equipment 4-quart saucepan with cover |
Equipment 4-quart saucepan with steamer basket |
Temperature Boiling salted water over medium heat |
Temperature 1 inch of water boiling on high heat |
Time 20 minutes |
Time 25–30 minutes |
Microwave |
Roast |
Grill |
Preparation Cut into wedges |
Preparation Cut into large chunks; rub with oil Whole: Cut off top Mini: Leave whole |
Preparation Peel and cut into 1-inch chunks and rub with oil |
Equipment 2-quart covered dish |
Equipment Roasting pan, lightly greased |
Equipment Gas or charcoal grill |
Temperature High |
Temperature 400°F |
Temperature High |
Time Increments of 5 minutes, until done |
Time 45 minutes |
Time 5 minutes on each side |
Using the Pumpkin as a Serving Bowl
Heat the oven to 350°F (177°C). To prepare a small or mini pumpkin for individual servings, wash the skin, rub lightly with oil, and bake for 30 minutes, or until it is easily pierced with a fork. When cool enough to handle, cut a circle as you would for a jack-o'-lantern, about 2 inches from the stem. Remove the top and scrape out the seeds and fibers. Fill small pumpkins with salads, soups, risottos, puddings, or whatever you fancy. They make nice individual serving bowls.
To prepare a large pumpkin for use as a serving bowl for soups and stews, choose a creamy Long Island Cheese, a blue-skinned Queensland, or a bright orange Cinderella. Heat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Wash the pumpkin, cut off the top with a large knife, and scoop out the seeds and fibers with a large metal spoon. Rub the inside and outside lightly with oil and place the pumpkin and top on a jelly-roll pan. Bake the pumpkin and top for 30 minutes. Remove the top and continue baking the bottom for 15 minutes longer, or until it can be pierced with a fork but does not collapse. The pumpkin should be able to stand on its own.
Roasting
Genre:
- On Sale
- Jul 11, 2017
- Page Count
- 248 pages
- Publisher
- Storey
- ISBN-13
- 9781612128337
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