MY DAILY PUMPKIN RECIPE

Pumpkin Biscotti

2012-01-29T09:01:00.000-08:00

A biscotti is an Italian biscuit which is twice baked. Thatmakes it harder than a conventional biscuit, but they are meant to be drunkwith coffee.

Ingredients
1 large free range egg
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup fresh pumpkin puree
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
Pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups flour
4 ounces good quality white chocolate, chopped
5 tablespoons chopped toasted walnuts
Preheat the oven to 350 and line a baking sheet withparchment paper.
Method
In a bowl, whisk the egg, sugar and baking powder, until themixture turns pale yellow and forms ribbons when you remove the whisk. Add thepumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, salt and vanilla. Finally,sift in the flour and fold it in with a spatula, don’t overwork you need theair in the mixture.

Shape the dough into a flat log roughly 3″ wide by 8″. Bakefor 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from theoven, reduce the oven to 300 and let the biscotti rest at room temperature for15 minutes, pop the walnuts in to toast. Slice the pumpkin biscotti into 1/2″slices, place them back on the baking sheet and bake another 15 minutes , turnthem over and bake for another 10 minutes.
Let cool completely on a wire rack. Melt the white chocolateslowly, preferably in a bowl over hot water, and dip the pumpkin biscotti in.The idea is for them to look rustic, they will never look neat, so don’t eventry, the joy of these pumpkin biscotti is the taste not the visual appeal.Before the chocolate sets sprinkle on the toasted walnuts, then let thebiscotti set for fifteen minutes.

Pumpkin Walnut Focaccia with a Strong Cheese

2012-01-28T08:18:00.000-08:00

Pumpkin Walnut Focaccia with Cheese

Ingredients:

3/4 cup warm water (100° to 110°)
1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)

3 1/2 cups bread flour, divided

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1 cup cooked pumpkin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

3/4 cup (3 ounces) grated mature cheddar cheese, divided

1 teaspoon cornmeal

1/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds

Method
Pumpkin Focaccia
In a large bowl, combine water, sugar, and yeast; let stand 5 minutes. Add 1 cup flour and butter to yeast mixture; stir just until combined. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 30 minutes.Add pumpkin, salt, and nutmeg to flour mixture; stir until combined. Add 2 1/4 cups flour and half of cheese; stir until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes); add enough of remaining 1/4 cup flour to prevent dough from sticking to hands.

Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size. Punch dough down; cover and let rest 5 minutes. Divide dough in half; shape each half into an 8-inch circle. Place dough circles on a baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Sprinkle remaining cheese, nuts and pumpkin seeds evenly over dough circles; press lightly to adhere. Lightly coat dough circles with cooking spray; cover and let rise 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400°.

Uncover dough; bake at 400° for 28-30 minutes or until loaves are browned on the bottom and cheese melts. Cool on a wire rack.

Moroccan Meatballs with Pumpkin

2011-10-27T06:14:00.000-07:00

Moroccan cuisine is a rich spicy cuisine which uses tagines to cook the food. Many people think that tagines are a type of dish, but a tagine is a type of cooking dish. It has a lid and the condensation formed as the food simmers has to go back into the dish keeping it moist.

If you would like to know more about Moroccan food visit my Squidoo lens Tagines.

A tagine dish is not necessary to cook Moroccan food an ordinary pan with a lid will do just as well. I tend to use a tagine dish because it is a fabulous one pot to tabel dish,, and it looks spectacular. When you take the tagine lid off at table the fragrant aroma fills the dining room.

Making meatballs is always a hands on affair and it is best to get stuck in with your hands in a bowl and squeeze all the ingredients together. Pumpkin is not traditional in this dish, but it is a combination I tried in Australia and it is wonderful.

Lamb Meatballs With Pumpkin and Apricot

Ingredients

Meatballs

250 g minced lamb
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 / 4 teaspoon chili powder
2 handfuls of coriander leaves, chopped
1 handful of mint leaves, chopped
1 egg yolk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Olive oil for frying

The Pumpkin and Apricot Sauce

2 tablespoons of oil
1 onion, sliced
1 thumb of ginger, grated
1 generous teaspoon of harissa paste
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
100 ml chicken stock
400 g tin of chopped tomatoes with juice
50 g dried apricots, halved and soaked in a little boiling water
150 g pumpkin, cubed

Couscous With Pomegranites and almonds

200 ml chicken stock or vegetable
100 g couscous
The zest and juice of 1 large unwaxed lemon,
2 tablespoons harissa oil
1 handful of flaked almonds, lightly toasted
1 handful of pomegranate seeds

To Serve

Thick Greek Yoghurt

Fresh Mint.

Fresh Coriander

Method

Mix together the minced lamb, the garlic, cumin coriander and chilli, season and mix well. Then add the egg to bind the mixture. Shape into walnut sized balls and place on a baking tray.

To make the pumpkin and Apricot Sauce.
Saute the onions in the olive oil until they nearly cooked then add the harissa and ginger. Be careful with the amount of harissa it is fiercely hot and it is easy to add more, but more difficult to take out. Add the garlic, cumin and coriander, leave for one minute until you can smell the spices. Than add the tomatoes and simmer for fifteen minutes. Add the apricots and water and pumpkin and simmer for about ten minutes until the pumpkin is soft and cooked through.

Whilst the sauce is cooking fry the meatballs in olive oil to brown them. Pop them in a hot oven for ten minutes to cook, in this ten minutes start to prepare the couscous.

Whilst the meatballs are in the oven prepare the almond and pomegranate couscous. Boil the stock and add the couscous in a bowl and cover tightly with tin foil. Couscous is small pieces of semolina and it does not need a direct heat to cook it. Add a little harissa to the olive oil and let it stand whilst the couscous absorbs the cooking liquid. After ten minutes add the lemon juice and the harissa oil. To serve sprinkle the zest of the lemon over the couscous.

Pumpkin and Ginger Bread Pudding

2011-10-22T18:12:00.000-07:00

1 small sugar pumpkin or kabosha squash

Olive Oil

2 cups of heavy cram

4 eggs

1 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 loaf (about 10 cups) diced cinnamon brioche, challah or a madeira cake

1 cup golden raisins

1/4 cup diced crystallized ginger

Confectioners' sugar, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cut the squash in quarters and remove the seeds. Brush the insides with a little oil and arrange on a baking sheet, skin side up. Roast in the preheated oven until the squash is soft all they way through, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let cool. When the squash is cold, remove it from the skin and puree in a food processor. You'll need 2 1/2 cups of squash puree for this recipe.

For the pudding: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the heavy cream, eggs, brown sugar, spices, and vanilla and mix well to combine. Mix in the pumpkin puree. Combine the bread, raisins and ginger in the baking dish. Pour the pudding mixture over the bread to cover and let sit for 15 minutes.

Cook's Note: You may not use all of the filling. Add more filling if there's room in the dish once the bread has soaked.

Bake in the preheated oven until the custard is set, about 20 to 25 minutes.

It's fall in a dessert! To serve, spoon the pudding into bowls and sprinkle a dusting of confectioners' sugar on top.

Pumpkin Suppli (Fried balls of Pumpkin risotto stuffed with mozzarella cheese)

2011-10-20T06:23:00.000-07:00

Today I was just on my way out of the door for a walk, when a few friends popped around for a chat. What to do, I could have been rude and mentioned I was on my out, or I could sit down and make some fried pumpkin risotto balls and eat them with friends. No contest really. The only downside of this recipe is I have shall to go out for a run later, but the benefit was I only had two because I shared them, the calorie count would have been a lot worse otherwise.

Pumpkin Suppli With Buffalo Mozzarella

Suppli are deep fried balls of rice, and they are a perfect way to use up left over risotto or rice dishes. I have in the past made suppli from left over paella. I often make a pumpkin risotto with red peppers and brown rice with fried sage leaves, but that recipe is a little dry for suppli, which needs a creamy risotto made with short grain risotto rice.

You will notice that there is no maounts given in this recipe, well Pumpkin Suppli With Buffalo Mozzarella is not that sort of recipe. it is a leftover recipe served with love.

Ingredients
Left over pumpkin risotto
buffallo mozzarella
an egg beaten lightly
fresh brown bread crumbs

Method

Roll the pumpkin risotto in a ball and flatten slightly in your hand, put a cube of mozzarella in the centre and then roll into a ball. Dip in beaten egg and then in breadcrumbs and deep fry until golden brown. Drain and serve hot.

Pumpkin and Walnut tea bread

2011-10-18T13:52:00.000-07:00

If you ever tasted date and walnut tea bread then this is similar, a rich moist bread lovely with butter for afternoon tea.

1/3 cup butter, softened at room temperature
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup packed natural brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large organic eggs
1 1/2 cup mashed pumpkin
1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
Pinch of kosher salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup water
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup dark chocolate at least 80% grated

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Method

Lighly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan with butter. Sieve the flour, cinnamon, and salt into a bowl.
In another large bowl, combine butter, honey, and sugar and beat for two minutes. Add the eggs and lightly beat until combined. Gently fold in the puypkin and vanilla, then gradually fold in the flour.

Dilute the baking soda in ¼ cup of hot water, then add to the batter.Add the nuts and chocolate. Pour into the baking tray and bake for about an hour and ten minutes. Test for doneness after an hour.

2011-10-17T05:41:00.000-07:00

Pickled pumpkin

Eating pumpkin is a sure sign that summer is over, and in the case of London yet another year it was over before it was begun. At home in Malaga we eat pumpkin all year so we do not associate it with the passing of summer and of course we always have a summer.

Here I am pickling pumpkin and pickled pumpkin is a great way to use up the leftover pumpkin after you have made those halloween lanterns. The longer you leave it before eating the better it tastes, try to leave at least until boxing day as it ia perfect with baked ham and leftoverturkey

Ingredients for the pickled pumpkin

4 pounds peeled and diced pumpkin
5 cups brown sugar
5 cups distilled white vinegar
5 cinnamon sticks
5 allspice berries
Thumb of fresh Ginger
15 whole cloves

Method for Pickled Pumpkin

Place the pumpkin in a deep bowl. In a large saucepan, mix the sugar, vinegar, cinnamon sticks, ginger, allspice and cloves. Boil 5 minutes. Pour the hot liquid over the pumpkin cover and set aside 8 hours, or overnight.

Strain the liquid into a large saucepan. Boil 5 minutes. Remove most of the the cinnamon sticks and cloves, but lreave a few for decoration. Place the pumpkin back into the liquid and return to boiling. Boil 5 minutes, or until pumpkin is transparent but crisp. Allow the mixture to cool. Transfer to sterile jars and refrigerate.

Sri Lankan Chicken and Pumpkin Curry

2011-10-16T18:19:00.000-07:00

I have been making a typical Sri Lankan curry for years, but I have always used spinach, this weekend I could not get any fresh spinach but decided to add pumpkin.

Adding the pumpkin to the curry changed the dynamics of the recipe and made it drier and sweeter.

Ingredients
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
10 curry leaves
2 large red onions, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 thumb of fresh ginger, finely grated
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1 tablespoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground fennel
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoon of hot paprika
salt
2 tablespoons vinegar
3 tomatoes, chopped
6 green cardamom pods, bruised
1 stick cinnamon
1 stalk lemon grass, outer leaves removed and bashed
1.5kg chicken thigh cutlets, cut into 4cm cubes
1 cup thick coconut milk
1/2 cauliflower, cut into small florets
500g butternut pumpkin, peeled and seeds removed and cut into 2cm cubes
A handful of frozen peas
Garnish with fresh coriander

Method

In a large pan, heat oil and fry fenugreek and curry leaves until they start to brown. Add onions, garlic and ginger and fry gently until onions are soft, about 5 minutes.
Add turmeric, chilli, coriander, fennel, cumin, paprika, salt and vinegar and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Stir through tomatoes, cardamom, cinnamon stick and lemon grass. Add chicken and stir over medium heat until chicken is sealed and thoroughly coated with the spices. Cover and cook over a low heat for 40-50 minutes until the chicken is tender and the gravy has developed.
Add coconut milk, cauliflower and pumpkin and cook uncovered until soft, about 10 minutes. Add peas and cook for a further 2 minutes until warmed through. Serve hot with coriander, rice and yoghurt.

Pumpkin Cornbread

2011-10-16T12:43:00.000-07:00

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and grease an 8×8″ baking dish.

As winter draws ever nearer my thoughts are turning away from salads and towards more substantial food to keep the cold out.

I came across the idea of umpkin Cornbread at Sugarcrafter and I liked the look of the bread, but I think it is too sweet to serve with chilli.

The original recipe called for molasses but that was a step too far for me. Iadded more pumpkin for natural sweetness and only roughly mashed it to give to the bread.

Ingredients

1 cup flour

1 Tablespoon of baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup cornmeal

2 large organic eggs

1 cup pumpkin purée

1/4 cup olive oil

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and grease an 8×8″ baking dish.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, spices, brown sugar, and cornmeal.In a small bowl, lightly beat the eggs, and then stir in the pumpkin, oil, and molasses.Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until combined, and then pour the batter into the pan, smoothing out the top as much as possible.

Caramel Pumpkin Cake

2010-05-19T15:55:00.000-07:00

For the Caramel

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup heavy cream

pinch of salt

1 cup chopped toasted walnuts

For the Streusel

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

4 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon table salt

For the Cake

1/4 cup buttermilk

2 tablespoon sour cream

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

2 large organic eggs

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon table salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350F.

Coat a 9-inch pan with nonstick spray.

Method

Stir together the brown sugar, cream and salt for the caramel. Pour into a prepared pan and spread to coat the bottom. Sprinkle walnuts over the caramel.
In a food processor, process brown sugar, flour, butter, cinnamon and the salt for the streusel. Pulse until small clumps form; set aside.
Whisk buttermilk, sour cream, pumpkin puree and eggs together and place into a large measuring cup with a pour spout. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a small bowl. Cream the butter and sugar with a mixer just until combined.
Alternately add dry and wet ingredients, starting and ending with the dry. Blend each additions just until incorporated. Spread half the batter over the caramel, then sprinkle with half the streusel. Carefully spread remaining batter over that and top with remaining streusel.
Bake 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool cake for 5 minutes, then run a pairing knife around the sides to loosen. Invert onto a serving platter while hot, then let cool slightly before slicing.

Almond Butter Pumpkin Brownies

2010-05-18T09:54:00.000-07:00

I have made this with pistachio butter but I have to admit I prefer it with almonds.

Ingredients

1 cup almond butter (recipe below)

¾ cup mashed butternut squash steamed

1 large organic egg

1/3 cup honey

1 teaspoon baking soda

Chooped nuts for the topping these were brazil nuts.

Ingredients

Combine all ingredients in a bowl except the chopped nuts . Mix well. Pour into a greased 8 x 8 in pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Serves 8.

How to make Almond butter.

Boil almonds for a few minutes to loosen the skins, then squeeze the nut out of the brown shell. Roast the almonds i na hot oven for five minutes or deep fry them for a few minutes. Grind the almonds when still warm to make almond butter

Curried Pumpkin Bread

2010-05-17T08:40:00.000-07:00

You'll need to steam about 500g peeled, deseeded, chopped pumpkin for this recipe. This bread is great for sandwiches and as an accompaniment to a chargrilled lamb salad.

Ingredients
Melted butter, to grease
300g (2 cups) self-raising flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp mild chilli powder
450g (1 cup) mashed
cooked pumpkin
125ml (1/2 cup) milk
60g butter, melted, cooled
2 eggs, lightly whisked
2 tablespoons roast pepitas (pumpkin seed kernels)

Method
Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush an 11 x 21cm (base measurement) loaf pan with melted butter to lightly grease. Sift the flour, salt and chilli powder into a large bowl. Make a well in the centre.
Place the pumpkin, milk, butter and egg in a jug, and use a whisk to stir until well combined. Add the pumpkin mixture to the flour mixture, and stir with a large metal spoon until just combined. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Sprinkle evenly with pepitas.
Bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from oven. Set aside in the pan for 5 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool

Stuffed Haitain Chicken With Pumpkin Rice

2010-05-14T22:09:00.000-07:00

This is a taste of sunshine and no mistake.

For the roast chicken and gravy

1 x 1.6kg/3½lb whole chicken

15g/½oz butter

2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

350ml/12fl oz chicken stock

4 tablespoons Jamaican rum

For the bread stuffing

50g/1¾oz butter

½ onion, finely chopped

2 spring onions, trimmed, chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

large pinch freshly grated nutmeg

3 slices white bread, crusts removed, made into breadcrumbs

6 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only

1 lime, zest and juice

2 tablespoons Jamaican rum

2 teaspoons soft light brown or demerara sugar

For the tomato and plantain stuffing

15g/½oz butter

2 very ripe plantains, peeled and sliced

2 ripe plum tomatoes, cut into quarters

salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the pumpkin rice

550ml/1 pint cold water

400g/14oz pumpkin flesh, chopped

3 sprigs fresh thyme

1 teaspoon salt

450g/1lb basmati rice, rinsed and drained twice to remove excess starch

15g/½oz butter

Method

Gently ease the skin around the neck and breast of the chicken away from the meat using your fingers, reaching as far down the legs as possible. Set aside.

For the bread stuffing, heat the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and fry for 2-3 minutes, or until softened. Add the spring onions and garlic and cook for a further 2-3 minutes, or until softened. Add the nutmeg and breadcrumbs and continue to fry until the breadcrumbs are crisp and golden-brown. Add the thyme leaves, lime zest and juice, rum and sugar and stir well until combined. When the ingredients have warmed through and the sugar has dissolved, remove the pan from the heat and set aside.

When the bread stuffing mixture is cool enough to handle, push small handfuls of it under the loosened skin of the chicken, until all of the bread stuffing mixture has been used up. Tuck any loose neck skin into the cavity of the bird. Set aside.Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.

Meanwhile, for the tomato and plantain stuffing, melt the butter in a separate frying pan over a medium heat. Add the plantain and fry for 4-5 minutes, or until tender. Add the tomatoes and continue to fry for 4-5 minutes, or until the tomatoes start to break down and the sauce has thickened. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Stuff the cavity of the chicken with the tomato and plantain stuffing. (Alternatively, cook the tomato and plantain stuffing in a small roasting tray for 25-30 minutes while the chicken is cooking.) For the roast chicken, smear the butter over the skin of the stuffed chicken and sprinkle over the cayenne pepper. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place the chicken into a large roasting tin, then transfer to the oven and roast for 1½-1¾ hours, or until the juices run clear when a skewer is inserted into the chicken where the thigh meets the body.

Meanwhile, for the pumpkin rice, bring the water, pumpkin, two sprigs of thyme and salt to the boil in a large, covered pan, then reduce the heat until the mixture is simmering and simmer for 8-10 minutes, or until the pumpkin is tender. Remove and discard the thyme sprigs, then mash the pumpkin and cooking liquid together using a potato masher, until the pumpkin breaks down. Add the rice to the pan with the pumpkin mixture in it and stir. The liquid should cover the rice by 2-2½cm/1-1¼in, so add more water as necessary. Add the butter and stir until melted, then cover the pan with the lid and return the mixture to the boil. When the mixture is boiling, immediately reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer on a low heat for 18-20 minutes, without removing the lid, until the bottom of the rice has browned slightly and all of the rice is tender.

When the rice is cooked, add the remaining sprig of thyme, then turn off the heat and leave the pan on the residual heat for a further 3-4 minutes. When the chicken has cooked through, transfer it to a warm plate and cover with aluminium foil. For the gravy, add the chicken stock to the juices that collected in the roasting tray and bring to the boil, scraping up any browned bits up from the bottom of the tray using a wooden spoon. Simmer the gravy until it has thickened, then sieve, reserving the liquid. Heat the rum in a frying pan over a high heat, then remove from the heat and set alight using a match. Allow the flames to flare up, then die down. Pour the rum over the roast chicken. To serve, carve the roast chicken and divide it among six serving plates. Place a portion of the tomato and plantain stuffing on top of each serving. Spoon the pumpkin rice alongside. Drizzle over the gravy.

Pumpkin Stuffed With Creamy Cheese fondue

2010-05-14T05:29:00.001-07:00

As the pumpkin roasts, its skin becomes gorgeously burnished, while inside, slices of baguette, Gruyère, and Emmental coalesce into a rich, velvety concoction that is utterly fabulous served with a scoop of tender pumpkin flesh.

1 (15-inch) piece of baguette, cut into 1/2-inch slices

1 (7-pound) good eating squash or pumpkin

3/4 cup of white wine

3/4 cups light cream
1 cup home made chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
6 Ounces coarsely grated Gruyère

6 Ounces coarsely grated Emmental
1 tablespoon olive oil

Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in lower third.

Method

Toast baguette slices in 1 layer on a baking sheet in oven until tops are crisp (bread will still be pale), about 7 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.
Remove top of pumpkin by cutting a circle (3 inches in diameter) around stem with a small sharp knife. Scrape out seeds and any loose fibers from inside pumpkin with a spoon (including top of pumpkin; reserve seeds for another use if desired). Season inside of pumpkin with 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Whisk together cream, broth, wine, nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a bowl. Mix together cheeses in another bowl.
Put a layer of toasted bread in bottom of pumpkin, then cover with about 1 cup cheese and about 1/2 cup cream mixture. Continue layering bread, cheese, and cream mixture until pumpkin is filled to about 1/2 inch from top, using all of cream mixture. (You may have some bread and cheese left over.)
Cover pumpkin with top and put in an oiled small roasting pan. Brush outside of pumpkin all over with olive oil. Bake until pumpkin is tender and filling is puffed, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours.

Moroccan Lamb and Pumpkin Soup

2010-05-12T15:30:00.000-07:00

Ingredients
2 tablespoons Moroccan spice mix (recipe below)
6 (about 1.5kg) lamb shanks,
500g Butternut pumpkin, peeled, deseeded, cut into 1cm pieces
500ml (2 cups) chicken stock
500ml (2 cups) water
250ml (1 cup) passata (tomato pasta sauce)
1 x 400g can chickpeas, rinsed, drained
100g (1/2 cup) basmati rice
Fresh coriander leaves, to serve
Greek-style natural yoghurt, to serve

Moroccan Sopice Mix
5 teaspoons ground nutmeg
5 teaspoons ground cumin
5 teaspoons ground coriander
2 1/2 teaspoons allspice
2 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon

Method
Mix spices together and store in an airtight jar.

To Make the Soup.
Place spice mix on a plate. Add the lamb shanks and toss to lightly coat.
Add the lamb, pumpkin, stock, water and passata to a heavy based pan. Cover and cook on low for about four houers or until the lamb falls off the bone. Use tongs to remove bones and discard.
Add the chickpeas and rice. Cook for ffiteen minutes or until rice is tender.
Ladle among serving bowls and top with the coriander. Serve with yoghurt.

Butternut Squash and Peanut Butter Soup

2010-05-11T06:33:00.000-07:00

This winter is nearly over and the time for pumpkin will be waning soon, but this soup encompasses my favourite tastes, peanut butter, sweet potato and Pumpkin, what more could a gall ask for.

Ingredients
1 red onion

8 Ounces of Roast Pumpkin
1 medium sweet potato
2 heaped tablespoons of crunchy peanut butter
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups vegetable stock
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
few chives for garnish

Method
Chop the sweet potatoes roughly and steam them with the skin on, then mash roughyl with the pumpkin. In a pan, melt the butter and saute the onion until translucent stir in the pumpkin, sweet potatoes and peanut butter. Add the stock and stir and then season. Cook for about 10 minutes. You can garnish it with chives and sour cream.

Pumpkin curry with chickpeas

2010-05-10T15:54:00.000-07:00

Ingredients
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
3 tablespoons Thai yellow curry paste
2 onions finely chopped
3 large stalks lemon grass bashed with the back of a knife
6 cardamom pods
1 tbsp mustard seed
1kg butternut squash

250ml vegetable stock
400ml can reduced-fat coconut milk
400g can chickpeas , drained and rinsed
2 limes
large handful mint leaves
naan bread, to serve

Method

Heat the oil in a sauté pan, then gently fry the curry paste with the onions, lemongrass, cardamom and mustard seed for 2-3 mins until fragrant. Stir the pumpkin or squash into the pan and coat in the paste, then pour in the stock and coconut milk. Bring everything to a simmer, add the chickpeas, then cook for about 10 mins until the pumpkin is tender.
Squeeze the juice of one lime into the curry, then cut the other lime into wedges to serve alongside. Just before serving, tear over mint leaves, then bring to the table with the lime wedges and warm naan breads.

Ginger Pumpkin Meringue Pie

2010-04-25T16:17:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

Gingersnap Crust

3/4 cup finely crushed gingersnaps (12 cookies),

1/2 cup finely crushed graham crackers (7 cookies),

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/4 cup melted butter.

Filling
15 Ounces roast pumpkin
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
scant teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 organic eggs, lightly beaten
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup maple syrup

Brown Sugar Meringue

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Method

Prepare Gingersnap-Graham Crust by mixing all the ingredients and bake 4 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

For filling, in bowl combine pumpkin, sugar, ginger, salt and cinnamon. Add eggs.; lightly beat with fork to combine. Gradually stir in milk and maple syrup. Pour filling into pastry shell. To prevent overbrowning, cover edge of pie with foil. Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Uncover edges. Reduce oven to 350 degrees F.

To make the meringue

In large mixing bowl let 3 egg whites stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Beat on medium until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/3 cup packed brown sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high speed until mixture forms stiff peaks . Carefully spread Brown Sugar Meringue over hot filling; seal to edge. Bake 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack. Loosely cover and refrigerate within 2 hours.

Pumpkin Chilli

2010-03-08T07:20:00.000-08:00

Sweet flavors of butternut squash are balanced with spicy seasoning in this hearty one pan wonder, enriched with chick peas.

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 parsnip, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 medium butternut squash, roasted and diced

1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder
or
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups vegetable stock
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
1 1/2 cups chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoon tomato paste
4 green onions, chopped

Method

Place the peeled and cut pumpkin on a baking sheet, scoop out the seeds, spray lightly with cooking spray or olive oil and cover with aluminum foil. Roast in a 400 degree oven for 45-50 minutes, or until tender. Let squash pieces cool away from heat for at least 5 minutes before dicing.

Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat.Add carrots, celery, parsnip and onion to the pan and sauté 7-10 minutes, or until vegetables are soft.Add in the roasted squash to the pan. Season with cumin, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chipotle or cayenne pepper and salt and black pepper to taste. Stir to coat the veggies in spices.Stir in the vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, chickpeas and tomato paste. Bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until sauce comes together and is heated through.Garnish with green onions.

Roast Squash and baby onions

2010-03-05T07:35:00.001-08:00

Roast Squash and baby onions
Originally uploaded by mypumpkin.recipes

Ingredients
1 kilo of Fresh butternut squash
1/4 kilo of the baby cebollia onions
large dash of dry sherry or fino
Large handful of fresh sage leaves fried in butter

Heat oven to 350º

Saute the butternut squash in butter and olive oil for ten minutes. Peel and quarter the baby onions, but leave the root intact.Saute until both are a rich brown color then add the sherry and sage. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Spicy Pumpkin Bars

2010-03-01T17:11:00.000-08:00

3/4 cup unsalted butter
1 1/3 cups packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla essence
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 large organic egg
1 cup mashed pumpkin
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup raisins
1 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9X13 pan with cooking spray.

Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add the brown sugar and stir to combine. Turn up the heat just a bit and stir until mixture is hot and starting to bubble. Remove from heat and transfer mixture to a mixing bowl. Let cool until you can comfortably test it with your finger.

Add vanilla, baking powder, salt and spices. Beat well. Add egg, beating until smooth and scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl. Stir in the pumpkin, flour, raisins and dried cranberries, mixing thoroughly. Spoon batter into prepared pan.

Bake the bars for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center reveals moist crumbs. Remove from oven and let cool on cooling rack.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cupcakes

2010-02-27T09:45:00.000-08:00

I ummed and aahed for ages with this recipe, because I have never made a strudel topping I wanted to try it but I diod n not want a dry cupcake. Apart from it creating a mound of washing up the recipe turned out just great

Ingredients

Cupcake

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup white flour

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon,

smidgen of allspice

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 large organic eggs

1 1/3 cups freshly roasted pumpkin

1/3 cup olive oil

2 teaspoons pure vanilla essence

Cream cheese topping

1 x 8 ounce package cream cheese

1 large organic egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla essence

3 tablespoons mucavado sugar

Streusel topping

4 1/2 tablespoons flour

5 tablespoons white sugar

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

3 tablespoons butter

5 tablespoons chopped toasted walnuts

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Method

Cupcakes

In a large bowl, sieve together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Make a well in the centreand gradually incorporate eggs, mashed pumpkin, olive oil and vanilla. Beat together until smooth. Fill cups with pumpkin mixture to about a third full , add a teaspoon of cream cheese mixture and top with a little more cupcake mixture. Sprinkle on the streusel topping. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.

FILLING:
Beat cream cheese until soft. Add egg, vanilla and brown sugar. Beat until smooth. Set aside.
STREUSEL TOPPING:

Mix flour, sugar, cinnamon and pecans.Add butter and cut it in with a fork until crumbly. Set aside.

Pumpkin Almond Butter

2010-02-26T11:40:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1/2 cup almond butter

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoons pure vanilla essence

Blend ingredients until smooth.

Beef and Butternut Squash Curry

2010-02-20T08:44:00.000-08:00

Beef and butternut squash curry is the ultimate comfort food for cold Winter waether and the perfect foil for snow in London.

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

1 sweet yellow onion, sliced thinly

kosher salt

2 lbs. stewing beef,

2 branches of curry leaves (about 30 small leaves)

Thumb of fresh ginger, sliced

3 cloves whole garlic, peeled

1 13.5 oz. can coconut cream

2 cups water

2 teaspoons tumeric

2 tablespoons curry powder

1/4 teaspoon chilli powder

1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

2 teaspoon tamarind concentrate

Method

Heat the oil in a laerge pan, add the sliced onions and cook until softened and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add the curry leaves and stir-fry until fragrant, about 1 minute. Season the meat lightly with salt. Working in two batches, add the meat to the pot with the curry leaves, and sear on both sides until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Add the remaining ingredients, except for the squash, to the pot.

Bring the ingredients to a boil on high heat, then lower the heat to medium-low. Simmer partially covered, stirring occassionally for three hours. Then, add the squash to the pot, stirring the pieces in with the sauce and cook for ten minutes until tender.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

2010-02-06T06:10:00.001-08:00

I make cookies often and blog about them on my cookie blog, but this cookie has to be here and I have to say it is one of my favourites.

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour

2 1/3 cups oats

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg

good pinch of all spice,

2 sticks)unsalted butter at room temperature

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons honey

1 cup fresh pumpkin puree

1 large organic egg

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cinnamon and brown sugar for sprinkling on top of the dough before cooking.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Method

Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and salt in a bowl. Cream butter, honey and sugars in large mixer bowl until light and fluffy about three minutes. Add pumpkin, egg and vanilla - mix well.

Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not over mix. Chill dough for 30 minutes. Drop the cookie dough onto baking sheets with a tables`poonspoon. Bake for fourteen minutes. Cool on baking sheets for a couple minutes and then transfer to wire cooling rack.

Curried Butternut Squash and Chicken Soup.

2010-01-25T16:39:00.000-08:00

A cold and wet January in London calls for something that is tasty and heart warming and this soup ticks all the correct boxes. Not only is the soup tasty, but it is ready and on the table in about twenty five minutes, so it is still very do-able after a hard day at work.

Ingredients

1 butternut squash peeled and diced
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
6 garlic cloves, finely sliced
Thumb sized piece of fresh ginger, finely chopped
3 tablespoons of Thai green curry paste
1 can of coconut milk
5 cups of chicken broth
2 1/2 tablespoons Vietnamese fish sauce
2 1/2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
4 chicken breasts thinly sliced
1 tablespoon brown sugar
sprinkle of sea salt

Garnish
Fried leeks
raw scallion or spring onion

Method
Heat the oil in a large heavy pan and sauté the onions, garlic, and ginger in the oil for about five minutes. Add the curry paste and stir well in. Add the coconut milk, chicken broth, fish sauce, chili sauce, squash, and stir again . Bring everything to a boil, and simmer for about fifteen minutes until the squash is al dente. Add the chicken, sugar, and salt and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the pumpkin done. Taste to see that it has sweet, tart and spicy balance, top with cilantro and serve with lime wedges dipped in salt.

Chilli With Pumpkin

2010-01-24T12:17:00.001-08:00

I desperately wanted to eat chilli this weekend and when I looked the only beans I had were chickpeas, sooooooooooo as I did not fancy the chilli chick pea combination, plan B came about. Surprisingly enough the pumkin was delicious with chilli, so much so I think I will add it anyway the next time I make it. Although the chilli is technically ready when it is cooked it tastes better the next day, it improves with keeping and is one of the few dishes that develop a depth of flavour in the freezer.

Ingredients
4 dried ancho chiles
3 oz. bacon, diced
3/4 pounds onion, chopped
1 kilo of stewing beef cubed
4 large garlic cloves, peeled
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
1tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
10 Ounce can diced tomatoes
1 bottle dark beer such as Guinness
4 fresh chillis
2 large handfuls finely chopped fresh cilantro or coriander leaves
1 peeled, seeded and cubed butternut squash

Garnish
cilantro leaves
chopped red onion
diced avocado
shredded Monterey Jack cheese
warm tortillas

Method

Place chilies in medium bowl and pour enough boiling water over them to completely cover. Soak until chilies soften, at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Sauté the bacon until it begins to brown, then add onions, reduce heat to medium; cover and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Place the beef in a bag with seasoned flour and toss to coat. Drain chilies, reserving soaking liquid and blend them. Add all the ingredients to the pot except the squash and the fresh coriander. Cook for a few hours on a simmer until tender. Add the squash for the last ten minutes of cooking time and when it is ready add the coriander leaves.

Healthy Spiced Pumpkin bread

2010-01-21T18:55:00.000-08:00

Nothing is as comforting as a spicy bread or cake in Winter and this recipe is moist and delicious. it would make excellent french toast for breakfast.

Ingredients

2 cups flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup olive oil
3 large organic eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 cups shredded fresh pumpkin
Handful toasted pumpkin seeds or walnuts, or both

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Method
Sift the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together. In a separate bowl, mix the sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla. Combine both mixtures and fold in the shredded pumpkin and pumpkin seeds. Once the ingredients are all incorporated pour into a non- stick 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pan. If your pan is not non- stick coat it with butter and flour.

Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. At this point a knife inserted into the middle of the loaf should come out clean. Cool for 15 minutes and turn out onto a cooling rack. Cool completely. For muffins temperature should also be 325 degrees F., but bake for 30 minutes.

Roasted Butternut Squash and crispy Sage With Feta

2009-10-15T12:09:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

2 cups butternut squash cubed

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1 onion sliced

1 clove garlic chopped

1 tablespoon butter

2 handfuls sage leaves

4 Ounces of cubed Feta

Method

Toss the butternut squash with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper then roast

in a preheated 350F oven until tender, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oil and melt the butter in a pan. Add the onion and cook on low until caramelized, about 40 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for a few minutes and set aside.6. Melt the butter in a pan and let it brown. Add the sage leaves and saute until crispy, about 2-3 minute. Add everything to the pan and toss in the browned butter to coat and remove from heat when the feta starts to melt.

2009-10-11T03:50:00.000-07:00

The perfect Sunday morning brunch, crispy decadent and redolent with sage.

Butternut Squash Latkes with Sage Cream
1/2 butternut squash peeled and grated
4 pring onions chopped
1/4 cup flour

2 large organic eggs, lightly beaten
Large handful of fresh purple sage some whole and some chopped
salt and pepper
6 Tablespoon sour cream

Method
Preheat oven to 425

Combine the butternut squash, spring onions, flour, eggs, 4 chopped sage leaves and the seasoning. Use your hands to form the mixture into balls about the size of a golf ball. Brush a baking tray with olive oil and squash the balls with a spatula. Bake for 20 minutes, then turn over and brown the other side for five minutes.

Serve with sour cream and sage dip. Combine the sour cream and the remaining finely chopped sage, season and serve over the pumpkin latkes

CUMIN BUTTERNUT SQUASH RISOTTO

2009-10-11T03:13:00.001-07:00

Butternut squash is for me the quintessential Autumn food, it represents hearty warmth around a warm fire. Pumpkins symbolize halloween but I am British and they mean little to me and although I accept that pumpkins look appetising when raw and their colour is amazing, they actually do not taste all that good. I have been dreaming of a butternut squash risotto for weeks and eventually I came across my first squash of the Winter.

Ingredients
1 kilo of butternut squash
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon saffron threads
1/2 teaspoon paprika
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 shallots, finely minced
3 cups Arborio rice
Fresh vegetable stock
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons dill, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons Watkins mushroom ketchup
1 teaspoon white pepper, freshly ground
4 teaspoons pumpkin seeds, lightly toasted

Method
Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Peel and dice the butternut squash into largish cubes toss the squash squash in in a bowl with the salt, a tablespoon of olive oil, cumin powder and paprika.Roast for 20 minutes, until slightly browned and softened.

In a mortar and pestle, grind the saffron threads pour over about 1/4 cup of warm water

In a deep saucepan, sauté the minced garlic cloves in the remaining oil until golden. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and the shallots and saute until a pale golden. Add the rice and coat the rice with the butter gently. Add 1 cup of warm stock the mushroom ketchup and the saffron liquid. Stir constantly and add more stock when necessary.

When rice is almost cooked, add the butternut squash, and the rest of the butter. Let it rest for about five minutes. Sprinkle the pumpkin seeds and dill over to serve, serve the parmesan seperately.

SAVOURY PUMPKIN AND CAREMALISED ONION MUFFINS

2009-05-23T14:56:00.000-07:00

When I first saw this recipe, it was for vegans, but the muffins themselves looked so wonderful I had to adapt the

Scrummy Savoury muffins were my first thought when I saw this picture, but as it was vegan and for once I was not cooking for me I adapted it for the carnivores in my family.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups diced red onion
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
2/3 cup soy milk
1 teaspoon vinegar
3 tablespoons shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup roasted pumpkin puree
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup golden syrup

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Method
Cook the diced onion with the margarine, thyme and a pinch of salt in a pan over medium high heat until caramelized. To get good color stir often and cook for at least 15 minutes. Set aside to cool in a medium bowl. Mix together the milk and vinegar and set aside while the onions cool.
-Spray another skillet with oil and add the pepitas (pumpkin seeds). Carefully toast the pepitas over medium heat until a few begin to make popping sounds and color a light golden brown. Remove and toss with a pinch of salt.

In a large bowl, stir together the two flours, baking powder, baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.Add the soy milk mixture, the pumpkin, the oil and the golden syrup to the caramelized onions. Stir until combined. Dump the wet ingredients on top of the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Spray a muffin pan with oil and spoon the batter in, filling each compartment 2/3 of the way full. Sprinkle the toasted pepitas on top. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes and then remove from the muffin pan and cool the rest of the way on a baking rack.

Rustic Wild Mushroom , Caramalised Onion Butternut Squash and Goats Cheese Tart

2009-05-12T00:42:00.001-07:00

Rustic Wild Mushroom , Caramalised Onion Butternut Squash and Goats Cheese Tart
Originally uploaded by Girl Interrupted Eating

Yesterday I was researching wild mushroom recipes for my website
false morels and got totally diverted but fortunately I found this recipe because I also have a page devoted to wild mushroom recipes

Rustic Wild Mushroom Caramalised Onion, Butternut Squash and Goats Cheese Tart

For the pastry
100g of Plain Flour
50g of Butter
10ml of Water

Crumb the butter into the flour until you get a breadcrumb consistency. Add the water slowly to form a a dough and then wrap in plastic wrap and chill for half an hour.
Meanwhile prepare the filling

3 large onions
1tablespoon of butter
4 large handfuls of wild mushrooms
3 cloves of garlic
4 sticks of fresh thyme
10 slices of roasted butternut squash ( Thickly slice a roast at 200 deg for 20 minutes)

Finely slice the onions and saute with the butter very slawoly until they caramelise and sweeten.
In a seperate pan cook the mushrooms with a little olive and garlic , once they have softened and any water is reduced add the butternut squash and thyme. Mix the onion and mushroom mixture together gently.

Roll out the pasty into a circle to a couple of millimeters thick. Place the filling in the centre of the circle and gather the pastry around. Scatter with grumbled goats cheese and bake in a pre-heated oven at 180deg for approx 25 minutes

The meal was quick and tasty and certainly made very good use of my morels. However next tiem I would chargrill soem red peppers and use it instead of the goats cheese.

Chilli Pumpkin Cranberry Rissotto

2009-03-19T03:30:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

3 lb sugar pumpkin,
2 tablespoons olive oil

1red onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tablespoon fresh ginger finely chopped

4 hot red chilies, seeded and thinly sliced

1 1/2 cups arborio rice

1/3 cup dry white wine

5 cups vegetable broth, kept warm on the stove top

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1 cup coconut milk

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoonfreshly ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

juice of one lime

1 teaspoon agave

For the pumpkin seeds

2 teaspoons paprika

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

1/8 teaspoon salt

To prepare the pumpkin and seeds: Preheat oven to 350 F.

Cut the pumpkin in half and remove the seeds and the stringy bits with a tablespoon. Reserve the seeds and place them in a colander to clean.Lightly oil a baking sheet and place the pumpkin face down on sheet.Bake for about 35 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork, but not completely mushy. Once cooled, peel off the skin and chop pumpkin into bite sized pieces.

In the meantime, wash the pumpkin seeds and dry completely with a kitchen towel. Place on a baking sheet and sprinkle lightly with a little olive oil, toss to coat. You can toast them in the oven whilethe pumpkin bakes, it usually takes about 15 minutes. Toss once or twice. Remove from oven and place in a bowl to cool. Once cooled,sprinkle with the spices to coat.

For the Risotto

Preheat a heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Saute the onion, garlic, ginger and chilies in the oil for about 7 minutes, stirring often so you don't burn it. Add the risotto and stir to coat with oil. Add wine to deglaze the pot, then add first cup of vegetable broth.Use a wooden spoon to stir until most of the water is absorbed.

Continue adding veggie broth then stirring a few more times, until only a cup of broth is left. When you're at the last cup, add thepumpkin and cranberries and repeat stirring. When most of the liquidhas absorbed, add salt, nutmeg, cinnamon and lime juice. Stir incoconut milk. Cook for about 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally.Taste and adjust salt. At this point you can also add a teaspoon of agave to bring out the sweetness of the cranberries and pumpkin.

Let sit for about 10 minutes before serving, to let the flavors"marry." Scoop into bowls and garnish with pumpkin seeds.

Pumpkin, Red Lentil and Medjool Date Soup

2009-03-09T04:40:00.001-07:00

pumpkin soup
Originally uploaded by denkschema

This is a delightful warming sweet thick soup to enjoy on a chilly day. The dates give it a nice subtle sweetness and the pomegranite garnish enhance the soup.

Ingredients

100 grams red lentils
500 grams pumpkin, de-seeded and cubed
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
A handul of fresh thyme A handful of fresh tarragon leaves
1 large red onion, chopped
1 litre water
1 vegetable stock cube
Large pinch of chilli flakespinch of cayenne pepper
10 medjool dates chopped
splash lemon juice

To garnish Pomegranite seeds, chilli oil and fresh coriander

Method

Saute the chopped onions in the olove oil until they are translucent, add the thyme and tarragon, the pumpkin and the red lentils. Add the stock, chilli flakes and water and simmer gently until all the vegetables are cooked. Add the tomatoes and the dates and puree the mixture until smooth.
Add a splash of lemon juice and season to taste with a pinch of salt and cayenne.
Garnish with coriander leaves, chilli oil and pomegranite seeds.

Roast Pumpkin Salad

2009-03-01T03:27:00.001-08:00

Since moving to london from Spain (in the worst winter for twemnty odd years) I have been living on roast vegetables. I am virtually a vegetarian and tend not to eat much meat. However I miss my salads as well, so this roast pumpkin salad ticked all the boxes. A perfect lunch when served with wholemeal bread.

Ingredients
Large chunk of pumpkin peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

1 large red onion quartered2 tablespoons olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

10 Ounces of cooked french beans

1/3 cup walnuts

1 cup plain Greek yoghurt ( I used a nouhgt percent fat yoghurt)

2 tablespoons red balsamic vinegar

1 garlic clove, very very finely chopped

2 samll heads of baby gem, torn into bite-size pieces

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

On a large baking sheet, toss together the pumpkin, onion, and oil, and then season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 20 minutes until the pumpkin is tender but not mushy. Add green beans and walnuts and toss well. Roast for three minutes To make the dressing whisk together yoghurt, vinegar, and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Top the lettuce with roasted vegetable mixture and drizzle the dressing over the top.

Pumpkin, Seed, and Nut Cookies stack

2009-02-19T02:48:00.001-08:00

Pumpkin, Seed, and Nut Cookies stack
Originally uploaded by jess.t

Normally my diet is very healthy, but someties after a hard aerobic workout, nothing but a cookie will do. However I am fairly strict about the requirements for a cookie, they have to be healthy I know I know the idea of a healthy cookie is an oxymoron. First of all my cookies have to be soft and I have to attack their construction like the dishwasher method. Everything but the kitchen sink goes in I have to have oats, because they give the softness, not for me the Italian twice cooked cookie, I love to have a soft chewy cookie. In this case the soft bake comes from the oats and the pumpkin base, then the texture coems from the almonds, pumpkin seeds and chocolate for me it has to be dark chocolate.

Ingredients

1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup almond meal
2 tablespoons flaxseed meal
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 cup pumpkin
2 large organic eggs at room temperature
1 teaspoon oure vanilla extract
1 cup dark chocolate in small chunks
1 cup whole oats

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Method.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, spread the almonds and pumpkin seeds on the paper, and toast for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Set aside. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon baking mats, and set aside. Whisk the flours, almond and flaxseed meals, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon together in a medium bowl, and set aside.
Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy about 2 minutes. Whisk the pumpkin, eggs, and vanilla together in a small bowl, then add to the butter and sugar mixture, and mix on medium until well blended. Fold i nthe flour, add the chocolate chips, oats, and toasted almonds and pumpkin seeds, and stir to blend.

Drop the dough by heaping spoonfuls 2” apart on the baking sheets, and bake for 16 to 18
minutes, rotating the sheets top to bottom and front to back halfway through cooking, or until the cookies are barely cracked on top and brown around the edges. Cool for five
minutes on sheets, transfer to racks to cool completely.

Spicy Pumpkin Smoothie

2009-02-18T01:44:00.000-08:00

Some morning I go to the gym and when I have finished an hours aerobics and then an hours swim I am famished. I take this drink with me in a flask and it keeps me going unitl lunch.

Spiced Pumpkin Smoothies

3/4 cup pumpkin
3/4 cup Greek yogurt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons brown sugar(optional)
4 ice cubes
whipped cream (optional)

Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into 2-3 glasses. Serve with a small amount of whipped cream on top.

Pumpkin enchiladas with mole sauce

2009-02-13T05:19:00.001-08:00

Pumpkin enchiladas with creamy goat cheese and mole sauce
Originally uploaded by jen :)

Mole sauce is a rich, deep, smoky sauce with both a chocolate and chilli hit. I leave the seeds in my chllies because I like them hot, remove them if you prefer.

Ingredients
For the sauce
10 red chillies
2 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
25g/1oz flaked almonds
5 black peppercorns
3 cloves
1 red onion, sliced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
vegetable oil, for frying
400g/14oz can of chopped tomatoes
pinch of cinnamon
sugar, to taste
150ml/5fl oz chicken stock
100g/3½oz dark 70% cocoa-solids chocolate, grated

For the enchiladas
vegetable oil, for roasting
2 butternut squash, peeled and cut into 3cm/1¼in cubes
400g/14oz can of refried beans
freshly chopped coriander leaves
1 red chilli, chopped
12 soft flour or corn tortillas
salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve
soured cream
lime wedges
fresh coriander leaves

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6

Method

To make the sauce, put the chillies, coriander seeds, sesame seeds, almonds, peppercorns and cloves in a mortar and pestle and crush. Tip into a frying pan and dry fry for a minute or so until lightly charred and aromatic.

In a separate pan, saute the onion, garlic and cocoa in a little oil for two minutes. Add the tomatoes and bring to the boil, then add all the dry-fried spices, the cinnamon, sugar and stock and cook for 25 minutes. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. Turn out and fold in the chocolate.

For the enchildas, place some oil in a roasting dish and put in the oven to heat up. Place the squash into the roasting dish, season well and roast for forty minutes, or until soft. Put the squash in a bowl, add the refried beans, coriander and red chilli and stir to mix.

Divide the mixture between the tortillas, roll up and cut the ends straight. Put in a baking dish, cover, and cook in the oven for about ten minutes minutes, until warmed through.To serve, put two tortillas on each plate and spoon over a little of the sauce. Serve with bowls of soured cream, lime wedges and fresh coriander alongside.

2009-02-07T06:01:00.000-08:00

This is my first winter back in the UK for twenty years
I am finding the cold difficult to say the least. Then this week the ground has been covered with white stuff and it has been horrid.The only thing that has kept me going is the thought of Caribean comfort food.

large hjar of cooked chickpeas
30ml (2 tablespoon) olive oil
Handful of fresh thyme or lemon thyme
1 onion, red finely chopped
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced
30ml madras curry paste
450g (1 lb) pumpkin peeled and cubed
5ml (1 tsp) salt
500ml (2 cups) vegetable stock
6 spring onions (scallions), finely chopped
30ml (2 tablespoons)freshly squeezed lime juice
60ml (4 tablespoon ) coriander, chopped

Method

Saute the onion in the hot oil for five minutes, add the thyme, chilli, garlic and curry paste and pumpkin and simmer for twenty minutes unitl cooked. Add the spring inion and lime and cook for a few seconds. Serve sprinkled with the fresh coriander.

Barbecued Swordfish Steaks, Cardamom Pumpkin and Onion Salsa Recipe

2009-01-27T01:40:00.000-08:00

Barbecued Swordfish is one of my favourite tastes of Summer in Malaga. The smoked taste of the fish and the Mediterranean perfectly complement one another

Ingredients

Gazpacho oil
4 tomatoes
1 red onion, peeled
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 red capsicum, seeds and membrane removed
1 cucumber, peeled and seeded
4 red chilies
2 slices white bread
200 ml white wine vinegar
600 ml extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
salt and pepper
Salsa
1 butternut pumpkin, peeled and deseeded
2 red onions, peeled
3 cardamom pods, split
1 teaspoon cardamom powder
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
3 tablespoons olive oil
Swordfish
4 swordfish steaks
salt and fresh ground pepper

Method.
To make gazpacho oil
Roughly chop tomatoes, onion, garlic, capsicum, cucumber, chillis and bread and place in bowl.
Pour over vinegar and toss well and marinate for 2 hours, then puree in blender until smooth.
Gradually whisk in olive oil. Add parsley and season.
To make salsa
Preheat oven to 220 degrees Celsius.
Cut pumpkin and onion into 1cm cubes.
Toss pumpkin with cardamom pods, cardamom spice, ginger, garlic and olive oil.
Place on baking tray and roast in oven turning frequently until pumpkin is nearly cooked, then add onion for the last 5 to 10 minutes to brown.
Add salt and pepper and toss well.
To cook fish
Lightly season fish and cook over hot barbeque until cooked to your liking four minutes each side.
To serve
Place two large spoonfuls of salsa in middle of plate. Place fish on top and drizzle gazpacho oil over and around plate.

Pumpkin Porridge

2009-01-25T14:39:00.001-08:00

This is a heart warming January London breakfast. Just a month ago when I lived in Spain my breakfast was a piece of fruit. Now having relocated to London my breakfast is far more substantial, but it still has my favourite pomegranite seeds the emblem of Andalucia.

Ingredients

1 cup pumpkin water
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup oats
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 ounces of mashed pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla sugar
Pomegranate seeds
Chopped walnuts
Brown sugar for sprinkling
Method
Bring the pumpkin water and salt to a boil. Stir in the oats. Cook for two minutes. Add the cinnamon, pumpkin, and vanilla sugar and cook until the oatmeal reaches desired consistency.
Top oatmeal with pomegranates, walnuts, and a sprinkling of brown sugar.

Spicy Pumpkin Enchiladas

2009-01-15T07:23:00.001-08:00

Enchiladas
Originally uploaded by ex.libris

These enchiladas are spicy and sweet at the same time.

Ingredients

15 ounces of pumpkin puree
10 ounces corn kernels
4 ounces of cooked red pepper
1 finely diced red onion
3 ounces of walnut pieces
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
8 x 6-inch tortillas
1 ounce baby spinach leaves, washed and patted dry
10 ounces of your favourite salsa
4 ounces of grated Monterey jack cheese

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-by-12-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking oil spray.In a medium bowl, combine the pumpkin, pepper, corn, onion, walnuts, garlic, cumin, paprika, chili powder, salt and cinnamon. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.

Separate the 8 corn tortillas and lay them on a work surface. Spoon equal amounts of the pumpkin mixture down the center of each tortilla. Lay a few baby spinach leaves on top of the mixture, if desired, and roll to close. Place seam side down in the baking dish. Top the enchiladas with the salsa, spreading it to cover, and sprinkle the cheese on top. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cheese has browned and the filling is hot. Place 2 enchiladas on each plate; serve immediately.

Pumpkin and orange scone

2009-01-10T05:13:00.001-08:00

Pumpkin and orange scone
Originally uploaded by Mitsooko

Scones are the perfect accompaniment to afternoon tea either an adult luxury tea or a cozy tea with the kids, all that is needed is a log fire. Scones are best eaten warm from the oven and if you must keep them until the next day they are best toasted. They are also best if handled very quickly, don't labour the shaping of them because to get light and airy scones you do not need to activate the gluten in the flour.

Ingredients

1/2 cup fresh pumpkin
2 cups all purpose flour
2 Tablespoons butter,
4 Tablespoons sugar
1 large organic egg
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 pinch salt
1/3 cup golden raisins
2 tablespoons orange zest.

Method
Preheat the oven to 375°
Beat egg with sugar and add sugar and pumpkin.Sift flour, baking powder and salt and add to the wet ingredients. Add raisins and orange peel. Be careful not to over mix.

Shape dough into a circular shape about half an inch thick, either cut the dough into small shapes with a glass or cut the top half of the dough eight.

Preheat the oven, bake at 375°for about twenty five minutes.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies

2009-01-08T11:18:00.001-08:00

Spicy Pumpkin Bread & Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies 4
Originally uploaded by Melissa Bernais

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
1 cup pumpkin
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon milk
1 cup chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

Dissolve baking soda in milk and set aside. In large bowl whisk together pumpkin, sugar, oil, vanilla, and egg.

In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and then. Stir in the baking soda mixture and then chocolate chips. Spoon onto cookie sheet. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until done.

Butternut Squash Sage Derby Risotto With Tarragon

2009-01-07T09:38:00.000-08:00

Sage Derby is a rather strong tasting English cheese with deep veins of green sage running through it and Sage and pumpkin are a marriage made in heaven. If you cannot get it omit and use a little more parmesan to get the creamy effect of a risotto.

7- 8 cups of fresh chicken broth
3 tablespoons butter
1 1/4 cups finely chopped onion
1 lb butternut squash, peeled, halved, seeded, and diced
4 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon
14 ounces of arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
5 ounces of baby spinach leaves

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Method
boil the broth in a large saucepan. Cover and reduce heat to low. Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add squash and 2 teaspoons of tarragon and continue saute to for five minutes.

Add rice and stir until well coated with butter. Add the wine and simmer until evaporated. Add six cups of the hot stock and boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered stirring regularly until rice is just tender and risotto is creamy and slightly soupy. Add as much extra stock as is necessary to maintain the creaminess. When the rice is cooked stir in spinach, and Parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper and more tarragon leaves.

Pumpkin Soup With Creamed Cider

2009-01-01T09:41:00.001-08:00

Pumpkin Soup
Originally uploaded by Carmyarmyofme

Roasted Pumpkin Soup with Cider Cream

For cooking, use small, sweet pumpkin varieties with a thick flesh and a fairly small seed cavity, such as the Sugar Pie, Baby Bear or Cheese pumpkin. Instead of pumpkin, you can use kabocha squash, which has bright green skin marked with paler green stripes and pale orange flesh.

Ingredients:
4 lbs baking pumpkins or kabocha squash, quartered and seeded
Olive oil as needed
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 carrots, peeled and thickly sliced
6 shallots, thickly sliced
2 celery stalks, thickly sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 Tablespoon minced fresh sage
6 cups chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup apple cider, reduced to 2 Tbs. and cooled

Position 1 rack in the upper third of an oven and 1 rack in the lower third, and preheat to 425°F.
Method
Divide the pumpkins among 2 baking sheets. Drizzle the pumpkins with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the pumpkins, cut side down, on the baking sheets. Roast, turning the pumpkins occasionally, until they are tender and beginning to brown, about 45 minutes; rotate the baking sheets halfway through the roasting time. Let the pumpkins cool, then scoop the flesh into a bowl.

In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, warm 2 Tbs. olive oil. Add the carrots, shallots, celery, salt and pepper. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic, nutmeg and sage and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute. Add the pumpkin flesh and broth, cover the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth.

In a bowl, whisk the cream until slightly thickened. Whisk in the reduced apple cider until blended. Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and drizzle with the cider cream. Serve immediately.

Mediterranean Pumpkin Tart

2008-12-29T06:38:00.000-08:00

Pumpkin and puff pastry make a beautiful combination rich and creamy. This dessert is a different way to serve pumpkin. You can also purchase a butter puff pastry which is as good as home made which saves the hassle of rolling out the puff pastry three times.

Ingredients
1 package puff pastry, thawed
300 grams fresh butternut pumpkin, grated
100 grams golden raisins
50 grams of dried figs
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons butter

Preheat the oven to 250 C

Method

Grease a large, rimmed baking sheet with butter and roll out the puff pastry and cut in half, and place one rectangle on the baking sheet. Dot with butter, then add the sugar, spices, figs and raisins. Mix the grated pumpkin and flour together and sprinkle over the base. Cover with the remaining pastry and paint a layer of milk on the top of the pastry so that it will go an appealing brown when cooked.

Bake in the preheated hot oven for about twenty five minutes or until the dough is flaky and lightly browned. Serve with lashing of fresh cream flavoured with the zest of an orange.

Pumpkin and Ginger Ice Cream

2008-12-27T07:05:00.001-08:00

Food & Wine Festival
Originally uploaded by Anonymous New York

This icecream is a creamy custardy icecream and it is perfectly complemented by the fresh ginger.

Ingredients

500ml/18fl oz double cream
2 tablespoon finely chopped, fresh ginger
4 free range egg yolks
125g/4½oz caster sugar
125g/4½oz cooked butternut squash, puréed
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Method
Fill a large bowl with ice and a little water.Place the cream and ginger into a saucepan and bring to the boil.Remove the saucepan from the heat and cover, leaving the cream to infuse for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes return the pan to the heat and bring back to the boil.
Place the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl and whisk together.Pour in some of the hot cream mixture into the egg yolks and whisk continuously to combine.

Pour the egg yolk mixture into the saucepan containing the rest of the cream and continue cooking gently for 3-4 minutes, or until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Add the butternut squash to the cream mixture and, stir in throughly.Place the saucepan into the iced water bath, stirring occasionally, until chilled. Add the lemon juice to the cream and strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Pour the mixture into an ice cream machine and churn until smooth. Keep frozen until ready to use.

Pumpkin Laksa

2008-12-26T08:09:00.001-08:00

Pumpkin Laksa
Originally uploaded by Girl Interrupted Eating

This Asian style soup is a quick and easy nourishing Winter soup
Ingredients
50g of Dried Noodles
100g of roasted pumpkin ( or steam some fresh until soft) chopped into chunks
1 Fresh Red Chilli
Handful of fresh coriander
Handful of fresh mint
2 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons of sunflower oil
a cup of coconut milk
1 tablespoon of fish sauce
Fresh lime juice

Pour sufficient boiling water over dried egg noodles, to cover top wioth a plate and leave for ten minutes to soften.

Make a paste from the chilli, ginger, coriander, garlic, oil in the food processor.Fry the pumpkin in the paste add the coconut milk and pour in the noodles including the water , and dash of fish sauce .

To serve add extra coriander leaves and a squirt of lime

Pumpkin Spice Bread With Perry Cider Cream Cheese Frosting

2008-12-25T04:52:00.005-08:00

Pumpkin Spice Bread & Apple Cider Cream Cheese Frosting Sandwiches (w/ Recipe)
Originally uploaded by jen_m_stewart

This is a moist rich pumpkin bread with a pear cider cream cheese frosting which is a wonderful moist Christmas icing.

Pumpkin Spice Bread

1 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup mashed pumpkin
1/2 cup pear butter
1/2 cup pear cider
2 large organic eggs.
1 2/3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves

Method
Combine first five ingredients in a small bowl and beat well. In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients and mix well. Gradually add second bowl to pumpkin mixture and beat well.

Pour mixture into 9"x5" loaf pan -- either non-stick, or lightly oiled. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 65 - 70 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool.

Apple Cider Cream Cheese Frosting

2 cups pear cider or perry
8 ounces cream cheese, cut into bits and softened
1/2 cup plus one tablespoon sifted confectioners' sugar
1/2 stick of butter, softened

Boil the cider in a saucepan until it is reduced to about 1/4 cup and let it cool. In a bowl with an electric mixer beat together the cream cheese, the butter, the confectioners' sugar, and the reduced cider until the icing is smooth.

To assemble the cakes slice the bread into slices and sandwich together with the icing and quarter.

Pumpkin Gingerbread Loaves

2008-12-22T04:33:00.001-08:00

steaming hot gingerbread pumpkin loafs.. soo good.
Originally uploaded by mymostofme

I am not especially fond of traditional Christmas food, as a vegetarian the traditional Christmas diner is out, I am more likely to eat a vegetable curry than anything else at Christmas. I do not like Christmas cake, or Christmas pudding but love Gingerbread and of course the eponymous name of this blog indicates that I love pumpkin. This gingerbread recipe is rich and for me a perfect accompaniment to morning coffee. I love them for Christmas morning with breakfast I cut thick slices and dip them in eggs mixed with more ground ginger and then fry them in butter.

Pumpkin Gingerbread

2 1/2 cups brown sugar
2/3 cup vegetable oil
4 large organic eggs
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup treacle
16 ounces pureed pumpkin
2 teaspoons ginger
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
1 teaspoon cloves
3 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Method

Grease two large loaf tins. In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, oil and eggs. Beat until smooth. Add the milk, treacle and vanilla and beat until well mixed. Fold in the pumpkin and spices. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture and blend just until all ingredients are incorporated. Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake for about an hour or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean.

Pumpkin Crème Brûlée

2008-12-17T08:21:00.001-08:00

Pumpkin Crème Brûlée
Originally uploaded by p.tam

One of my favourite foods is pumpkins and my favourite chef is Emeril Lagasse, so this recipe which combines both is pretty memorable.

Ingredients
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar, plus 4 teaspoons
8 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 cup mashed cooked pumpkin

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Arrange 8 (1/2-cup) ramekins or custard cups in a large metal baking pan.

In a medium saucepan, combine the cream, brown sugar, and 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Bring to a bare simmer over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat.

In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks until frothy and lemon-colored. Slowly add 3/4 cup of the hot cream mixture, whisking constantly. Add the egg mixture to the remaining hot cream, and whisk. Add the vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin, and whisk until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl. Divide among the prepared custard cups.

Add enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the cups. Bake until the custards are just set in the center but not stiff, 45 minutes to 55 minutes. Remove from the oven and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 3 hours or overnight.

Sprinkle each custard with 1/2 teaspoon of the remaining sugar. Using a kitchen torch, caramelize the sugar. (Alternately, preheat the broiler, and broil until the sugar melts and caramelizes, watching closely to avoid burning and rotating the cups, about 1 to 2 minutes.) Place on small dessert plates and serve.

Pumpkin Gnocchi With Sage Butter

2008-12-15T05:31:00.001-08:00

pumpkin gnocchi
Originally uploaded by houkouonchi

These pumpkin gnocchi have a mild flavour made nutter with the nutmeg a spice combination made in heaven for pumpkin. The Sage butter is a perfect accompaniment with a hint of chilli.

Ingredients:

1 cup pumpkin, cooked and mashed
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch garlic powder
pinch cayenne pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon of butter
1 tablespoon red chili pepper
12 sage leaves
2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

Method

Cut the pumpkin, if it is organic you can leave the skin on, if not, cut away the outer parts, de-seed and cut into medium size chunks.
Place them in a pot with very little water and steam them until soft about five or six minutes.

Remove from the heat and puree or mash with a potato masher.
Add the pinch of garlic powder, the pinch of cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon. of nutmeg, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the allspice and mix well.

Slowly mix in flour and knead until it forms a smooth dough. If it is too wet, add a bit more flour until it is a smooth ball of dough. Let it rest for 30 minutes.

Divide the dough into bite sized pieces. Mark them with the tines of the fork.Cook them in boiling water until they float

In a smaller sauce pan, saute garlic with olive oil and butter add the red chili pepper and the sage leaves. When ready to serve, pour the sauce over the gnocchi and mix well. Dust with cinnamon and grate fresh parmesan over the top.

Butternut Squash Chips

2008-12-13T05:48:00.001-08:00

Pre-Dinner Snack
Originally uploaded by sonicstallone

These chips are a healthier alternative to potato crisps, becasue they are baked they have a much less fat content. I like then with cumin, but I have a hankering to try them with nutmeg or also sage fried in butter. Whatever spices you use do not attempt to do them without a madoline because you will never be able to slicew them thin enough.

1 butternut squash, preferably one with a long, narrow neck
spray olive oil
salt
Spices
Cumin is great
Special tools: mandoline

Heat oven to 400 degrees

Set up an ice bath by placing ice in a large bowl of water. Spray a large baking sheet with olive oil. Bring a pot of salted water to boil

Cut off the bulb part of the squash and set aside for another use. Peel the skin off of the squash and cut crosswise into 3-inch chunks. Using your mandoline cut the squash, crosswise into 1.3mm slices.

Blanch the squash in the boiling water, about two minutes then transfer it to the ice bath to cool. Dry all of the chips with a towel or paper towel and lay them out on the baking sheet. Spray them with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt or spices.

Set the squash on your oven’s middle rack and bake until golden brown and crispy. Keep and eye on them as some may cook faster than others even though they are sliced evenly.

Pumpkins stuffed with wild Mushroom Sage and Cheese.

2008-12-12T06:12:00.001-08:00

Stuffed Pumpkins
Originally uploaded by J-Hob

I used a parmesan cheese for this recipe but any sharp cheddar would be lovely and in the past I have also made it with gorgonzola. I sometimes add cubes of boiled bacon or ham for flavour.

Ingredients
2 small butternut squash pumpkins
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Gernerous amount of freshly ground black pepper

Stuffing

12 Ounces of sage and garlic wholemeal croutons
1 cup pumpkin ale
4 tablespoons butter
2 large leeks halved, rinsed and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
8 oz cremini mushrooms
12 oz chantrelle, morrel, shitake or other wild mushrooms mushrooms
Handful of fresh sage
1teaspoon of fresh thyme,
Ground black pepper

Method

Halve the butternut squash and scoop out the seeds. Rinse and pat dry, inside and out. Mix a tablespoon of olive oil with 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt and a few turns of a peppermill. Rub your fingers in the oil, then coat the inside of each pumpkin. Set pumpkins aside.

Saute the leeks, celery, garlic, and mushrooms in the butter, and cook until the mushrooms have released all their moisture. Stir in the pepper, thyme and sage. Add the stuffing cubes and poor the ale over the cubes. Toss the stuffing until it is combined thoroughly and the cubes have absorbed all the moisture.

Stuff each pumpkin with the stuffing, pressing down with a spoon to ensure that the pumpkins are well packed. Top with freshly grated cheese and bake the pumpkins in a preheated oven at 350 for at least three quartes of an hour but it may be as long as ninety minutes until the pumpkins are completely done

Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Praline Sauce

2008-12-06T03:06:00.001-08:00

Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Praline Sauce
Originally uploaded by Dulcedo Blog

A rich bread pudding redolent of the flavours of the Southern USA, this pudding is definitely a keeper. Next time I may be
tempted to add walnuts, pecans would be more authentic,
but I cant get them, so it will have to be walnuts.

Ingredients

Pumpkin Bread Pudding
1 1/2 cups whole cream
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons bourbon
3/4 cup mashed pumpkin
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs plus 1 yolk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
Pinch of ground cloves
5 cups cubed (1-inch) day-old brioche
3/4 stick unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup bourbon-soaked raisins**

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Whisk together the pumpkin, milk, cream, bourbon, sugar, eggs, yolk, salt, and spices in a bowl.Toss bread cubes with butter in another bowl, then add pumpkin mixture and and toss to coat. Put your raisins in a small saucepan and add enough bourbon to cover the bottom of the pan. Bring the bourbon to a boil and then turn off the heat and cover the pan. Let the raisins soak in the covered pan until they absorb up most or all of the bourbon, about 30 minutes.Then add to the bread pudding mixture

Leave for an hour to let the bread absorb the egg mixture.
Transfer to an ungreased 8-inch square baking dish and bake until custard is set, 25-30 minutes. Serve warm topped with praline sauce and whipped cream.

Praline Sauce

1/4 cup butter
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
16 large marshmallows
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 dash salt
1 cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Stir in brown sugar, marshmallows, corn syrup, and salt. Bring to a boil over low heat, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and cool for 5 minutes. Stir in evaporated milk and vanilla and mix well.

Pumpkin, Spinach, Mushroom and Walnut Lasagna

2008-12-04T02:05:00.001-08:00

If I had to make this again I would use the recommended amount of spinach I had to compromise with this recipe because I had only half the spinach and it need the full amount and I have to say next time I would simmer the pumpkin with the tomato and merely layer the mushrooms without cooking them as they will cook in the oven.

Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions chopped
2 cloves garlic finely sliced
14 oz (420g) can tomatoes
½ cup fresh vegetable stock
salt
freshly ground black pepper
Handful of chopped fresh sage
2 lb (1kg) Butternut squash cubed
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
6 Ounces (180g) dried lasagna sheets
8 Ounces (240g) frozen spinach thawed and squeezed dry
4 Ounces (120g)of field mushrooms
8 oz (240g) ricotta cheese
3oz (100g) chopped walnuts
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F and lightly grease a baking dish with olive oil.

Method
Sauté the onion in the olive for five minutes, stirring regularly add the garlic and cook for a minute. Add the tomatoes and crush lightly with the back of a wooden spoon, stock, nutmeg, salt, pepper and sage and simmer for ten minutes. Steam the pumpkin for five minutes until al dente soft. Place a small ladle of sauce on the bottom of the baking dish and cover with a layer of lasagne sheets and cover with some of the tomato sauce, and a little of the pumpkin and mushrooms and then a layer of spinach, repeat the layers and then add the walnuts ion top. Cover with parmesan cheese to taste and bake for about thirty minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbly.

Pumpkin and Chocolate Swirl Brownies

2008-12-03T16:30:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

8 tablespoons (4 ounces) (1 stick) unsalted butter,

6 ounces good quality dark chocolate, chopped

2 cups plain flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 sugar

4 large organic eggs

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups pumpkin

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 all spice

1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Method

Generously grease a 9-inch square baking dish with butter. Melt the dark chocolate and butter by gently heating in a heavy based pan.

Sieve together flour, baking powder, cayenne, and salt in a large bowl; set aside. Beat together the sugar, eggs, and vanilla until fluffy and pale about five minutes. Fold in the flour.

Pour half of batter into a separate bowl and stir chocolate mixture into it. In other bowl, stir in the pumpkin, oil, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Transfer half of chocolate batter to prepared pan and top with half the pumpkin layer. Repeat the layers.

With a small wooden spoon gently swirl the two batters together to create a marbled effect. Sprinkle with hazelnuts. Bake until set, for about forty minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack.

Pumpkin and Cranberry Cake

2008-12-01T02:04:00.000-08:00

A delightful cake to serve in Winter, if you have not got fresh cranberries then soak dried cranberries in a dry sherry overnight. If you do make it kid friendly then use orange juice.

Ingredients

Topping
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup butter
1 1/2 cups cranberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Cake
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
1 large organic egg
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup cooked pumpkin
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon allspice.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F

Grease a nine springform baking tray. Boil the brown sugar and butter in a small saucepan until the butter has melted.Pour into the springform and sprinkle with cranberries and walnuts.
Cream the butter and sugar together until pale, add the eggs and beat well. In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, pumpkin and vanilla extract and fold in with a plastic spatula. In another small bowl, combine the dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream mixture. Spread the batter on the cranberry mixture in the pan. Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the centre comes out clean.

Cool for ten minutes then place a plate over the cake tin and invert, serve the cake warm from the oven with plenty of cream or crème fraiche.

Thai spiced Pumpkin Soup

2008-11-30T06:05:00.001-08:00

Thai-spiced Pumpkin Soup
Originally uploaded by Kitchen Wench

The colours of pumpkin skin also vary enormously. Start with every tint of orange, of course, from amber to apricot, coral to persimmon.

Then envision inky black or ghostly white; buttercream or slate blue; sage green or darkest myrtle. Some favour even more outlandish hues: baby pink; mustard; salmon; shiny, fiery red. Some aren't content with a single shade at all, so they tart themselves up in stripes, mottles, marbling, and speckles, however Pumpkin comes I love it I also love hot and spicy food and one of my favourite cookbooks is Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid’s Silky Coconut Pumpkin Soup from their book Hot Sour Salty Sweet.

Thai-spiced Pumpkin Soup

This recipe is modified from Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid’s Silky Coconut Pumpkin Soup from their book Hot Sour Salty Sweet.

I like roast pumpkin for a soup as it gives a depth of flavour missing from the boiled pumpkin. Cut the pumpkin, then cut the peel off it and cut into chunky chunks and drizzle with olive oil and roast in a hot oven until cooked.

4 cups mashed pumpkin
3 cups fresh chicken broth
2 (13.5 oz) cans light coconut milk
4 slices of bacon
1 Vidalia onion, chopped
5 shallots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 Tablespoons of Thai fish sauce
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon sweet curry powder
1 tablespoon of Thai green paste
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder
salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
Method
In a heav pot, cook bacon on low heat until very crispy. Place cooked bacon on paper towels to drain. Pour off excess fat, leaving about 3 tablespoons in the pot. Add onions and shallots. Cook on medium heat until translucent and softened. Add garlic and cook another minute or two more. Stir in mashed pumpkin and cook until pumpkin is heated through.
Add coconut milk, chicken broth, and parsley. Bring up to a gentle simmer.Partially blend the soup if you like chunks of pumpkin for texture, if not then purée it until silky smooth.

Add spices, fish sauce, sugar, salt, and pepper. Gently simmer for 15 minutes or so to allow flavour to meld. Taste and re-season if needed. Serve soup with pieces of crumbled bacon on top.