A Little Mission ~ When Life Gives You Pumpkins, Cook!
It’s Pumpkin Season! I’m sharing three heartwarming seasonal recipes to tickle your tastebuds and keep you cosy.
Not only that, it’ll solve your dilemma of what to do with your pumpkin flesh once you’ve carved your pumpkins.
This time of year when the summer is definitely over and the evenings begin to draw in, we start craving the warmer foods. I’m always on the look out for a new recipe and even more so as the seasons start to change. We all need a little inspiration sometimes don’t we?
The Pumpkin Soup is without exception, a firm favourite at WOAM HQ, as are the Pumpkin Wedges and Muffins. I am sure they will be a big hit with your family too. Pumpkin Season is officially here!
We love to eat foods in season and so butternut squash works just as well also. Read on for the recipes.
Pumpkin Soup
This velvety, naturally creamy soup from Good Housekeeping, keeps well for a day or two in the fridge.
Ingredients
850g pumpkin or squash, peeled and cut into 2-3cm chunks
200g banana shallots, skin on, halved lengthways
1 small head garlic, skin on top cm sliced off
3 sprigs rosemary
2 teaspoons dried chilli flakes (optional)
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
750ml good chicken or vegetable stock, plus extra if needed
For the Garnish: 3 tablespoons pumpkin seeds and 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil.
To Serve: 100g crumbly goats, fresh rosemary, toasted pumpkin seed oil (optional) with chucks of granary bread.
Method
Heat the oven to 180˚C/fan oven 160˚C/mark 4. Scatter the pumpkin in a large roasting tin with the shallots, garlic-cut-side down – rosemary, chilli (if using), olive oil and seasoning to toss to coat in the oil.
Roast for 45 minutes until mostly tender and golden in places, but not too browned – if it starts to brown, cover with foil. For the garnish, toss the pumpkin seeds on a baking tray with the olive oil and toast in the oven for 5 minutes.
When the pumpkin is ready, remove the rosemary – reserve for a garnish unless blackened – and squeeze the softened garlic shallots from their skins into the roasting tray, discarding the skins.
Heat the stock in a saucepan large enough to fit the pumpkin, then add the contents of the roasting tray and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Blend to a smooth purée using a stick blender, thinning with more hot stock if necessary. Alternatively, cool slightly and blend in batches in a jug blender or food processor (a processor won’t give as smooth a result).
Reheat gently to serve, season and ladle into warm bowls. Crumble over the goats’ cheese and scatter with pumpkin seeds. If using, break over the crisp rosemary needles and drizzle with a little pumpkin-seed oil.
Food can bring people together in a way nothing else could.
Yotam Ottolenghi
Roasted Pumpkin Wedges with Chestnut, Cinnamon and Fresh Bay Leaves.
A simple and gratifying dish from Ottolenghi looks fabulous and is very easy to make.
Lay out on a flat serving dish and bring to the table. It doesn’t get much more Autumnal than this (and would be perfect at Christmas too!) A super addition to almost any main course.
Ingredients (serves 4-6)
1 medium pumpkin, about 1.3kg
6 tbsp olive oil
4 cinnamon sticks
4 tbsp maple syrup
3 garlic cloves, crushed
20 fresh sage leaves
10 fresh bay leaves
Salt and black pepper
150g cooked chestnuts
Method
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/ gas mark 6. Cut the unpeeled pumpkin into wedges (1-2cm at the thick end) and discard the seeds; leave the skin on.
In a large bowl, toss the pumpkin pieces with four tablespoons of olive oil, the cinnamon, three tablespoons of maple syrup, the garlic, sage, half the bay leaves, and salt and pepper.
Lay out in a single layer in a large roasting tray and roast for 20-25 minutes, until the pumpkin is soft and golden. Add the chestnuts five minutes before the end.
Arrange the tray’s contents on a serving platter and scatter the remaining bay leaves over the top. Stir together the remaining syrup and oil, and drizzle on top. Serve warm.
Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.
Hippocrates
Pumpkin Pie Muffins
These muffins are easy to make and will fill your kitchen with the wonderful smell of autumn. They are very moist on the inside. Gluten free Pumpkin Pie Muffins are a real favourite!
Ingredients
¼ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup fresh baked pumpkin (or winter squash), well packed
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1 pinch ground cloves
2 tablespoons rapeseed oil
½ cup agave nectar
2 large eggs
Method
In a large bowl combine almond flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves
In a food processor, puree the oil, agave, eggs and pumpkin until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well.
Spoon the mixture into muffin cases Place paper liners in muffin pan and bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes
Cool for 2-3 hours (if you can wait that long!) and serve.
These treats are perfect after a training run or after the children’s football or rugby training or even as a little snack whilst relaxing over the papers on Sunday (!)
Super, simple family recipes make life so much easier and so I hope you enjoy these. Let me know in the comments or join the conversation on Instagram!
If you’d like another super, simple family meal or two, please check out my “Supper Without The Stress” Blog. It’s full of recipes and organisation tips for stress free family meals.
What is your favourite meal or treat to make during Pumpkin Season? Please do let me know in the comments.
Wherever or however you enjoy this warming bites, hope you’ll be able to relax and take a moment for you.
Stay happy and healthy,
