Tips and Recipes for Enjoying Pumpkin

Although now you can get pumpkin all year round, it is at this time, in mid-autumn, that you find it in all its glory. Until a few days ago, pumpkins were harvested in a good part of the central area, to then be stored for the whole winter. That’s why there are still lots of pumpkins, fresh and at good prices. what better?

For the same reason, to take advantage of this cucurbit in the kitchen, it is worth taking into account other recipes beyond the usual ones, in addition to knowing how to keep it in good condition for use.

We assume that we won’t buy the pumpkin wrapped in plastic at the supermarket (which is usually expensive and bad, because it’s never ripe), nor will we take home a whole pumpkin. at home. Firstly, because few consume so much pumpkin, and secondly, because transporting it is not at all easy.

Thus, it is better to buy it by the cut, depending on what is needed at home. Thinking that this purchase can be made on a weekly or fortnightly basis, the piece of pumpkin keeps perfectly in the refrigerator, always inside a plastic bag. Now, in the case of the smaller squashes – the ones currently available on the market – if they’re brought home whole, they don’t need to be refrigerated until they’re cut, so leave them in a cool, dry place This is more than enough.

As soon as it starts to get a little cold, there is no restaurant or cafeteria that does not include pumpkin cream on its menu. Of course: it’s very easy to do and has an excellent profit margin. However, often at home it’s not as good as the ones we tried there. To not be left with the desire, here is an infallible and easy recipe at the same time.

Pumpkin cream (4 servings)

—½ kilo of pumpkin cut into large pieces

—1 onion, peeled and halved

—1 stalk of celery, well washed

—2 garlic cloves, peeled

—Salt, pepper and fresh ginger

-Olive oil

—Natural yogurt and chives

In a saucepan with cold water and a pinch of salt and pepper, put the pumpkin with the onion, the celery stick and the garlic cloves. Cover, cook over high heat until boiling, then lower and cook until squash is tender.

Then put the pieces of pumpkin, onion, celery and garlic in the bowl of a blender. Also add a pinch of freshly grated ginger and fill the jar with the remaining water from the pot (add cold water if that’s not enough). Finally, mix until you get a creamy consistency.

Adjust the salt and pepper if necessary, then serve on each plate with a touch of yogurt, a little finely chopped chives and a drizzle of olive oil on top.

Yes, as you have read: you can also consume pumpkin in the form of chips. And while there are some on the market that are ready-to-use – like bagged chips – it’s still best to make them at home. How? Look at the following recipe.

Pumpkin chips (for four people)

—½ kilo of pumpkin

—Salt, pepper and olive oil

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Cut the pumpkin into small slices, as thin as possible. For this, it is best to use a mandolin. Then put them in a bowl and add a drizzle of olive oil. Stir well so that the oil is impregnated on all sides.

Finally, place them on a hot plate or an ovenproof dish, putting parchment paper or a silicone sheet beforehand. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden and crispy. Take them out, put them in a clean bowl, add salt and pepper and stir. They can be eaten hot or cold.

It’s similar but not the same as pumpkin custard. In this case, the mash has not only a different consistency but also other ingredients. Here the recipe.

Pumpkin puree (for four servings)

—½ kilo of pumpkin cut into large cubes

—50g butter

—½ cup whole milk

—Salt, white pepper and nutmeg

In a saucepan with cold water and a pinch of salt, put the pumpkin cubes and cook them until tender (but not broken). Then strain the water, return the cubes to the pan and season them with salt to taste, a pinch of pepper and a pinch of nutmeg. Add the butter and mash everything with a fork until a paste forms. Then, little by little, add the milk and stir until you obtain the texture of a puree. They may not use all the milk, it depends on the consistency they want. Cover the pot and let stand for five minutes before serving.

Yes, it is possible to prepare a squash grilled — and not “grilled”, as we like to say now — and stuffed, to make it tastier. Here, all you need is a small round pumpkin (not the one at the fair, which is too big), which can now be found without too much difficulty, and a good quantity of embers or charcoal. The rest, in the recipe you can read below.

Grilled pumpkin (for four to six people)

—1 medium round squash

—1 jar of roasted peppers

—1/2 kilo of grated mozzarella cheese or similar

—2 sliced ​​onions

—Salt, pepper and olive oil

Cut the pumpkin in half and remove all its seeds and fluff (without peeling it). Divide the grated cheese between the two pumpkin halves. Then do the same with the peppers and onions. Season with a little salt and pepper and a generous drizzle of olive oil, which wets not only the filling but also the edges of the pumpkin flesh. Stir everything. Finally, place the two halves of the squash between the coals and cook for an hour or until golden on top, the cheese is melted and the flesh of the squash comes away easily from its shell. . At this point, remove it from the heat and using a fork, mix the pumpkin meat with all the filling, still inside the pumpkin. It can be spread on bread or used as an accompaniment to roasting.

It is another way to consume the pumpkin and it has the grace, firstly, that it is used more in pieces and not ground. And secondly, that here the vegetables are the main part and not the accompaniment to the dish. Plus, with all the spices in the curry, the pumpkin really takes on a flavor that’s hard to find in any other recipe.

Pumpkin curry (for four people)

—1 kilo of pumpkin cut into medium cubes

—1 red onion, cut into small cubes

—1 cup finely chopped cilantro

—3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

—1 green chilli, clean and finely chopped

—2 cups coconut milk

—Salt, pepper, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon and marigold oil

In a large pot, heat a little oil and brown the onion with the garlic and the green pepper. Season with salt, pepper, cumin, turmeric (a little) and cinnamon. Mix well and add the pumpkin cubes. Continue cooking until the squash takes on light roasted tones. At this point, add the coconut milk and half the chopped coriander. Mix well and cook for half an hour or until the pumpkin cubes are tender (but still a bit firm) and the milk has reduced. Finally, adjust the dressings if necessary and serve with white rice (hopefully Basmati). Finish the decoration with the remaining cilantro on top.

*Prices for products in this item are updated as of May 24, 2022. Values ​​and availability may change.