The Great Pumpkin Recipe Exchange
by Ellen S. Gibson. This title and blog inspired by Charlie Brown and the success with my 2020 pumpkin patch. (192 pumpkins to share with friends, neighbors, and goats!)
The Great Pumpkin Recipe Exchange
A farmer once told me that pumpkins have little value after Halloween. That seems a shame. The orange flesh of pumpkins is a good source of beta carotene, with many health benefits. They store well throughout the fall and winter and are not expensive. And they are delicious! On the sweet side, they can be used in muffins, quick bread, cake, cookies, and of course, pie. On the savory side, try them stuffed, roasted, sautéed, and pureed.
What’s your favorite pumpkin recipe? Would you share it with us? Tell us a little about the recipe: the first time you tried it? if it was passed down by a favorite aunt? were you fooling someone into trying a recipe with pumpkin as an ingredient?
WIth 192 pumpkins, I promise to try your recipe and share them. We can create a storehouse of wonderful recipes. And as far as that farmer, we’ll just say, “Don’t write off your pumpkins after Halloween. At least keep them in the market until Thanksgiving”.
The recipe that follows is for pumpkin tian, which is a savory dish of roasted pumpkin. It’s from More Home Cooking, A Writer Returns to the Kitchen, by Laurie Colwin.
Pumpkin Tian
Proportions will vary depending on the size of the pumpkin.
Using a preheated oven is essential. The goal is for the pumpkin to become crisp on the outside and meltingly smooth on the inside.
- One medium pumpkin will serve 3-4 people.
- ¼ c flour
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- ¼ c olive oil
- 1/3 c Parmesan cheese
Peel, seed, and cut the pumpkin into 1-inch chunks. Place the flour, salt, and pepper in a plastic bag, add the chunks of pumpkin, and shake to coat. Place the chunks in an oiled baking dish, large enough to hold the pumpkin comfortably, and drizzle with the olive oil. Bake in a preheated 400F oven. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes.
Share your favorite recipes with me: gellen2010@gmail.com