Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Pumpkins Aren't Just For Pie

I prepared a small pumpkin the other day to use for a couple of recipes. It was something on my list last year for things to try, and it was not only easy but super tasty.
I read somewhere that it works well to boil the entire pumpkin and then cut it up. The pumpkin holds it's flavour better as well as it's nutritional value as it isn't being boiled out. This was what I did on my last pumpkin cooking venture, and it was successful.
This time, though, I opted for the simple roasting method which I found here.

I used it first, for a batch of pumpkin pancakes, this recipe courtesy of Martha Stewart. I really love these pancakes. Just enough flavour. I left out the cloves the second time and preferred it, but that would be up to your taste-buds to decide.




The rest of the cooked pumpkin went in a batch of my own recipe of curried pumpkin soup. I love a bowl of hot soup on a cool, fall day. Really I love soup on all days, but especially once the temperature drops.



*1 onion
*2-3 cloves garlic
*salt & pepper
*heaping tsp of curry powder
*3 cups vegetable broth (turkey or chicken broth would be fine too)
*5-6 sm/med carrots
*1 sm pumpkin (prepared)
*1 small macintosh apples (I used 2 today and it was nice as well, though the soup was thinner)
*tsp of lemon juice
*cilantro

Add onion, salt, pepper, curry powder, and garlic to 2 Tablespoons of heated olive oil in stock pot.
Add 3cups of broth, and carrots. Boil until carrots are softened.
Add apple and pumpkin. Simmer for about 20 minutes.
Use a hand blender to liquefy.
Stir in Lemon juice.
Top with cilantro and homemade croutons.

When it comes to cilantro people either absolutely love it, or despise it. I love it fresh as a garnish on this soup.

Soup is made to mess with which is what I love about making it. It's very useful for using up whatever random produce you have laying about.

Of course, we can't forget the seeds which after patting dry with a clean towel, I laid them out to dry on a cookie sheet where they waited patiently to be spiced and roasted (my husband's specialty).
He just adds whatever he is feeling at that moment and roasts them for about an hour at 250 degrees.

mmmmm... I do love pumpkin

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