Pumpkins

[doversoul1]

As I had a very poor crop last year, I rather overdid this year. I have harvested a dozen of this

http://www.marshalls-seeds.co.uk/pumpkin-invincible-seeds-pid2534.html

and this

http://www.marshalls-seeds.co.uk/squash-hunter-seeds-pid2571.html

and this

http://www.marshalls-seeds.co.uk/pumpkin-wee-b-little-seeds-pid2533.html

I roast them and make soup with them but there is a limit. Any suggestions? I don’t need any carriages, than you.

[MrGongGong]

Cubed (about 1cm)
Sauteed in olive oil and garlic
added to risotto


We gave up on the "halloween" type pumpkins as they are a bit watery and not really good tasting

BUT
you have some good ones there I think



Potimarron squash are good
as are ones called (I think ?) Squashkin which are more buttery
the Japanese 'Uchiki Kuri' variety is also rather good ...........

[umslopogaas]

I've never grown them, but if they really store until March as it suggests on the packet, you shouldnt have any trouble polishing them off in the next four months? Alternatively, you can usually give surplus veg away: this year I've been distributing runner beans to all and sundry. The neighbours always seem pleased, though they may just be too polite to say no.

People are always telling me to freeze the surplus, but this presupposes some space in the freezer ...

[hedgehog]

I've sometimes had gluts of pumpkins too.

1 Agree with the risotto, I often do sauteed with onion and a little finely chopped fresh rosemary.

2 If you can be bothered ravioli stuffed with pumpkin and a sage and butter is delicious. (recipes online)
A little less time consuming is if you roast some extra pumpkin you can make gnocchi with it and serve with the sage and butter sauce. The roasting reduces the water content which helps with the gnocchi

3 A different taste and well worth the effort is zucca sott'olio. The butternut pumpkins do best in this. Basically cut bite size strips of pumpkin, blanch in a pickling mix of 50-50 water & (white wine) vinegar plus sugar and salt for about 1.5 minutes (must still be al dente) then drain. slice a red and a green de-seeded chilli and some garlic, blanch these very quickly and dry. Then pack the lot together with some dried oregano in a pretty arrangement in a kilner jar and pour in good quality olive oil. Leave for two weeks and you have a superb addition for salads, the oil can be used for dressing. Again recipes online - I haven't access to my recipe books at the moment.

4 Pumpkin muffins - again recipes online. They are very moist, taste good and count as 1 veg portion! Usually with spices like cinnamon & nuteg. I've a recipe with prunes - surprisingly good - or substitute the prunes with walnuts and sultanas.
P.S. on the muffins. If you steam and freeze 350 gram of pumpkin pieces in individual containers or bags, you can take these out and make muffins any time of year. Recipes are usually this plus ± 350 gm flour.

[Anna]

Good ideas from hedgehog! I've always roasted them (never grown them and infrequently buy them although I do buy butternut and other squashes) but I have had and enjoyed (although never cooked) pumpkin and goats cheese tarts/quiches -sometimes they have had chestnut mushrooms or spinach or caramelised red onions added. Also, a couple of times, a very enjoyable pumpkin and goats cheese pizza. (All eaten in Oz where they seem more of an everyday veg than here)

[amateur51]

I'm utterly thrilled to report that I've been told that as a diabetic, I should steer clear of too much squashes etc. Thus and therefore, I do as I'm told