So, 2020… While this year has left a lot to be desired in many ways, no one has been able to stop the West from enjoying the fun spirit of All Hallows’ Eve. Halloween, despite the lack of trick or treating in many parts of the world this year due to the horrendous Covid-19 pandemic, was still well celebrated and was a resounding success for many due to the plethora of ways people can naturally get involved in this event. One of those primary ways is through the understated yet glorious pumpkin.
From the time they are harvested and delivered to food stores and supermarkets, the amount of excitement whipped up around them increasingly makes one’s mind reel. Farmers have the arduous though enjoyable task of creating and managing pumpkin patches (the proverbial “seas of orange”) for children and adults alike, and some farms and farm shops go to the extent of creating whole festivals around pumpkins throughout the month of October to reap the benefits of the harvest.
These festivals, though primarily orchestrated for the entertainment of children and potential “time off” for adults from their demanding children during the holiday season, end up being a fine excuse for adults to get involved, foster closer bonds with their kids, and have their fair share of fun as well; and why not?
Other industries reap the rewards from Halloween too. For example, chefs, bakers, and baking enthusiasts alike enjoy fantastic creations from a rather ordinary yet versatile form of squash. The Americans with their pioneering spirit have been decades ahead in making full use of this delicious vegetable, and countries in Europe, like the UK, have now eventually followed suit and are catching up with the USA to delight in the consumption of this extremely versatile vegetable.
Pumpkin Recipes
So, how do you eat pumpkin? What types of delicious pumpkin dishes can we make? Well, below are some tried and tested, easy pumpkin recipes that will not only tantalise your taste buds but also make your eyes glow with glee as well as create a fantastic aroma around your home.
The first thing to do is pick up a medium-sized pumpkin, ideally from a local farm’s pumpkin patch (for extra freshness) or from your supermarket (grocery store).
How to Pick a Pumpkin
It is often said that the smaller the pumpkin, the sweeter it is. While this may be true, for the purpose of making various recipes and to get the most purée out of a single pumpkin (thereby not losing lots of it while peeling it), it is better to pick a medium-sized pumpkin. The outside skin should be a vibrant orange with as few dents, scars, and knocks on it as possible. Look out for a smooth skinned, orange pumpkin and while you hold it under one arm, knock its side with your knuckles and you should hear a deep, hollow, echoing sound. This is how you can tell you have picked a decent pumpkin.
How to make pumpkin purée – I used this YouTube video to make my pumpkin purée but used a medium-sized pumpkin that worked just as well. I baked the pumpkin in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius for at least 45 to 50 minutes, but it may take longer. You have to constantly check, as each pumpkin is different.
(Here is the written version.)
Best pumpkin pie recipe – I have often been told that Bobby Flay’s pumpkin pie is one of the best one can try. It is a process to make it, though I didn’t think it was difficult. It does take concentration and patience but the result was well worth it! Absolutely delicious, a real treat, and fabulous for Thanksgiving too!
Pumpkin seeds – a great accompaniment for salads and trail mix or just for a snack.
Pumpkin cornbread was attempted this year and it turned out to be one of my favourite, savoury pumpkin recipes. There is always pumpkin soup but why not try something different and frankly, utterly delicious? This savoury pumpkin recipe is a perfect accompaniment to a chicken curry (or any curry, for that matter) – the cornbread comes in very useful to mop up the gravy and it’s oh so delicious!
NB This recipe was adapted to create the pumpkin cornbread muffins and was baked for half an hour instead of the time stipulated in the original recipe. It made 15 individual muffins. 1 slightly heaped teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon fresh, ground, green chillies were also added to the batter to give it an extra kick in flavour, and red jalapeños were used instead of green.
These were by far the most sublime pancakes I have ever tasted! They went down a treat for breakfast on Halloween morning. I didn’t make the salted pecan butterscotch sauce. I ate them with a high-grade maple syrup instead. Yum!
Pumpkin Benefits
Pumpkin, as we have seen, is a highly versatile vegetable, and I have only just scratched the surface in this article. This makes it very easy to incorporate it into our diets to make the most of its’ multitude of benefits. Please check out this article for further reading on the benefits of eating pumpkin.
So, what Halloween activity gives you the most joy? What is your favourite Halloween recipe? Share in the comments below! Try out some of the above recipes and tell us which one floats your boat. Be sure to sign up for our mailing list for more delicious recipes and advice in the kitchen.
Happy Baking! ☺