Pumpkin

Pumpkin Recipes

 

Availability: October-December (possibly later if supplies last)

Storage tips: Winter Squash wants to be between 50-65 degrees. It stores best in a cool dry room in your house and should last at least into November and can last much longer depending on conditions.

How to eat: Basic pie pumpkin preparation includes roasting for the least watery puree. Heat oven to 400 degrees, cut squash in half, scoop out seeds and place on baking sheet or dish.  Roast for 45 minutes or until a fork pierces easily through the skin. We enjoy using pumpkins in savory dishes like soups, curries, stuffed, or bakes as much as sweet applications like pies, etc.

How to preserve:  FREEZE:  Roast the pumpkin as noted above and put into a freezer container and freeze.  Perfect later for soups and purees.  

Coconut Curried Pumpkin Soup

This recipe is a delicious savory use of pumpkin flesh.  I have it set up to use pre-roasted pumpkin flesh.  But you can also peel and cube your pumpkin and throw it in raw.  It just might need a little longer cooking time.

  • 2 cups onions, chopped
  • cooking oil
  • 1-2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1-2 TBLS peeled fresh ginger root, minced
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground corriander
  • 1/8 tsp ground cardamom
  • 1/4 tsp ground mustard seed
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • red chili flakes or cayenne to taste
  • 4 cups pre-roasted pumpkin flesh
  • 4 cups chicken broth 
  • 1 can coconut milk (14 oz)
  • fresh herb for garnishing (cilantro or basil would work well), optional

Heat oil in large pot.  Saute onions until translucent, stirring, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and ginger and stir for 1 min.  Add spices and stir for 30 seconds.  Add pumpkin and broth.  Simmer until very tender, about 20-30 minutes.  Add coconut milk and salt to taste.  Puree.  Serve hot.  Thin if need be with additional water.

 

How to Cook a Pumpkin and Make Puree
  • 1 pumpkin, cut in half lengthwise and seeds removed
  • Neutral oil, optional

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Rub flesh of pumpkin halves with oil (optional). Place pumpkin halves on baking sheet facedown. Roast until tender, aka a knife pierces easily through the skin and flesh, about 45-60 min. Let cool until easily handled. Scoop/scrape pumpkin flesh from skin, discarding skin. Puree flesh until smooth. Portion out the amounts you need for your recipes and refrigerate or freeze.

 

Pumpkin & Potato Bake
  • 1.5 lbs pumpkin, seeded, peeled, and chopped into 2” chunks
  • ½ lb potatoes, peeled, cut in ¾” cubes
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 3 TBLS butter
  • 1.5 cups Gruyere cheese, grated
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Boil pumpkin and potato until tender. Drain and mash or puree until smooth. Cool slightly while pre-heating oven to 375, then add eggs, butter, seasonings, and 1 cup cheese. Mix well. Pour into a 9x13 greased casserole, top with remaining cheese and bake until a knife comes out clean, approx 30 min.

Pumpkin Minestrone
  • 4 tablespoons cooking oil
  • 4-16 ounces bacon, chopped (depending on your taste)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 large red onion, diced
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 3 stalks celery, diced (optional)
  • 1 large potato, peeled and diced
  • 4 cups chopped pumpkin (peeled and seeded)
  • 28 ounces canned tomatoes (chopped preferred, or whatever you have)
  • 1/2 - 1 tablespoon oregano
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 4 cups cooked red kidney beans (or 2 cans)
  • 5 cups vegetable or chicken broth
  • 4 cups chopped kale or cabbage
  • 1 cup shredded parmesan
  • salt, to taste

Heat a pot over medium-high heat. When it's hot, add the oil. When the olive oil is hot, add the bacon and cook for 1-3 minutes, stirring.  Add the garlic, onion, carrots, and optional celery. Cook on medium for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn it lower to prevent sticking, if need be.  Add the potato and pumpkin. Stir.  Add the oregano, bay leaf, tomatoes, kidney beans, cabbage, and stock. Cover and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the veggies are cooked.  Season with salt.  Remove the bay leaf.

Serve with a sprinkle of parmesan.

Pumpkin Pie, Ripley Farm style

This is our family's favorite pumpkin pie recipe!  It's definitely not your conventional pumpkin pie, but it satisfies every diet and every palate!  Gluten-free, grain-free, white sugar-free, and dairy-free, how 'bout that?

FYI this recipe is for two pies.  Why two?  Because if you're going to the trouble to make one, make two and put one in the freezer.  They freeze beautifully!

For the crust:

  • 4 cups of walnuts
  • 13 pitted medjool dates
  • 4 TBLS coconut oil, melted
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp salt

For the filling:

  • 2.5 cups pureed pumpkin
  • 14 oz coconut milk
  • 1/2-3/4 cup maple syrup (depending on how sweet you want it)
  • 2 TBLS fresh ginger, peeled and grated
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 TBLS vanilla
  • 1 TBLS ground cinnamon
  • 3/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp allspice
  • 1/4 ground cardamom (optional)
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Steps:

  1. Blend all crust ingredients to form thick dough-like mixture.  Press mixture into 2 9" pie dishes to form an even layer.  Chill until ready to use.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  3. Blend all filling ingredients.  Pour into prepared crusts.  Bake for 45-65 minutes until filling has set and edges are golden brown.  Chill before serving.
Pumpkin Soup with Gruyere
  • 1 pumpkin, sliced lengthwise, seeded
  • 2-4 TBLS butter
  • 1 tsp ground fennel seeds
  • 2 pinches chili powder
  • 1 cup breadcrumbs
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4-6 cups chicken or veggie broth
  • 1-2 cups grated gruyere/Swiss cheese

Pre-heat oven to 350. Place pumpkin halves face up in 9x13 casserole and addhalf of ingredientsto each piece, adding broth last toalmostfill each half. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour. Check andcontinue baking until pumpkin is tender. Discard bay leaves, scoop flesh into bowls, and servehot with additional broth if necessary.

Simple Savory Pumpkin Spoon Bread
  • 2 cups buttermilk or milk
  • 3 TBLS butter
  • 2 TBLS fresh sage, chopped or 1 TBLS dried
  • 1 tsp salt, + pepper to taste
  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • 1 ½ cups roasted pumpkin flesh
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • 3 eggs
  • Sweetener of choice, optional

Heat buttermilk, butter, salt, and sage just until boil. Remove from heat. Whisk in cornmeal. Let rest 5 min. Add remaining ingredients. Pour into greased 8x8 dish and bake at 400 until edges are set and center is just barely wobbly, 30-45 min. 

Sweet Spiced Pumpkin Soup

This recipe is an approximation of a CSA member's recipe that he made up.  Thanks, Pete, it's delicious!

  • 3 cups pumpkin flesh, roasted
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • coconut milk, 14 oz can (or to taste)
  • chicken broth or veggie broth, 2 cups (or more if needed to thin)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • sugar or maple syrup to taste
  • 1/2 tsp garam masala
  • 1 TBLS fresh ginger, minced (or sub dried ginger in a lesser amount)

Sautee the onions and garlic until translucent.  Do not brown.  Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer until onions are really soft, 10 minutes approximately.  Puree, check seasonings, and serve warm.