Pumpkin
Pumpkin is a versatile autumn vegetable with a rich, gently sweet flavour and a firm texture. It works in both savoury and sweet dishes, from soup and stews to pies and breads.
Latin name: Cucurbita spp.
Origin: the Americas (including South America)
Plant family: Cucurbitaceae (gourd family)
Description
Pumpkins belong to the genus Cucurbita and grow on trailing vines with large leaves and yellow flowers. The fruits vary widely in shape, colour and size, from small and round to long and heavy. In the kitchen, the flesh is used most often, but the seeds and (young) flowers are also edible.
In the kitchen
Once cooked, pumpkin becomes soft and creamy. The flavour is mild to sweet and pairs well with herbs such as sage, thyme and rosemary, and spices like cumin, coriander, cinnamon and nutmeg. Roasting brings out extra depth and caramel notes. Use it in soup, mash, curry, risotto, traybakes, muffins and pies. Toasted pumpkin seeds make a great topping or snack.
Common varieties and how to use them:
- Butternut squash: sweet and nutty, ideal for soup, mash and roasting.
- Hokkaido: compact, often with edible skin, perfect for roasting.
- Kabocha: sweet, chestnut-like and firm, good for both savoury and sweet dishes.
- Spaghetti squash: the flesh separates into strands when cooked, a lighter alternative to pasta.
- Pattypan squash: scalloped and decorative, great in stews and baked dishes.
- Musquée de Provence (muscat squash): large with orange flesh and a sweet flavour, excellent for baking and desserts.
- Acorn squash: small and lightly nutty, delicious stuffed and baked.
Storage & preparation
Store whole pumpkin cool, dry and dark. Once cut, keep it covered in the fridge and use within a few days. Peeling is easiest with a vegetable peeler (for very hard skins, cut into chunks first). Scoop out the stringy centre and seeds; rinse and dry the seeds, then toast with a little oil and salt. Pumpkin is suitable for boiling, steaming, roasting and puréeing.
