Recipes: three ways with pumpkin
Try one of these pumpkin recipes from chef Karl Sergison (pictured), who runs Spalding delicatessen Sergi’s Good Food Store.
Pumpkin marmalade
- 1.5kg grated pumpkin flesh
- 500ml water
- 2 oranges – pips removed, quartered and thinly sliced
- 3 lemons – pips removed, quartered and thinly sliced
- 100g finely grated fresh root ginger
- 1kg castor sugar
Place all ingredients in a large heavy-based pan or jam pan, bring to a rolling boil, then reduce to a simmer for at least one hour or until jam has reduced and thickened. Jar up as for any other jam and enjoy.
Roasted pumpkin and thyme soup with Gruyere cheese
- 1.5kg unpeeled pumpkin
- Dash of virgin rapeseed oil
- 40g butter
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4 small sprigs of thyme
- 1.2 litres vegetable stock
- 150g cream
- 75g Gruyere cheese
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 200C/ gas mark 6. Cut the pumpkin or squash into chunky wedges and scoop out the fibres and seeds. Rub them with oil, season well with salt and pepper and put them into a small roasting tin, skin side down. Roast them for 30 minutes until tender.
Remove the pumpkin from the oven and, when cool, slice away and discard the skin and cut the flesh into small chunks.
Melt the butter in a large pan, add the onion and half the thyme leaves and cook gently for about 10 minutes until the onion is very soft but not browned.
Add the roasted pumpkin, any juices from the plate, the stock and half a teaspoon of salt.
Cover and simmer gently for about 20 minutes. Leave the soup to cool slightly, and then blend with the rest of the thyme leaves until smooth.
Return to a clean pan and bring back to a gentle simmer. Stir in the cream and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Ladle into warm soup bowls and pile the Gruyere into the centre. Scatter with a few thyme leaves and serve.
Sweet pumpkin pie
- 500g sweet shortcrust pastry
- 1kg pumpkin cut into large chunks with seeds removed
- 50g butter, melted
- 100g caster sugar
- 4 level tbsp plain flour
- 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
- Pinch of ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
Preheat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4, place the pumpkin chunks into the oven on a greased baking sheet (not too much oil, just enough to stop them sticking) and bake for about 40-50 minutes.
Meanwhile line and bake blind the sweet pastry in a 25cm tart tin. When cooked remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.
When the pumpkin is soft remove it from oven and peel off the skin, place in a large bowl and mash it up.
Melt the butter on a low heat and add to the pumpkin along with the sugar, flour, nutmeg, cinnamon and the vanilla extract.
Whisk two eggs in a separate bowl and add to the mixture, then mash everything together.
Spoon the mixture into the cooled pastry tin and spread evenly with the back of a spoon. Use the leftover pastry trimmings to make long strips and place over the top of the pie mixture to make a lattice pattern. Tidy up the sides and beat the remaining egg and brush over the pastry.
Put the pie in the oven still on 180C/gas mark 4 for 45-50 minutes, until golden. Allow to cool, and serve with some maple syrup-flavoured cream.