Topic: 101 things to do with pumpkins for pumpkinlover's glut

[Gadget]

lets get a list of things going;

1. soup
2. pumkin pie  ;D

[manicscousers]

roasted, mixed with potatoes in mash  :)

[elvis2003]

as a filling in home made ravioli,scrummy!!!!

[pumkinlover]

Sorry I missed this till today!!!

Most years I have enough to give to all local children, Mr Pumkinlover's Grandkids, local cafe in the park.

This year....................

[antipodes]

Chocolate pumpkin cake of course!

Also pumpkin scones, muffins, boiled pumpkin fruit cake, as a savoury flan (cooked in with an egg custard), roasted halved in the oven with cream in the middle (Mash all together when cooked), as part of a vegetable bake, in a quiche (diced, steamed and combined with smoky bacon and cheese)...
it's so versatile!  Takes up less space in the freezer if you steam and mash beforehand by the way. If you have cut one open and can't use it all at once...

[willsy]

Apple and pumpkin pie. ummmmm

[pumkinlover]

How much apple to pumpkin ration Willsy? :)

[pumkinlover]

[attachment=1]

This is my Atlantic giant ;D ;D ;D
and the second photos is my version of a Munty frame, the idea being to support my huge pumpkin and squash plants which would then grow up, over, along and down.

[attachment=2]

 ??? ??? ??? There's always next year :)

[artichoke]

Husband very resistant to eating pumpkins or any sort of cucurbit apart from cucumber so I liquidise quite large amounts in a strong tasting soup, eg today we had tomato soup made with softening tomatoes, some tomato puree and a couple of courgettes, but I have done it with pumpkin. Also grate it into wholemeal bread or anything else I can get away with.

[Sparkly]

pumpkin cupcakes, spiced pumpkin soup, pumpkin drop scone pancakes, pumpkin risotto and pumpkin meringue pie. We had the pancakes for breakfast, the soup for lunch and the risotto for tea. Might have a slice of the meringue pie too! The cupcakes are for the allotment tomorrow! Still have a big bowl of roasted pumpkin puree left though! Think I might turn orange overnight!

[saddad]

We do a "South African" Pumpkin cake ... which are served with Cinnamon sugar  :)

[pumkinlover]

These all sound delicious ;D ;D ;D
Like artichoke most years I sneak pumpkin into hidden foods!

[Stopp]

This recipe sounds yummy ... Pumpkin Ginger Cupcakes

http://www.getintogardening.co.uk/getgrowing/recipe/?utm_source=GIGrandom&utm_medium=Octnews&utm_campaign=gig3211&uid=6195117187&mid=750102823

[pumkinlover]

These look yummy ;D

[plotstoeat]

I used the first of my pumpkins yesterday: nothing adventurous , just for soup. I had forgotten how hard it was to cut up. Ended up using a knife and mallet. I didn't try to peel it, just cut it into melon type segments and cut off the flesh in cubes. It was a long job but ended up with three pounds of flesh.
Has anyone got any tips on getting the flesh away faster?  ??? ???

[pumkinlover]

cook it!!!

sounds daft but cut into managable chunks, roughly so a bit easier, then microwave, and just srape off the flesh :D

[plotstoeat]

Good tip Pumpkinlover. Any tips for getting the husks off the roasted seeds or is it just a need for patience?

[pumkinlover]

I do not know a method, it could be good for someone who is trying to give up fags, as keeps you occupied.
I had to knit when I gave up smoking, but this could be a productive alternative.  :D

[Melbourne12]

OK.  A newly tried and tasted recipe for:

Pumpkin Marmalade


I based this on the River Cottage recipe here: http://www.rivercottage.net/recipes/pumpkin-marmalade/

But I'm always wary of jam recipes that call for large quantities of liquid, so I modified it a bit.

Ingredients:

• 3kg pumpkin flesh, in large chunks (I actually got 2.9kg, but there or thereabouts)
• 4 oranges.  I bought nicely thin skinned Valencia ones.  If you've got some Seville oranges put by in the freezer, so much the better.
• 4 lemons
• A good piece of fresh ginger.  I used about 150g
• 500ml water
• A 500ml bottle of Bottlegreen brand Ginger & Lemongrass Cordial (or similar).  I'm pretty sure that this could be optional, since it adds significantly to the cost for the extra zing that it gives.  Simply substitute 500ml of water
• 2kg sugar.  I used ordinary granulated, but preserving sugar would be even better.

Scrub the the lemons and the oranges, and slice them very thinly, removing the pips as you go.  I cut the ends off the fruit, and sliced the zest off too before discarding the thicker pieces of pith.  Leave the pith on the slices unless it's very thick.  Cut the slices so that the peel is in suitably marmalade length pieces.

Grate the pumpkin flesh. As River Cottage say, try to keep the strands as long as possible as you will get a better consistency that way.  Aim for matchsticks or batons as you might for carrots.  The Magimix with an appropriately sized slicing blade made very short work of this.  But don't blitz the flesh to a pulp.

Peel the ginger and chop it finely.

In your preserving pan put 250ml of water and the chopped ginger.  It will look very lonely.  Simmer it gently until the ginger softens a bit.  Then add the lemon and orange, and heat through.  Then stir in the remaining 250ml water, the 500ml of ginger cordial, and the pumpkin.

Bring up to the boil, stirring frequently.  Then simmer for about 45 minutes.  You do need to stir it quite often.  Mine began to catch, and I had to transfer it quickly to a fresh pan.  Luckily I was in time, but I can imagine that it would have spoiled quite quickly if I hadn't.  It may take less time, or more, depending on your pan, your cooker, and the quantities that you're making.  Just keep simmering it until the fruit has all softened.

Now add the sugar and stir.  Gradually increase the heat, still stirring until you get a typical "rolling boil" until the mixture reaches setting point.  I must admist that I don't have an eye for such things, so I use a thermometer.  When it consistently reads 104C, I take it off the heat.

I made this yesterday, and today have had toast and pumpkin marmalade for breakfast.  It's really delicious.  You can taste the citrus, which has flavoured the pumpkin very nicely.  The strands of pumpkin make it a much more interesting texture.  And the ginger is just the faintest "is there or isn't there?" hint.

Edit:  Oh, and it filled 14 1lb jars.

[pumkinlover]

Oh that sounds nice!!
was looking at the pumpkins on the market today :(
off to plot this pm to harvest my huge pumpkin crop :'( :'( :'(