Topic: pumpkin seeds

[valentinelow]

The other day we roasted the seeds from our giant pumpkin (Hundredweight) with some salt, celery salt and paprika, and they were delicious. This was a pleasant surprise after our efforts last year, when we roasted the seeds from our squash (Red Kuri) and they were disgusting.
What I am trying to work out is: is it our technique that made the difference, or the seeds themselves? I cannot remember exactly what we did last year, and so don't know how much the technique/recipe varied. Was I wrong in assuming that all squash seeds roast well?

[Squashmad]

I'd like to try this myself - did you have to shell the pumpkin seeds first?

[valentinelow]

No, didn't shell them. Just wiped most of the gunk off (no need to rinse - in fact some people say it is a positively bad idea to rinse as you lose some of the flavour), mixed them up with a bit of melted butter, sprinkled with some spices (we used salt, celery salt and smoked paprika, which worked well but it is up to you: cumin might be nice) and then spread them out on a baking tray, taking care to make sure they were in a single layer. Moderate oven for (very roughly) a quarter of an hour: the timing is very much up to you and your oven, but I think you want the seeds lightly toasted. Again, that is a matter of taste: some people might prefer them well done.

[Squashmad]

Thanks for that - I'll give it a whirl - sounds nice and easy!!

[Lindsay]

Tried a variety of these yesterday to use up some of last year's seeds left in a jar!  They were delicious - can't wait to cut open this year's parsnips just for the seeds now! 

[Deb P]

Errr, did you mean pumpkins not parsnips........you wouldn't find many seeds inside them! ;D

[Lindsay]

Duuuuurrrr  :-[ , course I meant pumpkins!!  Well done for noticing!  Subconsciously I was obviously thinking about where I'm going to get my parsnip seeds from for next year!

[euronerd]

For what it's worth, I always do mine in a dry frying pan, so technically I don't suppose they're roasted, but it's very quick and it's easier to test your level of doneness. I haven't come across any that are particularly disgusting yet.

Geoff.