hundred weight pumpkin

[debster]

one of the fruits on my hundred weight pumpkin has split any ideas why in order to avoid it happening to others
should i remove this fruit?
and how big do they have to be before they are suitable for eating?
thank you

[debster]

[saddad]

As with Caroline's Giants they are not great eating... smaller rather than larger for table use... Things tend to split after the skin has set and then an increase in water makes the flesh inside expand... covering really big pumpkins with hessian can slow down the setting of the skin and thus reducing the risk of splitting...
8)

[umshamrock]

they are really watery when cooked...

[debster]

thats a real shame i bought them cos it said they were ok for eating or you could leave them to grow on for halloween, never mind they were the only ones in the shop i was in at the time

[OllieC]

But surely even a dull pumpkin, cut into 1 inch chunks, covered in olive oil & sea salt & roasted for 45 mins to an hour is worth eating? I know that's my answer to everything. Also should be okay in a lot of soups, surely?

I'd use the one that's split fairly quickly... rather than waste it.

[debster]

good idea ollie i just assumed it would need to be composted !  :D

[Tora]

My answer to everything edible is slice or chop, fry with onion, add veg stock and blitz! Any vegetable seems to turn into a beautiful soup this way. :)

[saddad]

Both seem ideal ways of dealing with rather indifferent pumpkin flesh.. We have a spiced sweet potato and pumpkin soup recipe which also masks indifferent tasting pumpkin.. turns into a very tasty dish..
;D

[cambourne7]

If your not happy with the flavour i would no bother with saving the seeds for next year. That said you might want to save them for birds or roasing for your own roasted pumpkin seeds.

If its watery its probably not good for pumpkin pie either.

[SMP1704]

spiced sweet potato and pumpkin soup recipe - are you going to post it then Saddad??

[debster]

id like that recipe too Saddad
im sure any pumpkin if treated right in the cooking process will be good and even if not have the most flavour will still be full of vitamins

[Deb P]

Whatever you do , DON'T do what I did a few years ago and try and cook a very hard pumpkin WHOLE in the oven........I was clearing up the semi exploded oozy mess for days..... :-[ :-[ :-[

[saddad]

I'll get onto OH for the recipe then...
;D

[debster]

cool

[Biscombe]

Monty Don raved on about these last year so I got hold of some seeds, got 2 beauties from one plant but not eaten them yet! I tend to chuck any bland tasting squash into curries!

[saddad]

Saddads OH here Does that make me Sadmam

Here's the spiced sweet potato and pumpkin soup recipe.It started life as a spiced parsnip soup but I adapted it to special diet needs and a glut of pumpkin!
Please forgive me if the quantities are vague but I just make it now and I think this is what I did to start with!!!!!!  :-[

2-3 tsp marg/ butter or some oil (I did warn you)  ;D
1 onion chopped
1lb pumkin flesh
1lb  prepared sweetpotato flesh Peeled and chopped
1tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp chilli powder
2 pints stock (chicken or veg)
creamed coconut to taste (Well its a long time since I have made this)


fry onion in fat until translucent
add spices and fry for a further couple of minutes
add pumpkin and sweet potato
add stock after giving the above a quick stir
cook until veg are soft
puree until smooth
Add grated creamed coconut.
Serve

I tend to use more spices than this but I am sure you can experiment  ;D

[debster]

ooh grow pumpkins grow i must try that thank you Mrs Saddad  ;D