Smashing Pumpkins live in Finsbury Park

Ok, it’s not a gig by the alternative Nineties band. It’s my upcoming Halloween workshop, when I’ll be smashing pumpkins against food waste.

On the 24th and 25th October, I will team up with charity Hubbub and teach  kids and grown ups how not to waste huge amounts of pumpkin after carving out their ghoulish creations.

Together with arty genius Mr Aide (who will be on carving and tangerine duty – see his amazing post here) I will show how use up the flesh of your carving pumpkin and cook great recipes from other gourds. During this hands-on class I will encourage participants to get creative and give tips on how pumpkin combines with flavours from across the globe.

Smashing Pumpkins - Tastes of Carolina 2

And you’re lucky because today I’m feeling generous and I want to share with you the recipes I am going to make on the workshop.

It’s not going to be the same as being with us at the wonderful Redmond community kitchen in Finsbury Park and you are not going to leave with a jar of yummy chutney (plus your kids are going to miss all the carving and painting fun), but there you go.

My 5-course pumpkin extravaganza will consist of:

  • A ghoulish bowl of oven roasted pumpkin seeds
  • A bone-chilling pear and pumpkin chutney
  • A freakishly amazing Thai-style pumpkin risotto with lemongrass and ginger
  • A spook-takular cardamom spiced vegan pumpkin latte
  • A fang-tastic Italian-style chocolate, almond and pumpkin semifreddo

Read below and have a go at ” smashing pumpkins ” at home. You may also want to post a picture of your creations on social media with the hashtag #PumpkinRescue and be part of the anti food waste revolution.

And remember:

Trick or treat, trick or treat, all your pumpkin’s good to eat!!

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Spicy oven roasted pumpkin seeds

Ingredients:

Seeds from your carved pumpkin
2 tbsp or more tamari soy sauce, enough to cover all the seeds
1 or 2 tsp hot smoked paprika
1 or 2 tsp ground cumin seeds

Method:

Heat your oven to 100-120ºC.
Mix the soy sauce, paprika and cumin seeds in a small bowl.
Add the the pumpkin seeds and coat thoroughly.
Place all the ingredients in a baking tay lined with greaseproof paper (if you don’t have the paper, add 1 tbsp olive oil to the soy sauce mix).
Bake for 15 minutes until the sauce is dry.
Remove from the oven and let cool before serving.

Pear and Pumpkin chutney

Makes about 8 x 250g jars

Ingredients:

700g squash (about 1 squash) peeled and finely diced
600g pears (about 3 pears) peeled and finely diced
600g onions (about 3 onions) finely chopped
100g un-pitted dates, finely chopped
1 large thumb grated ginger
450ml apple cider vinegar
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp crushed coriander seeds
1/2 tsp ground or freshly grated cinnamon
1/2 tsp peppercorns
1/2 tsp cloves
150g caster sugar
2 tbsp tamari soy sauce
Sea salt to taste

Method:

Place all the ingredients except the sugar, soy sauce and salt in a large saucepan and bring to the boil.
Turn down the heat to medium-low and cover.

Simmer, stirring from time to time, for about one hour until the fruit and veg has broken down and the sauce has reduced.

Add the sugar and soy sauce and cook for another 40 mins to 1 hour. You will notice when the chutney is ready when it turns thick and glossy. When you run a spoon through the chutney, it should part enough to reveal the bottom of the pan.

Sterilise your jars by pouring boiling water on the lids and keeping the glass jars in a 100ºC oven for 15 mins.

Jar up the chutney and store it at room temperature to mature. It will be at its best after a few weeks, although it will also be delicious right away 🙂

Smashing Pumpkins - Tastes of Carolina

Thai-style pumpkin risotto with lemongrass and ginger

Makes 4 portions

Ingredients:

About 600g roasting pumpkin, deseeded and chopped in 1 cm wide wedges
3 tbsp olive oil
1 leek, finely chopped
1 thumb of ginger, grated
1 chilli (deseeded if you don’t like it too hot) finely chopped
1 small bunch of coriander leaves, the stalks finely chopped, the leaves parted
250g arborio rice
800ml boiling water plus more if needed
1 vegetable stock cube, crumbled
1 lemongrass stalk, lightly crushed with a pestle but kept whole
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tbsp coconut flakes (optional)

Method:

Heat your oven to 180ºC.
In a large bowl, coat your pumpkin wedges with 1 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper
Place them on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper and roast for 20-30 mins until soft but still firm.
Remove from oven, peel, chop in squares and set aside.

While the pumpkin cools down, fry the leek in 2 tbsp olive oil, add the grated ginger, the chilli and the coriander stalks.
When the leek is soft, add the risotto rice and stir for a couple of minutes before adding boiling water.
Crumble the stock and add the lemongrass and garlic.
Cook on medium to low heat for about 10 minutes. Then add the pumpkin and carry on cooking until the rice is ready. Stir frequently and add water if necessary.

When the rice is cooked, remove the lemongrass stalk and plate up. Serve with coriander leaves and coconut flakes scattered on top.

Cardamom spiced vegan pumpkin latte

Makes 6 mugs

Ingredients:

150g carving pumpkin flesh
500ml almond or oat milk
2-3 tbsp date syrup
5 cardamom pods, open and shelled
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

Method:

Heat your oven to about 120ºC.
Spread your pumpkin flesh onto a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper and place in the oven. About 10-15 minutes should be enough to dry out the flesh without burning it.

When ready, place in a saucepan with the rest of the ingredients and slowly heat on the hob.

Blend everything with a hand held blender, pour into mugs and enjoy while warm.

Italian-style chocolate, almond and pumpkin semifreddo

Makes about 6 portions

Ingredients:

200g carving pumpkin flesh
9 dates, pitted
30g oats
30g raw almonds
250g mascarpone
100g Greek yoghurt 10% fat
4 tbsp honey
4-5 tbsp raw cacao powder
150g flaked almonds plus a few more to scatter on top
1/2 tsp bitter almond essence

Method:

First, dry out your carving pumpkin flesh. Heat your oven to about 120ºC.
Spread your pumpkin flesh onto a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper and place in the oven. About 10-15 minutes should be enough to dry out the flesh without burning it.

Then, make the base. In a food processor, blend the dates, oats and almonds. Spread the mixture on the base of a 20 x 12 cm glass oven dish.

To make the topping, blend the rest of the ingredients in the same blender. Taste and sweeten more if necessary.

Add the topping to the oven dish, scatter some flaked almonds on top and chill in the fridge of an hour before serving.

Posted in

Carolina Stupino

3 Comments

  1. Adrian Williams on October 8, 2016 at 10:20 pm

    Great ideas to use all that pumpkin flesh 🙂 the only problem is which one to do first!

  2. Beccy on October 10, 2016 at 7:28 am

    Super ideas, definitely the destination of our pumpkin flesh. Thankyou

  3. Urszula on March 22, 2020 at 5:12 pm

    Fantastic! Maybe it’s not October but definitely still pumpkin available. Must get on it 🙂

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