Pumpkin Recipes

Ingredients
3-3½lb pumpkin
4tbsp olive oil
4 large onions
2 garlic cloves, crushed
4 fresh red chillies, seeded and chopped
2tsp curry paste
2½ pints/6¼ cups vegetable or chicken stock
½ pint/1¼ cups single (light) cream
salt and ground black pepper
Serves 8

Tip
Use a hollowed-out small squashes or pumpkins as individual soup bowls.

Pumpkin Soup
Start a seasonal meal with this soup, which has all the elements of a great winter soup - a glorious color, a rich and creamy texture and, a delicious, spicy flavor.

1. Peel the pumpkin, remove the seeds and chop the flesh roughly.

2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and fry the onions until golden. Stir in the garlic, chillies and curry paste. Cook for 1 minute, then add the chopped pumpkin and cook for a further 5 minutes.

3. Pour over the stock and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for about 25 minutes.

4. Process until smooth in a food processor or blender, then return to the clean pan and reheat. Taste the mixture and add seasoning if necessary.

5. Serve the soup in heated individual bowls, adding a generous spoonful of cream to each portion. Hot bread makes an ideal accompaniment.

Ingredients
2-4lb pumpkins
2 onions, sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2in piece fresh ginger root, grated
seeded and chopped
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 zucchini, sliced
8oz sliced mushrooms
2-14oz cans chopped tomatoes
2 cups pasta shells
1½ pints/3¼ cups stock
8 tbsp ricotta cheese
4 tbsp chopped fresh basil
salt and ground black pepper
Serves 8

Autumn Glory
Golden pumpkin shells summon up the delights of autumn - use one as a serving pot for this delicious pumpkin and pasta partnership. Prepare the pumpkin and cook up to the end of step 4 up to a day ahead..

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F/Gas 4. Cut the tops off the pumpkins with a large sharp knife and then scoop out and discard and the seeds

2. Using a small sharp knife and a sturdy tablespoon or ice cream scoop, take out as much of the pumpkin flesh as possible. Then chop the pumpkin flesh into chunks.

3. Bake the pumpkins with the lids on for ¾-1 hour until the insides begin to soften.

4. Meanwhile, make the filling. Gently fry the onions, ginger and pumpkin in the olive oil for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Add the zucchini and mushrooms and cook for a further 3 minutes, then stir in the tomatoes, pasta shells and stock. Season well. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer gently for 10 minutes until the pasta is just tender.

6. Stir the ricotta cheese and basil into the pasta mixture, then spoon the mixture into the pumpkin shells.

7. If it is not possible to fit the entire filling into the pumpkin shells, then serve the rest separately. Use the two pumpkins as the centerpiece of your table display.

Ingredients
8 tbsp butter or margarine, at room temperature
2/3 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
2/3 cup molasses
1 egg, at room temperature, beaten
1 cup cooked or canned pumpkin
1¾ cups plain (all-purpose) flour
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp grated nutmeg
¼ cup currants or raisins
Makes 14

Pumpkin Muffins
Pumpkin has a mild, sweet flavor and makes a delicious, moist muffin. As with most muffins, these are best eaten fresh, on the day they are made.

1. Preheat the oven to 400*F/Gas 6. Grease 14 muffin cups or use paper liners. With an electric mixer; cream the butter or margarine until soft. Add the brown sugar and molasses and beat again until light and fluffy.

2. Add the egg and pumpkin and stir until they are well blended. Sift over the flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon and add the nutmeg. Fold them just enough to blend the ingredients without over mixing.

3. Fold in the currants or raisins. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling them three-quarters full.

4. Bake for about 12-15 minutes, until well risen and firm in the middle. Transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or cold.

Ingredients
½ cup yellow cornmeal
2/3 cups plain (all-purpose) flour
2 tbsp sugar
½ tsp salt
4 tbsp butter, melted
½ cup whipping cream
1 egg, beaten
1-2 jalapeño or other medium-hot chillies, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
pinch cayenne pepper
butter for spreading
whole-grain mustard (or mustard with honey) for spreading
2¼oz smoked ham
Makes 24

Corn and Ham Muffins
These delicious little muffins are really simple to make. If you like, serve them unfilled with a pot of herb butter.

1. Preheat the oven to 400*F/Gas 6. and grease a muffin tin with 24 cups. Combine the cornmeal, flour; sugar, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the melted butter, cream, beaten egg, chillies and cayenne pepper.

2. Make a well, pour in the egg mixture and stir into the dry ingredients just enough to blend (do not over mix)..

3. Drop 1 tbsp batter into the muffin cups. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden and just firm. Cool the tin slightly on a wire rack, then turn out the muffins to cool.

4. Split the muffins and spread each bottom half with a little butter and mustard. Cut out small rounds of ham with a pastry (cookie) cutter and place them on the muffins. Replace the tops of the muffins.

Ingredients
3oz golden raisins
brandy (optional)
1lb pumpkin, cooked and drained
2oz cup measure
(½cup) plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted twice
1 tbsp soft (light brown) sugar
½ tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
rind of 1 lemon
oil for frying
cinnamon sugar, for sprinkling
Makes 16-20

Tip
Make fritters up to one day in advance and then reheat in a hot oven for 15-20 minutes.

Pumpkin Fritters
These moist and delicious fritters should be eaten while still hot, liberally sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.

Ingredients
1lb pumpkin
13oz ready-made short crust pastry
6oz brown sugar
¼ cup milk
4 eggs
1 cup double (heavy) cream
¼ cup brandy
2 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger or grated nutmeg
½ tsp salt
Serves 8

Tip
Prepare pastry case up to one day ahead (or freeze for up to one month). Prepare filling up to two days in advanced.

Pumpkin Pie
Why wait for Thanksgiving - this luxurious version of pumpkin pie is a traditional end to a Halloween meal and perfect for those with a sweet tooth.

1. Using a large sharp knife, chop the pumpkin flesh into small pieces.

2. Steam the cubed pumpkin for about 10-15 minutes until soft. Leave to drain, preferably overnight.

3. Line a 10in tart pan with pastry and chill for 15 minutes.

4. Preheat the oven to 350*F/Gas 4.

5. Place the drained pumpkin in a food processor with all the remaining ingredients and blend to a smooth purée.

6. Pour the filling into the prepared pastry case and bake for 1¼ hours until set.