Making a meal out of a
”
melon
”
Long before the French came up with the name
”
pompom
”
from a Greek word for a large melon to describe the bright
orange orbs we know as pumpkins, the native North and Central
American squash has been a staple in the diets of Native
Americans.
Making a meal out of a “melon”
Long before the French came up with the name “pompom” from a Greek word for a large melon to describe the bright orange orbs we know as pumpkins, the native North and Central American squash has been a staple in the diets of Native Americans.
Many tribes roasted long strips of pumpkin on an open fire and ate them, according to historians. They also dried strips of pumpkin to weave into mats.
Native Americans introduced European visitors to the fruit, which is now grown on every continent in the world except Antarctica.
It is believed that the recipe for pumpkin pie came from those early days, when colonists were first discovering the native foods of their new home. Colonists sliced off the top of a round, ripe fruit, removed the seeds and filled the insides with milk, spices and honey. They used hot ashes to bake the pie, creating the flavor that many associate with Thanksgiving today.
Through the years many recipes have been developed using the creamy, smooth pulp from the pumpkin. Here is a guide to a three-course meal with pumpkins that doesn’t require a wait for Thanksgiving – or even the fall.
A salad, appetizer and bread:
Pumpkin Vinaigrette
4 tbsp. pumpkin puree
¼ c. cider or balsamic vinegar
1 glove garlic, chopped
1 tsp. sugar
½ tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
½ c. olive oil
· Put all ingredients except olive oil into a bowl.
· Whisk all ingredients together. Mix well.
· Slowly add the olive oil, whisking the whole time.
· Use vinaigrette to top your favorite salad.
From the Pumpkin Patch, www.pumpkin-patch.com.
Pumpkin polenta
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 lb. bulk sweet Italian sausage
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
3 cups chicken stock
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1-14 oz. can pumpkin puree
1 c. quick-cooking or instant polenta (such as Golden Phoenix)
1 tbsp. fresh thyme chopped
1 c. Pecorino Romano cheese
¼ c. flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 large fennel (or anise) bulb quartered, cored and thinly sliced
½ c. dry white wine
½ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
· Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, break up the sausage, and brown it. Transfer sausage to a paper towel-lined plate. Add 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil to the skillet. Toss in onion and fennel. Cook vegetables over medium heat until tender but not brown. Add the wine and return the sausage to the skillet. Cook the wine way, a minute or so.
· In a large saucepan, bring the chicken stock and butter to a boil. Stir in the pumpkin. Return to a boil, whisk in the polenta and stir until it thickens to desired consistency. Remove polenta from heat and stir in nutmeg, thyme, salt, pepper and cheese. Top the polenta with the sausage and veggie mix. Garnish with parsley and serve.
From Rachael Ray’s 365: No Repeats
Pumpkin Bread
3 c. sugar
1 c. oil
3 eggs
2 c. canned pumpkin
1 c. walnuts (optional)
3 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
Blend oil, sugar and eggs. Stir in pumpkin. Add shifted dry ingredients. Stir in walnuts (optional). Put in greased pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Allow to cool.
From the Pumpkin Patch, www.pumpkin-patch.com.
The main course:
Pumpkin sage pasta
1 lb. penne
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 lb. bulk sweet Italian sausage
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
½ c. dry white wine
1 c. chicken stock
1/3 c. heavy cream
10 sage leaves, cut into thin slivers
1-14 oz. can pumpkin puree
1 c. shredded Pecorino Romano cheese
¼ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 bunch chives, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
· Cook pasta per directions on box.
· Heat a medium non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add extra virgin olive oil and brown the sausage, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks. Transfer sausage to a paper towel-lined plate and add the onion and garlic to the pan. Cook over moderate heat until tender. Add the wine to the pan and return the sausage to the skillet. Cook for two minutes, then add the chicken stock, heavy cream, sage and pumpkin. Bring to a bubble and simmer until thick, about two minutes.
· Add the pasta to the sauce, toss with cheese, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Serve the pasta garnished with chives.
From Rachael Ray www.rachaelrayshow.com.
Dessert:
Streusel in-between pumpkin cake
Streusel:
½ c. packed brown sugar
2 tbsp. all purpose flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tbsp. butter or margarine, softened
Cake:
3 c. all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 c. butter or margarine softened
2 c. granulated sugar
4 eggs
1 c. canned pumpkin
1 c. sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
Powdered sugar
· Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 12 in. fluted cake pan with shortening; lightly flour. In small bowl, stir all streusel ingredients until crumbly, set aside.
· In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt, set aside. In a large bowl, beat butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally, until creamy. Add eggs, two at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in pumpkin, sour cream and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until blended.
· Spread half the batter in the pan. Sprinkle streusel over the batter, making sure streusel does not touch the side of the pan. Top with the remaining batter, making sure the batter layer touches the sides of the pan.
· Bake 58 to 62 min. or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Cool 30 min. Remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about two hours. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. 16 servings.
From Betty Croker’s Fall Baking.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 c. sugar
2 c. canned pumpkin
1 c. shortening
4 c. all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
½ tsp. ginger
½ tsp. salt
2 cups milk chocolate chips
· Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix sugar, pumpkin and shortening until creamy.
· Add dry ingredients, a bit at a time, until mixed thoroughly. Add chocolate chips.
· Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake until light brown, about 12-13 minutes. Cool. Approximately 5 dozen cookies.
From Laurie Lemmerman-Castañeda
Melissa Flores can be reached at
mf*****@pi**********.com
.
