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We are pumped for pumpkin.
We’re starting our search at the East End Food Co-Op, where Produce Manager Aaron Young will be stocking organic pumpkins and other orbs that are perfectly suited for pie-baking (that is, if you’re adventurous enough to roast, puree, and bake pies with fresh pumpkin. Hint: Do not start this process the day before Thanksgiving).
The Co-op will also have organic canned pumpkin and pumpkin pie filling, along with another orange treat organic sweet potato pies. Of course, if you’d like an even fresher pumpkin, head to Soergel Orchards any Saturday and Sunday during the month of October when the farm hosts its Fall Festivals, and pick your very own super squash.
This Thanksgiving, we’re already thankful that Breadworks is baking up oh-so-special seasonal loaves of pumpkin bread. Better get to the North Side bakery early though owner Fred Hartman tells us that the round, sweet dough, made with real pumpkin and an egg-wash finish, will only be available on November 23 and 24 on a first-come, first-serve basis. Back on the home front on Halloween weekend, we’ll be roasting the seeds that we’ve scooped out of our Jack-O-Lanterns, which we’ll pick out when we take a hayride through the pumpkin patch at the Spring House in Washington County.
Of course, there’ll be a corn maze for the whole family to crawl through, and afterward, everyone can swing by the store for an ice cream cone. Come on — you know what flavor to order. But back to our pumpkin carving: Sunny Bridge Natural Foods owner Gina Snyder says we should dry the fresh seeds out overnight before tossing them with butter, sea salt, and baking them at 300 degrees for 45 minutes. Snack-tastic! Not just that, but the seeds have anti-inflammatory qualities and may help prevent kidney stones.
As for the flesh, which simply bursts with beta-carotene, we’re ready to absorb its antioxidants and potassium in each bite of these delicious recipes, gathered from local chefs and pumpkin aficionados like ourselves.
Pumpkin Pie Crème Brule
By Chef Len Spampinato, Papa Gallo Restaurant
Yield: 8 Servings
Ingredients
4 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise
12 large egg yolks
1 cup 100-percent canned pumpkin
8-10 teaspoons Turbinado sugar
Directions
1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, and heat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Combine 2 cups cream, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Use a paring knife to scrape seeds from the vanilla bean into pan. Submerge pod in cream. Bring to boil, whisking occasionally to ensure sugar dissolves. Take saucepan off of heat, and steep for 15 minutes to infuse flavors.
3. Whisk in remaining 2 cups cream to cool down mixture.
4. Whisk yolks in separate, large bowl, until combined, about 30 seconds. Whisk 1 cup of cream mixture into yolks until combined, about 10 seconds. Add remaining cream, and whisk for 20 seconds, until combined and evenly colored.
5. Strain mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl, and whisk in pumpkin. Pour mixture into a pitcher or 2-quart measuring cup.
6. Meanwhile, place a kitchen towel in bottom of a large baking dish, and arrange eight 4-5 ounce ramekins on the towel. Bring a kettle of water to boil. Ladle pumpkin mixture into ramekins, dividing evenly. Carefully place baking dish with filled ramekins in oven, pour boiling water into the dish until it reaches two-thirds height of the ramekins. Be careful not to splash water into the ramekins. Bake for 30-35 minutes until centers of custards are just barely set and a thermometer inserted into center registers 170 degrees.
7. Transfer ramekins to wire rack, and cool to room temperature for about one hour. Set ramekins on baking sheet pan, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours or up to 4 days.
8. Uncover ramekins, sprinkle each evenly with 1 teaspoon of Turbinado sugar. Ignite torch (Chef Spampinato says this is the most effective way to get a crisp crust) or place under broiler to caramelize sugar. Refrigerate uncovered for 30 minutes and serve.
Pumpkin Risotto
By Habitat Restaurant Executive
Chef Andrew Morrison
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
1 medium pumpkin
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
1 bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups Arborio rice
2 tablespoons butter
Sea salt
Parmesan cheese
Directions:
1. Peel pumpkin. Small dice approximately 1 cup of pumpkin, and set aside.
2. Place remaining pumpkin in a large pot with onion, bay leaf, and cinnamon stick, and cover with water. Simmer until pumpkin is soft.
3. Strain pumpkin stock, reserving the liquid and cooked pumpkin and onion.
4. Purée pumpkin and onion on high speed to form a rich, smooth consistency. Set aside.
5. Sautee diced pumpkin in olive oil until slightly brown, add rice, and continue to sauté. Add enough pumpkin stock to cook the rice, stirring occasionally until rice is cooked (approximately 15 minutes). When rice is almost ready, fold in pumpkin purée and butter.
6. Season with sea salt and grated Parmesan cheese to taste.
Sour Cream Pumpkin Bundt Cake
By Gina Snyder, Sunny Bridge Natural Foods
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients:
Streusel:
½ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon allspice
1 tablespoon butter
Cake:
3 cups flour or Better Batter Gluten-Free Flour Mix
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups organic evaporated cane sugar
1 cup butter
4 local large eggs
1 cup pumpkin
1 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Glaze:
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
2 - 3 tablespoons orange juice or milk
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan.
2. Combine streusel ingredients in a small bowl. Cut with a pastry blender until crumbly.
3. Combine flour, cinnamon, and baking soda. Beat sugar and butter with a mixer until light and fluffy.
4. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add pumpkin, sour cream, and vanilla; mix well. Gradually beat in flour mixture.
5. Spoon half the batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle streusel over batter, and keep it from touching the sides of the pan. Top with remaining batter, making sure layer touches edges of pan.
6. Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 30 minutes in pan on wire rack. Invert onto wire rack to cool completely. Drizzle with glaze.
Pumpkin-Filled Ravioli
By George DeLallo Company
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
Pasta dough
1 3-pound cooking pumpkin
1 egg
½ cup Parmigiano Reggiano
Freshly ground nutmeg
3 tablespoon finely ground amaretti
cookies (or breadcrumbs)
7 tablespoons butter
12 sage leaves
Salt & pepper
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cut pumpkin in half or quarters, depending on its shape and size. Eliminate all seeds and filaments, wash, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until tender. Test with a fork. Cool to lukewarm; remove the skin with a knife and wrap the meat of the pumpkin in a kitchen towel for a few hours in order to eliminate all water.
3. Place pumpkin in a bowl, and mash well with a fork or potato masher. It should be puréed, but avoid using a food processor.
4. Add egg, 3 tablespoons of Parmigiano Reggiano, a pinch of salt and pepper, and the amaretti/breadcrumbs.
5. Roll dough fairly thin, and using a dough-cutter wheel, cut two long rectangles of equal size, a little more than 3 inches wide. Cover reserved dough with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel. Dab a generous amount of filling every 2-3 inches along the dough. Place the other rectangle of dough on top, pressing it lightly all along the edges.
6. Using the cutter, trim the four sides of the rectangle. Cut out each square individually to form the ravioli. Seal each well with your fingers. Place them on a floured tray. Continue this procedure, preparing as many ravioli as you can, balancing the amount of filling with the remaining dough.
7. In a medium-sized pot, bring a gallon of water to boil; add a half handful of salt. Add the ravioli one by one. Stir gently, and cook for approximately 8 minutes. Drain with colander or sieve. Serve with melted butter and fresh sage, sprinkled with remaining cheese.
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