This week, we're celebrating fall with pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves and a generous helping of America, where everything turns orange this time of year, including the president. We've decided not to get distracted by sweet potatoes or carrots. For once, it's all about pumpkin.
It's at its peak right now, concentrated with the warmth of the sun and made juicy by the first rains. It's affordable, and the possibilities are endless. Sweet enough for pie, subtle enough to bring color and cheer to a savory dish without taking over, pumpkin moves effortlessly between America, Asia, Italy and the Middle East, without any baggage or trace of an accent.
But even when we tried to give pumpkin the entire spotlight, we discovered there was no way to fit in everything we wanted to make. So take an idea or two. Make just the spice blend and add it to granola, if that's all you feel like doing. Or roast pumpkin until it caramelizes, turn it into a puree and take it wherever your imagination leads. The important thing is to start. Perhaps real fall will follow our lead.
Homemade pumpkin puree
This is the starting point for gnocchi, pie and lattes, assuming you haven't managed to find ready-made pumpkin puree, which is more readily available in Israel today than in the past. Roast the pumpkin without seasoning so the puree can be used in both sweet and savory dishes.
Butternut squash or another dense-fleshed pumpkin variety works best. The more watery the pumpkin, the longer it will need in the oven.
Ingredients:
- 1.5 kg (3.3 pounds) pumpkin or butternut squash, including skin and seeds
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F). Remove the seeds and cut the pumpkin into thick wedges, or halve the butternut squash lengthwise.
2. Arrange on a lined baking sheet, cut side down. Roast for 45–70 minutes, until the flesh is very soft.
3. Allow to cool slightly, then scoop the flesh away from the skin and blend into a smooth puree without adding any liquid.
4. If the puree is watery, transfer it to a wide saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until thick enough that a spoon leaves a visible trail through it. Let cool before using.
5. Store in the refrigerator for up to four days or freeze for up to three months. Freezing in preweighed portions is especially convenient. The yield varies depending on the pumpkin variety and how much moisture evaporates during cooking. Use the weight of the finished puree when following recipes.
Homemade pumpkin spice blend
Cinnamon takes the lead, ginger adds warmth, and cloves know when to keep their voice down. Mix everything in a jar and use it in pies, coffee, oatmeal or sprinkled over buttered toast with sugar.
Ingredients for one small jar:
- 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions:
1. Mix thoroughly and store in an airtight jar in a cool, dark place.
2. For an especially intense aroma, grate fresh nutmeg just before preparing the blend.
Pumpkin soup with brown butter
A silky, velvety, slightly sweet soup, finished with nutty brown butter and toasted pumpkin seeds.
Serves: 4–6
Ingredients:
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 kg (2.2 pounds) peeled pumpkin, diced
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 500 ml (2 cups) water or vegetable stock
- 50 g (3 1/2 tablespoons) butter
- 3 tablespoons shelled pumpkin seeds
- Salt and black pepper
Instructions:
1. Sauté the onion in the olive oil for about eight minutes. Add the pumpkin, honey, garlic, cream, water or vegetable stock, and salt.
2. Bring to a boil, then simmer, partially covered, for about 25 minutes, until the pumpkin is tender. Blend until completely smooth.
3. Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet, then remove and set aside.
4. Melt the butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Continue cooking until it foams. As the foam subsides, the butter will begin to brown and develop a nutty aroma. Remove from the heat immediately.
5. Stir half the brown butter into the soup and adjust the seasoning. Serve topped with the remaining butter, toasted pumpkin seeds and a little freshly ground black pepper.
Pumpkin pie with toasted meringue
Beneath a cloud of meringue with beautifully toasted peaks lies a rich pumpkin custard, resting on a thin, crisp cookie crust. Make sure the pie is thoroughly chilled before slicing.
In America, some versions skip the meringue and use marshmallows instead, toasted in the oven or with a kitchen torch.
For one deep 24 cm (9 1/2-inch) pie dish, at least 4 cm (1 1/2 inches) deep
For the crust:
- 250 g (9 oz) plain sweet cookies or biscuits
- 110 g (4 oz) butter, melted
- Pinch of salt
For the filling:
- 450 g (16 oz) thick, chilled pumpkin puree
- 100 g (3 1/2 oz) brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 egg yolks (reserve the whites for the meringue)
- 200 ml (about 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon) heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice blend
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For the meringue:
- 2 egg whites
- White sugar weighing twice as much as the egg whites, usually about 1208–140 g (4 1/4oz–5 oz)
- Pinch of salt
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F). Process the cookies into fine crumbs, mix with the melted butter and salt, and press firmly into the bottom and sides of the pie dish. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove. Reduce the oven temperature to 160°C (320°F).
2. Whisk all the filling ingredients together until smooth, without whipping air into the mixture. Pour into the crust and bake for 45–60 minutes. The edges should be set, while the center should wobble gently as one piece when the dish is shaken, without looking liquid.
3. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least four hours, preferably overnight.
4. Shortly before serving, prepare the meringue. Place the egg whites, sugar and salt in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Whisk continuously until the sugar dissolves and the mixture reaches 71°C (160°F).
5. Remove from the heat and beat with an electric mixer for five to eight minutes, until the meringue is stiff and glossy and the bowl is no longer warm.
6. Pile the meringue onto the chilled pie and create swirls with a spoon. Toast using a kitchen torch. If you don't have one, the meringue is ready to eat as it is.
7. Slice with a sharp knife. Store the pie in the refrigerator. The meringue is at its best on the day it is made.
Pumpkin spice latte
Hot coffee, pumpkin, maple syrup and spices. You can also make it iced by mixing everything cold and pouring it over ice. It all depends on how much fall there is outside.
Makes: 1 large serving
Ingredients:
- 200 ml (about 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon) milk or plant-based milk
- 1 heaping tablespoon smooth pumpkin puree
- 1–2 teaspoons maple syrup, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin spice blend
- A few drops of vanilla extract
- 1 double shot espresso
Instructions:
1. In a small saucepan, gently heat the milk, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, spices and vanilla, whisking continuously. Do not bring to a boil.
2. Froth using a handheld milk frother or coffee machine steam wand. Pour over the espresso and sprinkle with a little additional pumpkin spice.
For an iced version, blend the cold ingredients and pour into a glass filled with ice.
Whole roasted pumpkin stuffed with rice, pistachios and pomegranate
Use little pumpkins -they're just the right size for stuffing and serving at a family meal.
Scoop out the inside, add the filling and put the lid back on. That's exactly how this beauty arrives at the table, fragrant with basmati rice, fried onions, roasted pumpkin and plump raisins, finished with pomegranate molasses.
Every serving comes with tender roasted pumpkin that will eventually collapse. There's simply no avoiding it.
(Inspired by the stuffed pumpkin recipe in the "Leon Fast Vegan" cookbook)
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
- 1 small pumpkin suitable for stuffing, weighing 1.2–1.5 kg (2.6–3.3 pounds)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 red onions, thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, coarsely crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 cup basmati rice, rinsed and drained
- 3 tablespoons raisins or dried cranberries
- 3/4 cup boiling water
- Salt and black pepper
For serving:
- 1/3 cup pomegranate seeds
- A little chopped parsley
- 1–2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F). Wash the pumpkin, cut off the top and reserve it as a lid. Use a spoon to remove the seeds and stringy fibers.
2. Brush the inside of the pumpkin with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes, with the pumpkin open-side up and the lid alongside it, until the flesh begins to soften.
3. Meanwhile, heat the remaining olive oil in a small saucepan. Sauté the onions for about 12 minutes, until soft and golden. Add the garlic, coriander, cinnamon and cardamom, and stir for about one minute.
4. Add the rice, raisins or cranberries, boiling water, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover and cook over low heat for eight minutes. Remove from the heat. The rice should be partially cooked and still moist. Stir in the pistachios and orange zest.
5. Spoon the warm filling into the pumpkin without packing it tightly or filling it to the top. Replace the pumpkin lid and wrap the whole pumpkin in parchment paper and aluminum foil.
6. Return to the oven for 50 minutes, until a knife easily pierces the pumpkin flesh and the rice is tender. Check carefully: If the rice is still firm and the filling looks dry, add 2–3 tablespoons of boiling water, cover and bake for another 10–15 minutes.
7. Unwrap and let rest for 10 minutes. Remove the pumpkin lid, drizzle with pomegranate molasses and garnish with pomegranate seeds and parsley.