Title: PUMPKIN Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on June 11, 2009, 05:14:24 pm Pumpkin scones By PATRICIA SOPER - The Southland Times | Saturday, 16 May 2009 (http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo92/RasputinDude/Food%20Story%20Pix/2421237s-16May09.jpg) HEARTY FARE: With the colder weather on the horizon what could be more inviting or economical than a batch of delicious scones as an accompaniment to a bowl of soup, or simply as a substantial morning tea. — PATRICIA SOPER/The Southland Times. The arrival of pumpkins signals the colder weather here in the south. They are a good old standby that keep well, are suitable for mashing, roasting or a sweet pie filling. Rich in iron and bland enough to appeal to the youngest palate, pumpkin is one vegetable that is truly versatile. Butternut and crown are the two most prominent varieties sold in our southern supermarkets, but the pumpkin family is huge. I would be interested to know if any other types are commercially available in New Zealand. I have seen warty, elongated and small varieties in gardening books and on the internet, some that look like large ornamental gourds and some that bear little resemblance to pumpkins at all. As a child the only way I remember eating pumpkin was roasted with meat or mashed with lots of parsley, methods that have retained their popularity. I now like to include cubed pumpkin in a roast vegetable miscellany with diced potatoes, red pepper, kumara, garlic and fresh rosemary. Just toss them all together with a little oil and cook in a hot oven for about 25 minutes. Ingredients:
Method:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/features/food-wine/2412488/Pumpkin-scones[/list] Title: Re: PUMPKIN Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on June 11, 2009, 05:14:48 pm Afghan sweet poached pumpkin By LOIS DAISH - Cuisine | Monday, 18 May 2009 (http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo92/RasputinDude/Food%20Story%20Pix/2420900s-18May09.jpg) SIMPLE PUMPKIN: Not only is this a good winter accompaniment for lamb, it is a harmonious partner for a simple rice pilaf. — AARON McLEAN/Cuisine. This way of cooking pumpkin, based on a recipe from Afghanistan, is very moist, with the sweetness of the cooking liquid nicely balanced by the tangy yoghurt. Not only is this a good winter accompaniment for lamb, it is a harmonious partner for a simple rice pilaf. If you also want to serve a green vegetable, choose silverbeet sliced and steamed with a little water and butter, or toss a peppery watercress or rocket salad. A bowl of slow-fried red onions would also be delicious. Ingredients:
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Serves 4. http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/food-wine/2420872/Afghan-sweet-poached-pumpkin Title: Re: PUMPKIN Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on June 11, 2009, 05:15:01 pm Pumpkin pie BY PATRICIA SOPER - The Southland Times | Saturday, 23 May 2009 (http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo92/RasputinDude/Food%20Story%20Pix/2441189s-23May09.jpg) AUTUMN WARMER: Spicy and smooth, pumpkin pie is a wonderful family pudding that has honest nutrition and, once mastered, can be varied according to your taste. — PATRICIA SOPER/The Southland Times. I still remember the first pumpkin pie I ever made. It must have been about 35 years ago and I thought it was a fairly radical concept. The recipe was in one of Alison Holst's first books, a hardback given to me by a friend. The front-cover photograph of Holst is retrospectively hilarious because she looks younger now than she did back then; it must have been something to do with her hairstyle or the paisley shirtwaist dress she wore for the cover photo. I used that recipe book until it literally fell to bits so splashed with detritus that the recipes were almost indecipherable. But I really believe that Holst brought the best aspects of New Zealand home cookery together and presented young cooks of the 1960s with fantastic recipes that kick-started their own creativity. Cooks like me owe her much, not least the courage to give it a go. Today's recipe is my own but you can vary the spices if you like. Ingredients:
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Cook's tip: Any pastry off-cuts can be fashioned into leaves for decoration. Bake them for 10 minutes at 180°C and serve with each wedge of pie. http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/features/food-wine/2433720/Pumpkin-pie Title: Re: PUMPKIN Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on June 11, 2009, 05:16:35 pm Pumpkin eaters By GRAHAM HAWKES - The Southland Times | Saturday, 30 May 2009 (http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo92/RasputinDude/Food%20Story%20Pix/2460023s-30May09.jpg) PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE As autumn brings us closer to winter it also brings us one of my favourite vegetables, the pumpkin which we appreciate as a vegetable but is in fact a fruit. A member of the cucurbitaieae family pumpkins come in a great variety of sizes, colours and indeed sweetness. Pumpkin seeds have been found in Mexico dating back to somewhere around 6000BC indicating they have been around for quite sometime. Thought to have originated in South America the plants produce colourful and bright male and female flowers with a very short lifespan opening for as little as a day. Grown in all continents with the exception of Antarctica pumpkins provide great versatility for the culinary world. In some areas they are considered animal fodder and are suitable for many styles of cooking including roasting, poaching, pureeing, steaming or baking. They are also popular internationally used in both sweet and savoury style dishes and often the hero of vegetarian dishes throughout the Asian countries. The Italians will often match pumpkin with cheese as a filling for ravioli where the Thais will bake custard in small whole pumpkins. The Japanese will include pumpkin in their fabulous tempura dishes where the Chinese will utilise the leaves as both a vegetable or an ingredient in soups. And let's not forget where pumpkins have fitted into fairytales with the fairy godmother turning a pumpkin into a carriage and back again. Pumpkins were also the subject of some now-famous Dutch still life masterpieces. When buying pumpkin ensure there is a reasonable length of stalk still attached. Check there are no cracks or splits in the skin. This will help ensure the life of the pumpkin by not allowing insects to get in and destroy it during storage. My favourite pumpkin for roasting is definitely the butternut. However, for quiches and pies I find the grey skinned variety excellent. When it comes to soup my preference would be for the orange skinned variety. Pumpkin is perhaps not a favourite when it comes to sweet dishes down under, so this week let's look at utilising the abundance of good quality pumpkins about at the moment and produce a delicious cheesecake, especially for those who prefer a not so sweet baked style of cheesecake. ————————————————————————— PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE Ingredients for the Base:
Method for the Base:
Ingredients for the Filling:
Method for the Filling:
Ingredients for the Topping:
Method for the Topping:
Bon appetit! http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/features/food-wine/2458605/Pumpkin-eaters |