Sunday, November 8, 2009

Pumpkin Puree

With the Holidays fast approaching, I wanted to get a little head-start on "pie time."

These are called sugar pumpkins. They are small and easy to work with. Apparently they are one of the best pumpkins to use for baking. I harvested some French pumpkins and will give them a few more weeks before I see how they look inside.

Step 1: wash your pumpkins.


Step 2: cut the pumpkins into smaller pieces for cleaning and cooking. Keep the seeds for baking and also for planting some of the seeds next spring. To preserve for next spring, wash the seeds and let them dry. Place into paper envelopes and store in a canning jar in a cool dark place.


Step 3: Scrape out all the stringy gook. My chickens didn't like the gook.

Step 4: Cook the pumpkin. You can microwave it, steam it, or bake it. I baked it for an hour in Le Creuset pans with lids on. Put 2 cups of water in the pans. Bake at 350F (200C).

Step 5: After washing the seeds, dry them thoroughly. Spread them on a baking sheet, add 3 T melted butter, garlic to taste, 2 T Worcestershire sauce, salt to taste, stir into the seeds. Bake at 275F until golden brown. (about 15 minutes, check and stir often!)


Step 6: After the pumpkin has baked and is cooked, place into a colander and allow to cool so you can peel it.
Step 7: After peeling, puree it by whatever method you prefer. I used a hand mixer and finished it off in the blender. Place the puree into freezer bags. I measured out 1 1/2 cups per bag, as that is how much Ruth needs for her pies.


27 comments:

Ruth said...

Did you crush the garlic with the crusher and mix it in the butter first?

The seeds are so YUMMY! I couldn't stop eating them. But I left you a few.

Zach said...

Don,
WOW, those pics are AWESOME. Are they taken on your Kitchen Table? I'm surprised you chickens don't like that gunk, do leave the seeds in it before when you give it to them. Never mind Dumb question. Obviously you eat them.... Just ignore me!

me said...

beautiful pictures! oh-so pretty with the autumn colors and yummy outcome!! Bravo!

Don said...

Ruth: yes, I did and I cooked all the spices for a minute before pouring over the seeds.

Where did you hide those seeds????

Don said...

zach: the pics were all taken by my live-in photographer Ruth. (also known as my first wife). Check her photo blog out if you like the pics:

http://small-ruth.blogspot.com/

Don said...

me: thanks for the compliments!! I love your knitting, you are really good!!

Country Girl said...

I made some puree a couple weeks back. I like your seed recipe. I will try next pumpkin we break open!

Loring Wirbel said...

Ummm, these are the kind my aunt uses to make pumpkin-butterscotch-ice-cream-pie. I need to get that recipe. Never knew they were called "sugar pumpkins"!

Don said...

country girl: see, you're always way ahead of the rest of us!! Do you have any good pumpkin recipes?

Don said...

loring: oh my, does that pumpkin-butterscotch-ice-cream-pie sound good! Please share the recipe when you get it.

Country Girl said...

Don I only froze the pumpkin, haven't cook with it yet. I just answered your question regarding the apples on my blog.
BTW, Ruth took some nice pics there. Just peeped at her blog again, it had been a while. Very nice!

Don said...

Zach: Actually Ruth's main blog is a better place to see her photos:

http://www.ruthie822.blogspot.com/

A Bite of Country Cupcakes said...

Hmmmm? Those seeds are such a good and delicious sounding snack!
Love the Ruth Piccies....Like being right there in the kitchen with Y'all!
Pumpkin pies...That really is something I should try!

Don said...

cupcakes: Hi there!! I will post Ruth's recipe for pumpkin pie for you. Can you get molasses? evaporated milk?

Gwen Buchanan said...

I'm looking forward to trying your toasted pumpkin seed recipe... every year I do it differently as I forgot how I did it last year and always think I will remember... but I don't.. I'm writing yours in my cook book.. Thanks

Don said...

gwen: I am the same way, except worse! Go easier on the butter than I did! I had to blot it a bit.

A Bite of Country Cupcakes said...

What a good idea Don....
Us Aussies don't do Pumpkin pie or anything other than Pumpkin soup and scones really...
Yes can get evaporated milk and Molasses...

Don said...

cupcakes: watch out or you may start a new fall tradition! We serve the pumpkin pie with a glob of whipped cream!

Don said...

cupcake: er, I mean spring, for you

Debbie said...

How did you know I was needing to find out how to do this? I had bought a pumpkin for Jaygen on Halloween and since we didn't carve it I wanted to use if for pie. Thank you! Your recipe for the roasted seeds sounds great too! I will be adding them to my cookbook!

Debbie

Don said...

susan: you got that right! I love the Holidays and all the good food we pile into! I'll bet you have some killer recipes.

Don said...

goat creek mama: yay for timeliness! I hope yours turns out well. What will you make with yours?

Garden Girl said...

You're back! You've been missed... Busy at school?

By the way, June, at the Four Green Acres blog (www.fourgreenacres.com) was asking for advice about chicken poop and composting. Do you have any advice you can give her?

Unknown said...

i baked a pumpkin pie with a sugar pumpkin from the farmer's market once, it was amazing. will we have these in a couple weeks?? yummy!!

i wish i had as many followers as you. :)

Shari said...

I would love to taste one of those homemade pies! My pumpkin puree is kind of stringy and my pumpkin seeds roasted up nicely, but they seem to be all hull and very little kernel! Every year I feel the need to try, though!

julie king said...

i love it when i visit your blog and you have a new post! i haven't cooked my own pumpkin for a couple of decades but plan to do so next year. my granddaughter and i harvested seeds this year and are drying them to give out to family members for christmas. she and i are going to make little decorated envelopes to put the seeds in.

you and ruth are funny -- leaving comments for each other!!

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