Pumpkins & Squashes
These are wonderful autumn vegetables which are so often overlooked and in the past I have been as guilty as most people in just using them for lanterns at Halloween. Now that I grow my own it is a very different story. The traditional looking orange pumpkin, which we use for carving, look fantastic but are not the tastiest winter cucurbit to grace our tables.
Over the last few year on the allotment we have been growing Turks Turbans
which although do not look as attractive as the traditional kind, they do make the best soup. The colour is bright orange and the flavour is so sweet and rich. This year from 3 seeds we had about 20 Turks Turbans – what terrific value! One of the drawbacks, however, is the thickness of the skins – they really are a devil to break into. I no longer peel them however; instead I cut into large chunks and cook them in the oven with a little water. I then scoop out the flesh and put straight into the soup pot.
Another wonderful discovery is Acorn Squash. Before I grew my own I would never had bought these but again from 3 seeds we must have had about 50 squashes this year. As the name suggests they are acorn shaped and a lot smaller than a pumpkin with a dark green skin. They can be cut into chunks (unfortunately have to peel them) and roasted with other veg. My favourite way to eat them though is to cut them in half, scoop out the seeds and stuff them with whatever I have available such as small tomatoes, cheese, onion, apple etc. Brush some olive oil around the flesh and then cook them upside down (skin side up) in the oven for about ¾ hour. They can be used as an accompaniment in a meal or a meal in themselves.
Pumpkins are rich in antioxidants, fibre, magnesium, Vitamins B, C, E and K, and potassium as well as carotenoid which will be stored in the body as Vitamin A. Whilst people laugh at the old wives tale about eating carrots so you can see in the dark there is an element of truth in this saying as Vitamin A is indispensable to eye/vision health and prevention against cataracts. It is the same for all orange coloured fruits and veg. Other nutrients in pumpkins also help to ward off degenerative diseases, promote bone health, urinary and intestinal tracts linings and boosts the immune system overall. (great for going into the winter) They can also help to prevent heart disease and the fibre content helps to reduce fat absorption whilst potassium can help lower the risk of hypertension.
And it doesn’t stop there the seeds can also be roasted in the oven. They are incredibly beneficial and benefit the whole body. Their anti-inflammatory properties protect against cancer, arthritis and osteoporosis. They are high in omega-3 fatty acids, zinc and phytosterols which support healthy levels of cholesterol and improve the body’s immunity to infections. They are also a good source of magnesium, manganese and phosphorus and they are high in protein delivering a whopping seven grams of protein per ounce.
Easy Pumpkin Soup
700g pumpkin or squash
25g butter
100g diced onion
Squeeze of tomato puree
250ml milk
800ml vegetable stock
Seasoning
Melt the butter in a pan, add the onion and fry until soft.
Add the chopped pumpkin and tomato puree. If the pumpkin is not already cooked (see above) then put a lid on the pan and allow them to sweat until soft. Add the milk and stock and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
Allow to cool and put into a blender. Adjust the seasoning to taste.
This soup will also freeze very well. I sometimes add some chilli to spice it up a bit.
Nature is very clever – in the summer it gives us vegetables that don’t particularly store very well such as beans and peas (although very good frozen) whereas going into the winter months it provides us with vegetables which store for a few months. I shall be eating my pumpkins well into the new year. Enjoy!