The Cookers & The Grinners
The Oregonian
October 26, 2004
Summary: Jack-o'-lantern pumpkins look great, but other varieties are better for cooking
Growing up, mine was a one-pumpkin family. Despite eight kids, our Parents allotted us exactly one jack-o'-lantern. No amount of squabbling, bribery or whining would eke out more than one standard issue, grocery store, Halloween squash. As a parent, I now see their wisdom. Jack-o'-lantern pumpkins make lousy pies.
Craig Lee, owner of Lee Farms in Tualatin says, "Any squash is better for cooking than a jack-o'-lantern pumpkin. They're bred to look good, not taste good. They're too watery and stringy and result in a pumpkin pie with a runny filling that tastes more like a vegetable than dessert."
Olivia, our preschooler, makes the first annual field trip to the pumpkin patch. After slogging the handpicked pumpkin home (named Twinkle and wrapped in a newspaper blanket), she tenderly places it on the table for adoration. She makes it clear: No one's laying a knife on Twinkle. That baby's no jack-o'-lantern.
Lee, our third-grader, is next to the patch. He comes home with the biggest pumpkin he can muster and requests a knife upon arrival at our door, ready to dissect it immediately. He ignores the logic that a pumpkin carved too early rots on the porch. He also sees no need for adult supervision around carving knives.
We make at least one all-family schlep to the mud fields, bringing Home another eight pumpkins. We're up to 10 now, and nobody needs that many jack-o'-lanterns. What the heck do we do with them all? The trick is to come home with at least a few squash suited for cooking and not just porch decor.
Dylan Gillis, assistant produce manager at Concordia New Seasons Market,started stocking pie pumpkins in September. Sometimes called sugar or New England pumpkins, they're smaller, have a higher sugar content and are far denser than their spooky-faced cousins. They also cost more, at about 49 cents per pound compared with jack-o'-lantern varieties at about 17 cents per pound. "When you buy canned pumpkin, there probably won't be any pumpkin in it at all," Gillis says. "It's most likely Hubbard squash because it has a higher dry weight. It's denser and sweeter. "Pumpkin isn't even a correct technical name for this type of squash. It's in the same plant species as zucchini, acorn and spaghetti squash. We just call the round, orange ones pumpkins."
Pumpkin patches in the area sell several varieties that are good choices for baking and cooking, such as Autumn Gold Sugar, Cinderella, and Sweet Meat. Craig Lee picks Long Island Cheese Wheel as a favorite variety because "it has a chocolate-colored exterior and smells like candy." He offers pictures with descriptions and characteristics of the pumpkins in his field to help U-pick fans choose some for cooking and some for carving.
Don Krueger of Krueger Farm Markets on Sauvie Island seeds his fields with a mix of jack-o'-lantern and pie pumpkins. Carving varieties such as Prize Winner, Houdin and Phantom and pie pumpkins such as Cinderellas grow in the same fields. He suggests butternut squash for a truly great "pumpkin"pie.
Once carved, any squash will turn bad after a few days unless refrigerated. Thus my parents' mandate: One jack-o'-lantern for a maximum of three days then swiftly off to the garbage can.
Lee says that obviously the ideal time to haul in your pumpkins is In October. "But some say that the best pumpkins are picked after the First frost." By early November though, they need to be out of the field. Once picked, pumpkins and other cooking squashes can last for several Months if stored in a cool, dry place.
In addition to pies, use pie pumpkins for roasted pepitas (seeds), pastas, soups, ice creams and breads. Gillis recommends cooking your pumpkin whole(after perforating the skin with a fork) to keep it moist. Pie pumpkins range from three to seven pounds and will take 60 to 90 minutes at 375 degrees to bake and become ready to use in recipes.
Cut the baked pumpkin in half; scrape out the seeds and strings. Scoop all the pumpkin pulp from the rind. For pasta, cut the pulp into 1-inch pieces.For baking, put the pulp through a food processor until smooth and strain extra liquid through a cheese cloth. It's then ready to be transformed into dinner or dessert.
Jeanne Faulkner is a Portland freelance writer.
Pumpkin Pecan Pie
Makes 2 pies
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2 9-inch unbaked pie crusts
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1 egg white
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3 tablespoons plus 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar (divided)
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1/4 teaspoon vanilla
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1/4 teaspoon salt
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1 cup pecan halves
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1/4 cup granulated sugar
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2 tablespoons molasses
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1/4 teaspoon salt
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1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
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3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
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2 cups pureed cooked pie pumpkin (or canned pumpkin)
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3 eggs
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1 12-ounce can evaporated milk
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1 teaspoon vanilla
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2 to 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped crystallized ginger
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Sweetened whipped cream
Prepare two 9-inch pastry shells with fluted rims. Chill crusts for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line chilled crusts with wax paper or parchment paper and fill them with raw rice or dry beans. Bake shells for 10 minutes, then remove paper and rice or beans. Prick the shells in several places and bake for another 10 minutes.
In a small bowl, beat egg white until frothy but not stiff. Add 3 tablespoons brown sugar, vanilla and salt; beat well. Add pecans and stir to coat evenly. Spread pecans on an oiled cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes,stirring frequently to toast on all sides. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine remaining 3/4 cup brown sugar, granulated sugar,molasses, salt, spices and pumpkin. In another bowl, beat the eggs, milk and vanilla. Combine pumpkin and milk mixtures and stir until well-blended. Sprinkle baked pastry shells with crystallized ginger and ladle pumpkinfilling evenly between 2 pies.
Bake for 40 minutes. Remove from oven and top with pecans. Bake for another 15 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
Cool pies on a rack and serve with sweetened whipped cream.
Rigatoni With Pumpkin and Pine Nuts
Makes 4 servings
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1/2 pound rigatoni pasta
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1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)
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2 tablespoons olive oil, plus additional to drizzle on pasta (divided)
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1 large onion, thinly sliced
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2 cups sliced crimini mushrooms (about 4 ounces)
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1 teaspoon salt
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2 cloves garlic, crushed
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2 cups 1-inch chunks baked pie pumpkin
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2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (1 teaspoon dried)
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1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary (1 teaspoon dried)
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1/4 cup tightly packed fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley, chopped,
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Plus extra sprigs for garnish (divided)
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1/4 cup vegetable broth
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1/4 cup whipping cream
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1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted (see note)
Cook pasta in boiling salted water according to package directions.
In a large saucepan or skillet, melt butter with 2 tablespoons Olive oil over low heat. Add onions and sauté for 10 minutes. Add mushrooms and salt, and sauté for another 5 minutes. Add crushed garlic, pumpkin, basil, rosemary, chopped parsley, broth and cream, and sauté for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Pour pasta into bowl and drizzle lightly with additional olive oil. Spoon pumpkin mixture and toasted pine nuts over pasta and stir. Garnish with parsley sprigs. Note: To toast pine nuts, heat in a dry skillet over medium heat until they start to brown. Stir occasionally. Be careful not to scorch them.
Roasted Pepitas (Pumpkin Seeds) with Chili and Lemon or Cinnamon
Makes 1 cup. One pumpkin yields approximately 1 cup of seeds.
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1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
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Savory seasoning or sweet seasoning (recipes follow)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Rinse raw pumpkin seeds in a colander
And separate from stringy membranes. Discard membranes and pat seeds dry on paper towels. Generously spray cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray and bake seeds for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally for even toasting. Remove from oven and toss in a bowl with the savory or sweet seasoning. Return to cookie sheet and bake for another 5 minutes. Store in a sealed container.
To make savory seasoning: Combine 1/2 tablespoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon
Chili powder and 1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper blend.
To make sweet seasoning: Combine 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, 1/4
Teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
ILLUSTRATION: Color photo by Knight Ridder News Service
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