Autumn may be over, but I’m not done with its produce.
Such a beauty is a carnival pumpkin! They not only have a pretty face, but they are tasty and sweet, too. It may be winter, but they are still available, and I’ve been using them because they are just as wonderful in the winter.
In the past couple of weeks, I’ve been using lots of them. So here are two ways to take advantage of this seasonal favorite.
First, a savory-sweet side dish.
I first tried this recipe a couple of weeks ago and liked it so much that I wanted to try it again. I couldn’t find the recipe, so I had to improvise—thankfully, it’s really easy.
This is made on a sheet pan, which makes cleanup easy.
You can use any kind of pumpkin (or hard squash, for that matter), though maybe the best ones have a soft skin that’s also edible. The first time, I used a small potimarron and a little carnival. It was the first time I used a carnival, and it really surprised me how good it was, though there is one caveat. The skin was much softer the first time. I don’t know what makes the difference, but once roasted, I found I could easily scoop the meat out with a spoon if needed. These squashes are super tasty! If you can find soft-skinned squash such as delicato or honey nut, the recipe works perfectly.
The recipe also calls for a sprinkle of chèvre cheese afterward—the warmth of the squash fresh out of the oven melts it slightly, making it heavenly. You can vary it considerably using flavored cheeses. I used a cranberry encrusted on the first occasion and a herb chèvre on the second, though plain would be just as good.
Lastly, it’s topped with a sprinkle of toasted pepitos, adding some crunch and more texture. So good!
It also makes good leftovers—after a little reheat in the air fryer, I had it for lunch until there was no more.
Maple Roasted Pumpkin with Pepitos
Ingredients
- 2 small pumpkins or squashes, any kind
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp minced fresh rosemary
- Salt & pepper to taste
- ¼ cup pepitos
- 1 oz chèvre cheese, plain or otherwise
Prepare a sheet pan by lining it with aluminum foil and set it aside. Preheat oven to 375º F.
Cut the stems off the pumpkins and slice off the bottoms to make them more stable to cut. Cut the pumpkins in half and scoop out the seeds. Then slice into crescent-shaped pieces about half an inch wide.
Place the pumpkin slices into a large bowl. Drizzle the slices with maple syrup and olive oil, then add the rosemary, salt, and pepper to taste. Stir the mixture until everything is coated and evenly distributed.
Roast for 45-55 minutes, or until slices are fork-tender, stirring the pieces occasionally. Transfer the squash to a serving platter and break up the chèvre over it. Sprinkle the pepitos and serve. Makes about 4 servings.
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Secondly, a soup.
The only way to make pumpkin soup is to roast the pumpkin first, which will bring out its rich flavors. Roasting also makes them much easier to peel—the skins almost fall off. You’ll also find that pumpkin spice and nutmeg are not just for sweet recipes, but also add a lot to a savory dish.
You can use any combination of pumpkins or squashes here. I tend to buy small pumpkins, since there are only two of us, but it’s pretty easy to improvise for more people. For this, I used a small carnival pumpkin and a honey nut squash. They are both very tasty and slightly sweet.
What I love about this soup is its creaminess, but there’s no dairy involved to achieve it. The sweet potato helps it achieve that end.
If you like, you can roast the pumpkins the day before and finish making the soup the next day. I find this can save me a lot of time when I’m busy.
When making something that tends towards the sweet side, I like to add a little dash of cayenne pepper to help balance the flavors. It works perfectly here!
Roasted Pumpkin Soup
Ingredients
- 2 small pumpkins, any kind
- 1 red sweet potato
- Olive oil
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp pumpkin spice
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 1 large shallot, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 5 large sage leaves
- Leaves from 1 sprig thyme
- 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Dash of cayenne pepper
- Pepitos and crème fraîche, sour cream, or yogurt for garnish
Start by roasting the pumpkins:
Prepare a large sheetpan by lining it with aluminum foil.
Preheat oven to 375º F.
Remove the stems and cut the pumpkin into chunks. Try to keep them about the same size so that they will roast evenly. Place them into a large bowl.
Rinse the sweet potato, cut it into chunks about the same size as the pumpkins, and add it to the bowl with the pumpkins.
Drizzle olive oil over the veggies—start with about 2 tablespoons—you may need more, but likely not. Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste. Add the nutmeg and pumpkin spice, then toss until everything is evenly coated.
Lay the pumpkin and sweet potato on the sheet pan, keeping them in a single layer as much as possible. Roast for 1 hour, tossing about halfway through.
Allow to cool. At this point, you can remove the skins from the vegetables—they’ll come off very easily. You can cover and refrigerate the pumpkin to make soup the next day, or continue with it.
To continue, heat about a tablespoon of oil in a soup pan over medium heat, then add the chopped onion and stir occasionally. Add in the shallot, then the garlic. Once all are fragrant and translucent, stir in the sage and thyme. Cook for about a minute, then pour in the broth.
Allow the soup to cook for about 30 minutes. Next, dip an immersion blender into the pot and purée until it’s fully blended. You can wait until it cools a bit if you are afraid of hot splashes—it won’t change the soup.
Cook for about 15 minutes longer, then it’s ready to serve.
Ladle soup into bowls; garnish with crème fraîche, sour cream, or yogurt and pepitos. Makes 4-6 servings.
