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Subject: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: Sooz Date: 20 Oct 04 - 08:37 AM Never tasted it, time I tried it, so how do I make it? |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: Rapparee Date: 20 Oct 04 - 08:53 AM Go to your nearest bakery. Point to one. When they give you the pie, give them some money. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: Sooz Date: 20 Oct 04 - 09:09 AM I can't remember ever seeing one to buy! (Even if I wanted to) All they seem to do with pumpkins here is carve them out as candle holders - or guard them in fields as there are apparently pumkin rustlers about this year. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: Rapparee Date: 20 Oct 04 - 09:19 AM Can you get canned pumpkin filling, or do you want to make it from scratch? Making it from scratch is messy and, to my mind, tedious. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: Maryrrf Date: 20 Oct 04 - 09:21 AM Sooz, you must be in th UK. In the States you will be finding Pumpkin Pies everywhere this time of year and the canned pumpkin, which has a pie recipe printed on the label, is on display at every supermarket. I always bring some canned pumpkin when I go to Scotland so that I can make pumpkin pies for my friend and his neighbors - they love it. It's one of my favorites, too. You can use fresh pumpkin. I have done both and couldn't tell the difference (that's why I just used the canned stuff - it's easier). I'll post a recipe during the course of the day. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: Sooz Date: 20 Oct 04 - 09:41 AM Thanks! I'm afraid I'll have to start from scratch. I'll make a big one and share it with everyone at Gainsborough Folk Club next Friday. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: Mr Red Date: 20 Oct 04 - 09:46 AM John & Maglan (aka Saints and Sinners, or Prof John & Princess Dinizulu) gave me a recipe from St Helena - because I asked if there were any aphrodisiac recipes from St Helena. The experiment is ongoing (scuse shaky handwriting) but the pie is in excellent taste . Which is more than can be said for my write-up. PM me here if you want a pdf of the page (I have 100 pages of similarly "alleged" recipes). |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: Janie Date: 20 Oct 04 - 10:04 AM I think pumpkin pie made with fresh pie pumpkins is much tastier than from canned pumpkin. I also prefer it made with honey instead of sugar. Don't mean to toot my own horn, but I have won pie contests with my recipe, which is from an old edition of the "New York Times Natural Foods Cookbook." If you want the recipe, Sooz, pm me and I'll send it to you when I get home tonight. Janie |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: GUEST,MMario Date: 20 Oct 04 - 10:31 AM Janie - you're a recipe tease!!! Why not just post the recipe here for all of us? My mom used to make "pumpkin" pie using butternut squash and a recipe for Sweet potato pie. (and she made "spanish" rice using polish sausage...very confusing) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: Maryrrf Date: 20 Oct 04 - 10:42 AM Here's a start: You can steam, boil or bake the pumpkin (at medium heat) until the pulp is soft. If you steam it or boil it you must drain it or the pumpkin will be too watery. Easiest is just slice it up into quarters and lay it face down on a baking sheet - bake till the pulp is soft then scoop it out and mash, grind, process puree - whatever you do it should end up smooth with a consistency kind of like mashed potatoes. (By the way keep the seeds - you can wash them, salt them and dry them in a warm oven and eat as snacks) For the pie: 2 eggs slightly beaten about 2 cups of pureed pumpkin 3/4 cup sugar 1 can evaporated (not sweetened condensed) milk 1 9 inch pie shell (I used premade pie shells from ASDA and they are smaller than the US pie shells - this recipe made two UK pies) spices - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves OR there is a mixture simply called "SPICE" in the UK that works great - it has all this plus nutmeg, I think. Put in a couple of teaspoons of that to taste) Preheat oven to 425 F (don't know what that is in celsius but its HOT. Mix filling ingredients well. Pour into pie shell(s) and bake on high heat for 15 mintes. then reduce temperature to medium and bake about 45 minutes or intil a knife inserted into center of pie filling comes out clean. I'm not a very scientific cook - always estimating and guessing but this should turn out fine. Let us know! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: Sooz Date: 20 Oct 04 - 10:49 AM Sounds scrummy! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: Maryrrf Date: 20 Oct 04 - 10:53 AM I've used butternut squash and also sweet potato for "pumpkin pie" - pretty much the same recipe as above. I've also used polish sausage for "Spanish" rice - turned out great. I'm a very haphazard cook! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: Stilly River Sage Date: 20 Oct 04 - 11:00 AM Pumpkin Pie 1 1/2 cups pumpkin (canned or fresh cooked/mashed) 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 to 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon (I always use the larger amounts) 1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 3 sligthly beaten eggs 1 1/4 cups milk 1 6-ounce can (2/3 cup) evaporated milk (NOT condensed milk!) 1 9-inch unbaked pastry shell Combine pumpkin, sugar, salt, and spices. Blend in eggs, milk, and evaporated milk. Pour into pastry shell (have edges crimped high because amount of filling is generous). Bake in hot oven (400 farenheit) 50 minutes or until knife inserted in the middle comes out clean (clear, not milky). Okay, that's it from the cookbook. It's a great recipe. Now here's what I do that's different: I don't eat dairy, so I use soy milk. This recipe, as most cooks will recognize, is a custard. So you have to use your ingredients so it will set at the right consistency. I use 2 cups of soy milk. I make soy milk from powder, and that would normally mean 4 tablespoons of powder to 2 cups of water. Since there is evaporated milk in here, I up the amount of powder by a tablespoon or two. With three eggs this sets up pretty well, I've never had a problem. You do sometimes have to bake it a little longer, so you might want to have a foil sleeve on your crust top (not over the whole pie, just over the edge) and take it off after 15-20 minutes of baking so the longer time doesn't make the crust too brown. Pie crust for the 9" pie (and a little extra so the cook can roll it out to bake with sugar cinnamon for the kids) 1 1/2 cups flour, sifted 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup shortening 4 to 5 Tablespoons very cold water Sift flour and salt. Cut in shortening (I do it with my hand, very therapeutic!) till pieces are size of small peas. Sprinkle water over, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing mixture after each addition. Stop adding water when the consistency is right, even if you haven't added all of the water! (This will vary according to the weather). Form into a ball and flatten on a lightly floured surface. Roll 1/4 inch thick from center to edge. When it bakes the filling is milky. When it is finished a knife inserted into it will come back moist but that liquid is clear, meaning the milk is completely set up. When the pie cools it actually continues cooking a little more and the center will be solid. I like it just like this; others choose to gild the lily by serving it with whipped topping. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: leeneia Date: 20 Oct 04 - 11:45 AM I don't have time to post an entire recipe, but the Joy of Cooking changed pumpkin pie for me forever. Basically,you take the standard recipe, say off a can, and you cook the filling in a double boiler, stirring till it is thick. (It doesn't take very long.) You may have to reduce the milk by a third or fourth - use your judgement. Keep the filling in the fridge after it is cooked. Tip - put all the ingredients in the double boiler, then turn on the heat. Don't let the pumpkin, etc, get hot and then add the eggs. The eggs will curdle. Sometime during the day, bake the pastry shell, empty, until it is nice and golden. Put the filling in the shell just before serving. It is delicious, with a wonderful fruit taste that reminds you that pumpkin is, indeed, a fruit. Of course, you need to top it off with whipped cream. Here is a preference of my own. Many recipes call for adding cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. I prefer to choose just one of these spices. I don't like the grainy taste of the combination. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: Maryrrf Date: 20 Oct 04 - 12:13 PM Oh help! I'm supposed to be on a diet and my mouth is just watering now - thinking of pumpkin pie. I want to make one tonight! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: PoppaGator Date: 20 Oct 04 - 01:04 PM I've eaten pumpkin pie all my life, but never encountered its close cousin the Sweet Potato Pie until I moved south as a young adult. They're very similar, but I've developed a *slight* preference for the sweet potato (which is available year-round, unlike fresh pumpkin). The recipes are probably similar if not identical, substituting mashed yams for canned or fresh-mashed pumpkin. A few years ago, at Thanksgiving or Christmas, my wife Peggy discovered a recipe for Double Pumpkin Pie, with a layer of the regular pumpkin-custard filling topped with a second layer of pumpkin mousse, the same stuff mixed with beaten egg white and maybe some other stuff, creating a layer of filling lighter in color and in texture from the bottom layer -- kinda like the meringue topping on a lemon-custard pie. She usually puts these fillings into a cracker-crumb crust -- either graham crackers or vanilla wafers. Needless to say, this delicacy has become a feature of *every* holiday dinner since. FYI: Here in the US, a mixture of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and probably ground cloves is commonly labeled and marketed as "Pumpkin Pie Spice." |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: jeffp Date: 20 Oct 04 - 01:06 PM If you can get sugar pumpkins (sometimes called pie pumpkins), they work so much better for pie. They are smaller, but the flesh inside is much thicker than the jack-o-lantern variety. The ones we get around here (Maryland) are more brown than orange. I cut one in half, scoop out the seeds, place the halves cut side down on a baking sheet with a raised edge, and roast it in the oven at around 375 degrees. After the flesh gets soft, about an hour or so, I scrape out the meat, puree it in a food processor, and drain it in a colander lined with coffee filters. The resulting puree can be frozen for at least a year with no discernable loss of flavor or texture. I also use allspice in my pies instead of clove. And fresh-grated nutmeg rules! jeffp |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: Stilly River Sage Date: 20 Oct 04 - 01:30 PM I wouldn't consider trying to eat one of the modern jack-o-lantern pumpkins. They're tasteless pulp. When I was a kid we could eat the jack-o-lantern, and typically did, because it was a different type of pumpkin. (They were also very hard to carve because the flesh was so firm). It was kept in the fridge and cut up and cooked when needed, or cooked and frozen, ending in a pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. We get a brownish pie pumpkin here also, probably come from Maryland (!). I steam my pumpkin then peel it. I don't steam it for so long that it's mushy. Cut into inch or so square cubes it doesn't take long to steam. Baking sounds very good, though. I also freeze it. I have a wonderful pumpkin bread recipe--it's in the Joy of Cooking. I remember a fancy pumpkin pie recipe that calls for slicing and layering about a 1/4 inch of Philadephia cream cheese in the bottom of the uncooked crust before filling it with the pumpkin filling. I've subverted the craving for pumpkin pie by pulling out a little Banquet Chicken Pot Pie for lunch. I'll get a little crust and fewer calories than as much pumpkin pie as I'd be likely to consume. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: Sooz Date: 20 Oct 04 - 01:36 PM I'm piling the pounds on even as I read! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: KateG Date: 20 Oct 04 - 02:39 PM I like to sprinkle a little chopped crystalized ginger in my pumpkin pie crust before I put in the filling and bake it. Also a bit of ginger in the whipped cream that goes on top. Yum! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: Little Robyn Date: 20 Oct 04 - 03:07 PM Here in NZ we have a little green pumpkin called a buttercup (not butternut - that's a yellow thing with a long stalk). The orange and grey pumpkins here are usually tasteless, watery and boring but the little green one is dry, sweet and almost chestnut flavoured. Kiwis don't usually cook/eat pumpkin pie but I discovered it years ago and will often make it for a special occasion. People always enjoy my pumpkin pies - basically a similar recipe to those above - a spicy egg custard pie with cooked buttercup pumpkin in it for colour and flavour. Pumpkin scones are good too! Robyn |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: ponygirl Date: 20 Oct 04 - 04:39 PM Being a pie snob, i make my pumpkin pies from fresh pumpkin rather than canned. Instead of the sugar pie pumpkins, i like the long neck pumpkins -- they look very much like an overgrown butternut squash -- for piemaking. I usually use a bit of molasses too, instead of just sugar. Mmmm... this year's pie pumpkin is waiting on the kitchen counter... |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: Once Famous Date: 20 Oct 04 - 05:04 PM Pumpkin Pie is nothing but orange mush under a crusty slab. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: Stilly River Sage Date: 20 Oct 04 - 05:09 PM We should be able to remedy your pumpkin problem. Someone send this woman a packet of pumpkin seed in her Secret Santa pack! SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: PoppaGator Date: 20 Oct 04 - 05:22 PM Martin, you've obviously never had a pumpkin pie made RIGHT. How unfortunate... There should NOT be a top crust -- "crusty slab" or flaky pastry -- for the pumpkin custard to be "under." |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: Bert Date: 20 Oct 04 - 09:28 PM Ah Martin Gibson, you forgot to add the magic words "Good Though!" Sooz, For the English palate add less cinnamon and maybe a little more nutmeg and cloves. Whatever yanks your chain. We always use crystalized ginger chopped fairly finely. That's all we had one time and it turned out so good that we rarely use dried ginger now. And of course we roast the pumpkin seeds to munch on. You have to watch them carefully while they are cooking though 'cos they burn easily. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: Mr Red Date: 21 Oct 04 - 06:57 AM I think he may be confusing it with his brain - an easy mistake to make when the brain is an orange....................... Only joking Mart - we love ascerbic comment really........... |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: Leadfingers Date: 21 Oct 04 - 10:43 AM Twenty Seven posts and not a single reference to the Band !!!!! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: Paco Rabanne Date: 21 Oct 04 - 10:49 AM The Band. There you go Lead old boy. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: Leadfingers Date: 21 Oct 04 - 02:01 PM Thanks Ted - Which Band is that ? |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: beardedbruce Date: 21 Oct 04 - 08:07 PM just a note- the canned pumpkin sold for pies here is actually a winter squash. Real pumpkin is better, but a lot more work. I have a recipe for colonial pumpkin pie I will bring in- One hollows out the pumpkin, puts spices and milk inside, and bakes... |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: dianavan Date: 21 Oct 04 - 08:13 PM Lead fingers - Are you talking about Pied Pumpkin? Back to the pie - Yes! Squash or sweet potatoes can be substituted for pumpkin in any recipe. What I use depends on the occasion. This year for Thanksgiving, I used butternut squash. I also added cardamon seeds for the Persian guest. He was very apprehensive at first. He thought it was heavenly. He had never had the homemade variety. He asked for seconds and I gave him a piece to take home as well. I'll see if I can post my very modified recipe later. If you don't want to bother with the crust (thats half the battle) bake it as a custard but, please, don't forget the whip cream. d |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: Maryrrf Date: 22 Oct 04 - 08:39 AM Oh yes I often dispense with the crust and just bake it as a custard. This is not because I don't like the crust but because crust is fattening. It cuts down on calories and if I'm really being weight conscious I use 2% milk and splenda instead of sugar. It still comes out pretty good. When lazy but not counting calories, I've used the pre-made graham cracker crust. It's hard to ruin pumpkin pie. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: Stilly River Sage Date: 22 Oct 04 - 10:18 AM Custards seem to be very forgiving of using Splenda. I've found this to be so with bread pudding also. I use soy milk and so sometimes up the number of eggs by one, but Splenda doesn't make as much difference as does the soy milk. Here is a link to a pumpkin growing site that might interest some of you. I agree, fresh pumpkin is best, whether home grown or store bought. I have had difficulties with predators on my cucubits in the yard where I live now, but each year I nurse them along a bit longer. I do okay with canteloupe, and have managed to grow a few squash before the worms get the plant, but never got the pumpkins beyond the flowering stage. Last spring I didn't have the time to work up the garden the way it needed, but this fall I'm starting early in preparing spots for next year. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: Mr Red Date: 22 Oct 04 - 02:52 PM Leadfingers Weren't they residents of Stroud? Before my time of course! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: beardedbruce Date: 22 Oct 04 - 07:26 PM Well, the recipe I have will not be of much use... Hollow out the pumpkin, removing the seeds. Add cream ( or milk), sugar, apples, raisins, and spices (nutmeg, allspice, clove, cinnimon, etc) and place the top back on. Bake it until the body of the pumpkin is soft. My additions are in ()... Not too detailed, but perhaps it gives someone the idea. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: dianavan Date: 23 Oct 04 - 04:19 PM Pumpkin, Squash or Sweet Potato Pie 2C mashed, cooked pumpkin, squash or sweet potato 1/2 C honey 1/4 C blackstrap molasses 1 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp ginger or about 1 tsp + of freshly grated ginger 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg a few cardamon seeds (optional) 1/2 tsp salt 3 eggs beaten 1 1/4 C canned milk 3/4 C water Pour mixture into an unbaked pie shell and bake 10 min. at 450 degrees and the reduce the heat to 300 degrees and bake 45 minutes to an hour (until a table knife inserted into the middle comes out clean). Cool. Serve with whip cream or ice cream. d |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: dianavan Date: 23 Oct 04 - 04:25 PM beardedbruce - baking the pumpkin whole is a good idea but just a word of caution. I once attended an emergency situation where a family decided to pop the whole pumpkin in the oven and then serve it whole. They brought it to the table and when mom poked it with a fork to see if it was done, the damn thing exploded. The entire family and the kitchen was covered in hot pumpkin! The burns were very bad and needless to say, they were in shock. d |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: GUEST,Old Guy Date: 23 Oct 04 - 04:33 PM I love pumpkin pie. I always buy pumpkins instead of canned pumpkin which looks like baby crap. I cut the pumpkin into skinny wedges first. Then cut around the insides to remove them rather than scraping. Then I use a potato peeler to remove the skin. Then I boil it like potatos. Then I mash it with a potato masher. I leave in some lumps cause I like the texture. Then I hand it to my wife to add the other ingredients and finish making the pie. It beats canned pumpkin by a mile. Old Guy |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: annamill Date: 24 Oct 04 - 02:31 PM dianavan, I shouldn't, I know! But I can't help it! I laughed... I'm sorry. I'm sure there was nothing funny about being sprayed with hot pumpkin... It's my upbringing! You know, slipping on banana peels and all. Love, Annamill (still picturing, grinning and chuckling!) PS: I'm going to try (TRY) that double pumpkin pie recipe. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: dianavan Date: 24 Oct 04 - 02:49 PM Annamill - I still know that family (the kids are all grown up) and we laugh about it all the time but it sure wasn't funny when it happened. The baby (an infant) had a chunk of hot pumpkin covering her eye. I knew I couldn't remove it without damaging the eye, so I kept pouring cold water over her face until it slid off. Boy did that baby scream! What was worse, the mother, who was in shock, had to be held back while I did this. My children and my partner (the only help I had) spent hours dipping rags in cold water and wringing them out over the bodies of the four people laying on the floor. My kids were only six and nine. I was very proud of them. While they were at the hospital, the neighbors came in to clean the pumpkin off the walls and ceiling - it was an amazing mess. Whenever I see that lovely young woman, I have to get real close and inspect that eye. No scar! We laugh and she gives me a big hug. Mom is now married to a doctor who knows the story and says it is a miracle that her eye was saved and that nobody had any scars. Please, never cook a pumpkin without first piercing it let out the steam. d |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: PoppaGator Date: 26 Oct 04 - 07:18 PM annamill, I assume the Double Pumpkin Pie you plan to bake is the one I mentioned back on 10/20. I still do not have a completely-detailed recipe to offer, but I can add that the top (mousse) layer is made by adding not only beaten egg white, but also whipped cream, to some of the "regular" pumpkin custard that comprises the bottom layer. To avoid deflating the mousse, you have to "fold" the ingredients together, being careful not to stir too much. You do want to achieve an even color, though, which requires fairly thorough mixing. But you probably already knew that! Dang, is it ever good! The reason I can't offer exact quantities, etc., is that I have much more experience *eating* this delicacy than *making* it! I generally pitch in and help to some extent -- whipping the cream and/or egg whites, if nothing else -- but have never done the whole job by myself. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: Sooz Date: 07 Nov 04 - 04:11 AM Well, my pumpkin was steamed and pureed last night - so I'm on to the next stage. Only problem, I have a small bucketful of puree. Any good recipes for soup? |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: dianavan Date: 07 Nov 04 - 04:17 AM Pumpkin bread is yummy! ...or make pies and give them to friends or to some homeless kids. d |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: Tansy Date: 07 Nov 04 - 04:42 AM Freeze any unsed Puree for another use. It keeps for months in the freezer. However, it's just as easy to make a loaf or two of Pumkin Quick Bread and then freeze them if need be. Pumpkin Quick bread with golden raisins and walnuts is wonderful toasted with butter for breakfast. I make that for my husband often. It also makes for a very interesting French Toast option. If the Quick Bread gets stale, you can then make Bread pudding with it or Pumpkin Bread Trifle with egg custard. FOr the liquer to soak it with, you can use Frangelico or Bourbon. I've PMed you an offer to send recipes for all manner of pies and breads. I'm a bit of an obsessive recipe collector. I like to spread them around. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: Sooz Date: 07 Nov 04 - 06:42 AM Thanks Tansey - I picked up your pm. My first pumpkin pie has just come out of the oven along with a genuine Lincolnshire Bramley Apple pie. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: GUEST,Old Guy Date: 07 Nov 04 - 08:16 AM I found a low carb pie crist mix made by Mini-Carb at a Super Walmart. We also use Splenda instead of Sugar. Old Guy |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: Tannywheeler Date: 07 Nov 04 - 07:43 PM Pumpkin Soup: Start with a real pumpkin -- "pie" or "sugar" variety is best. About 2-&-a-half to 3 lbs. is the size usually sold. Wash off outside of pumpkin with warm soapy water and a veggie brush. Wipe dry, pierce in several places on shoulder around stem end. (Note: see dianavan's posts above; this is important safety tip, not just hot air.) Place on cookie sheet or shallow baking dish. Bake at 350-375deg. F for 1 to 1-&-a-half hours. Remove from oven and let cool 1 hr. or overnight. Have on hand homemade chicken stock, milk (whole or reduced fat), 1 med. lrg. yellow or white onion per whole pumpkin used, real butter, drinkable white wine. To make soup: cut or break open pumpkin, remove seeds and stringiness of the seed pocket (note that these seeds can be removed from the stringy stuff, dried, salted, and used as snack; time and labor intensive.) Melt butter in bottom of good-size stockpot, coarse-chop peeled onion, begin sauteeing in butter (gently, not going for color on onions, just limp softness). Scoop pumpkin flesh out of its skin (handling flesh and skin reason to have washed pumpkin), add to onion in stockpot. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, even constantly. Pumpkin softens and mushes up and starts blending with onion. Add chicken stock -- this is a variable; depends on how much and how dry the pumpkin; about a quart to 6 cups of stock per whole pumpkin. When mass is bubbling, add milk (or half&half or cream), about half as much as stock. Bring back to a boil, turn down to a simmer, cook for about 1-&-a-half hours, stirring OFTEN, avoid scorching. (Kitchen will heat up during this process. At any point, a glass of cold, white wine and a brief sitdown with feet elevated would be a Good Thing.) Turn off burner and get out other med. lrg stockpot or "saucepan". Puree mass from stockpot: with a blender -- 3 cups of the pumpkinstuff + 1 cup of (milk, or cream, or white wine), blend to velvet, pour into other pot; in a food processor -- 2 cups of pumpkinstuff, 2thirds cup of (m., c., w.w.), process to smooth, pour into other pot; strainer/colander -- press through into mixing bowl in 2 or 3 cup batches, add (m., c., w.w.) in similar proportions as above, stirring thoroughly. Use less wine than milk or cream. When you have several of these batches in the other pot, turn on burner under this pot and start cooking again, VE-E-ER-R-RY SLO-O-OW-W-WLY-Y, continuing to add more batches until original mass totally pureed, stirring FREQUENTLY. You are trying to force nutritional elements from the liquid into the pumpkin starch, I think, and "condense" the soup/expand the starch. You want to evaporate moisture, but watch closely and don't scorch. This should be an uncovered pot. after 1 or 2 hours remove from heat. Pack in covered containers/widemouth jars to give away, take to a potluck dinner, keep in the refrigerator. To serve cold, plop several big spoonfulls into bowl, add dollop of yogurt or sour cream, sprinkle with chives or chopped parsley. To serve hot: place some thick pumpkin soup in a 1 or 2 qt saucepan, (add milk, cream, or stock if thinning desired), heat to boiling (stirring frequently), turn quite low and heat for 2 or 3 minutes. Serve in bowls with savory bread, something with real texture and chewiness. Sour cream swirled into the center of the bowl of soup is a tasty addition. Doesn't freeze well -- texture suffers, but flavor still good. Note above posts: baked, fresh pumpkin freezes well by itself. Tw P.S. Yes, time-consuming, labor-intensive -- kinda like "hard work". Also delicious, satisfying, warming, sustaining. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: dianavan Date: 08 Nov 04 - 09:07 PM Sooz - I am waiting to hear if you liked it. d |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pumpkin Pie From: GUEST,Sooz (at work) Date: 09 Nov 04 - 03:36 AM Yes I liked it! However, I'm not sure that the pumpkin was a vital ingredient - especially with the time involved. I also made a pumpkin and raisin bread but that is in the freezer at the moment. |
