Okay, so I get that for many of you that Autumn is just the stepping stone to Christmas but it is still my all-time favourite season. Clearly every fashion, makeup and food trend-setter appears to love it just as much as me: my Instagram feed has been laden with autumnal-themed posts - all of which flaunting the warm, russet hues that seem to sum up this time of year.
And I just cannot seem to resist those pumpkins at the farmer’s market! Needless to say, I went a little overboard this year and found myself with a surplus of the orange beauties. I've made soup in previous years but fancied something a little different this time (after all, there’s only so much soup one person can eat). I decided on two very different recipes this year - one a little naughty and another on the lighter side.
Drain the chickpeas and add them to the mixture along with the egg. Blitz for a few seconds until the mixture is just smooth then transfer to a bowl and stir in the protein (or whichever option you chose to act as the ‘soaker-upper’).
I served my burgers in gluten-free buns with salad and a ring of fried and caramelised onions.
750g pumpkin flesh, de-seeded, peeled (or scooped) and roughly chopped
120ml single cream
35g Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
3 garlic cloves, whole
Large knob of salted butter
Salt and pepper to taste
If you don’t have a lotus steamer, you can use a metal sieve that fits in a saucepan with the lid on but I would highly recommend buying one if you don’t have one. John Lewis stocks them or IKEA have a similar one that is a little cheaper.
After around 7 minutes, add the garlic cloves so that they can steam along with the pumpkin. Once the pumpkin is tender, remove it and allow it to cool before adding it to a mixer (yes, I used the Nutribullet yet again – I just love how versatile it is!).
So there you have it - two simple but original uses for autumn pumpkins. And a word of advice...be very careful when peeling the skin of a pumpkin: I have the scars to remind me just how easy it is to slip with the knife and I very quickly switched to scooping instead. Ouch!
And I just cannot seem to resist those pumpkins at the farmer’s market! Needless to say, I went a little overboard this year and found myself with a surplus of the orange beauties. I've made soup in previous years but fancied something a little different this time (after all, there’s only so much soup one person can eat). I decided on two very different recipes this year - one a little naughty and another on the lighter side.
The Angel: Smokey Pumpkin Burgers
Makes 4-6
Ingredients:
½ medium pumpkin - sliced in to large wedges
2 garlic cloves, whole
1 can chickpeas (I used dark for added flavour and colour)
1 medium egg
Juice of ½ lemon
½ red pepper, roughly chopped
½ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp dried chilli flakes
½ tsp nutmeg
Large pinch of salt and pepper
Olive oil for roasting
200g dried soya protein mince (or oats/cooked quinoa/breadcrumbs – anything to soak up some of the moisture from the cooked pumpkin)
2 garlic cloves, whole
1 can chickpeas (I used dark for added flavour and colour)
1 medium egg
Juice of ½ lemon
½ red pepper, roughly chopped
½ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp dried chilli flakes
½ tsp nutmeg
Large pinch of salt and pepper
Olive oil for roasting
200g dried soya protein mince (or oats/cooked quinoa/breadcrumbs – anything to soak up some of the moisture from the cooked pumpkin)
Method:
Roast the pumpkin wedges in the oven with a little olive oil at 180C for
30 minutes. Once soft, leave to cool slightly before removing the flesh
from the skin and adding to a food processor along with the garlic,
lemon juice, chilli, seasoning, nutmeg and red pepper (for those with a
trusty Nutribullet – you can use that instead).
Drain the chickpeas and add them to the mixture along with the egg. Blitz for a few seconds until the mixture is just smooth then transfer to a bowl and stir in the protein (or whichever option you chose to act as the ‘soaker-upper’).
Leave to firm in the fridge for 15-30 minutes then spoon the mixture into an oiled pan and fry for around 5 minutes on each side. You want the pan to be on a medium-low heat and turn only once to avoid them breaking apart.
I served my burgers in gluten-free buns with salad and a ring of fried and caramelised onions.
The Devil: Creamy Pumpkin Pasta Sauce
Serves 4
Ingredients:
750g pumpkin flesh, de-seeded, peeled (or scooped) and roughly chopped
120ml single cream
35g Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
3 garlic cloves, whole
Large knob of salted butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Steam the pumpkin flesh in a covered saucepan using a lotus steamer over a small amount of water (around 125ml) for around 10 minutes or until tender.
If you don’t have a lotus steamer, you can use a metal sieve that fits in a saucepan with the lid on but I would highly recommend buying one if you don’t have one. John Lewis stocks them or IKEA have a similar one that is a little cheaper.
After around 7 minutes, add the garlic cloves so that they can steam along with the pumpkin. Once the pumpkin is tender, remove it and allow it to cool before adding it to a mixer (yes, I used the Nutribullet yet again – I just love how versatile it is!).
Blend single cream, parmesan, butter and salt and pepper – adding the pumpkin gradually while blending to a smooth mixture.
This sauce can then be simply stirred through cooked pasta for an ultra rich, creamy pasta sauce.
To serve: Extra pumpkin (sautéed in butter) with pecans, sage and Anduja sausage (for a spicy, meaty kick).
To serve: Extra pumpkin (sautéed in butter) with pecans, sage and Anduja sausage (for a spicy, meaty kick).
So there you have it - two simple but original uses for autumn pumpkins. And a word of advice...be very careful when peeling the skin of a pumpkin: I have the scars to remind me just how easy it is to slip with the knife and I very quickly switched to scooping instead. Ouch!
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