WHOLE PUMPKIN

Kent Pumpkin 

Butternut pumpkin is one of my favourites, it has smooth floury texture and a nutty taste. But the round one-kent pumpkin is a better for what I was going to cook,  I baked the whole pumpkin of this variety for the base of other dishes.  I did it days ago when the weather was cold as it takes a long time.
I tend to bake a few dishes at the same time to make the best use of the oven,

Preparation and baking the pumpkin was easy enough.

Wash and dry the pumpkin, place it on a lined baking paper.  Slash, a few places on the side.
Drizzle some oil on it, and rub.  Wrap it up with baking paper, and wrap it again with foil,  Place it on a baking dish, and bake at 175 degrees C for one hour or a little longer, until soft.
Check it by piercing with a metal skewer.
Cooked and baked a whole pumpkin can be used for soup, scone,  garnishes and for a presentation of savoury dishes.

Cooked Whole Baked Kent Pumpkin

I cut lengthwise on the top to use for baking scones and to add in pasta noodle.

The pasta noodle was lightly baked and served with meat and vegetable for a Sunday dinner.  We had it all, vegetable, carbohydrate and protein.

The rest of the pumpkin was handy: It made sweet pumpkin loaves and also it added to brioche dough.

Prepare light and creamy, spicy coconut sauce to dressing the pumpkin.  Steam white rice is delicious garnished with this dish.

That was a useful pumpkin and very successful cooking.  A lot of freezing of the dishes have been done
 Baked pumpkin freezes well too.

Pumpkin scones

Pumpkin rolls with cheese.

Lightly baked pasta noodles with Parmesan cheese garnished with baked pumpkin.

Lamb cutlet and Chinese broccoli

Crumbed cutlet garnished with
the pumpkin pasta noodles

Pumpkin Loaf

Pumpkin Loaf
with Crystallised Ginger and Dark Chocolate Topping

For the pumpkin loaf, I used a quick mix method.  I don't have the recipe, but I could write down the ingredients as I remember it.

Pumpkin Loaf Recipe
Ingredients:
3 cups self-rising flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
3 eggs (small)
1 cup white sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree (1/2 cup baked pumpkin mix with 1/2 cup water)
125 g butter and 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
For the topping (optional)
Crystallised ginger and dark chocolate for the small loaf
Dried cranberry and chopped almond for the large one

You need 1 large loaf tin and 1small and shallow tin.  Line the tins with baking paper
Set up the oven to 160 degrees C (a fan-forced)

Preparation for the pumpkin loaf:
Place all in a bowl, with an electric mixer, beat all ingredients to make a smooth mixture
The mixture should be thick, at a drop spoon consistency.
Place 2/3 of the mixture in the large lined loaf tin, and the rest put into the small one.
Level the top, add the topping, cover with baking paper lightly and place in the oven to bake.
Bake in the preheated oven for 18 minutes for the small one, and  41 minutes the large one.
Cool on the baking tins.

Large Pumpkin Loaf ready to be baked

Freshly Baked Large Pumpkin Loaf

If you don't have the topping, you could dress the loaf with cream cheese or white chocolate topping, and scatter chopped pistachio nuts.

Other things you could do with the whole baked pumpkin:  It is excellent for presenting savoury dishes, use it as the bowl.   Braised spicy meat is delicious served with pumpkin and rice, pasta or couscous. Place the sliced braised spicy meat on the pumpkin with fresh herbs to garnish.   A Sunday dinner for my family was this dish.  It looks festive and fabulous.
Pumpkin soup of baked pumpkin is so good, it has an excellent texture and intense flavour.



Buy the whole pumpkin in the season, and you could store it for a few months.


You may like to try to bake the whole pumpkin, have fun in the kitchen and happy cooking.





Until Next Post
Susy