Sugar Pie Pumpkin

The Grand Pooh-Bah, the poster boy, the pumpkin is the undisputed king of the winter squashes! And yet, many Americans only know this glorious food as it comes in a pie, a can, or (lately) a spiced latte.

While these are certainly worthy places for a pumpkin to be, it has so much more to offer! Around the world, every part of the pumpkin plant is enjoyed–from the leaves and flowers in soups to pumpkin seed oil (an intense green-red oil with robust pumpkin flavor that is used in cooking, added to soups & salads or even drizzled on ice cream) to the delicious flesh! Boil it, bake it, roast it, steam it and then puree it for soup, pie or a sweet-savory alternative to mashed potatoes. Roasted cubes of pumpkin make an excellent warm salad (see below) or risotto or added to a curry or chili – the sweet flesh works great with all kinds of spices. Nutritionally pumpkins are low in calories & fat, high in fiber, vitamin A and alpha & beta carotenes and packs in some protein. Tasty and good for you!

The sugar pie pumpkins that have been showing up in CSA boxes are the sweetest of the bunch and low in moisture – which means the flesh is denser and creamier.

Storage

Pumpkins will keep for weeks in a cool, dry place. Skin should be dry and blemish-free. Pumpkins will not keep well if skin is torn or bruised.

Recipes

Roast your own pumpkin seeds
Oven-roasted pumpkin puree
Warm roasted pumpkin salad

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