Balmy early October days have made it easy for householders to decorate their homes for fall and Halloween.
And with a little planning, you can transform your pumpkins into pie or other delectable treats for the ultimate in autumn dining.
Pumpkins and their squash relatives are everywhere, along with fantastically shaped bumpy gourds for decorating. Halloween-themed inflatables can be found at many big-box stores. Plan a drive in the country to buy pumpkins, gourds, corn stalks and other decor or build them into your grocery shopping.
Secor Nursery and Farm Market in Perry is a wonderful destination to shop for fall decor and foods. It’s on Route 20, five miles past the split with Route 2, at 4940 N. Ridge Road. Bring cash or your checkbook because the farm doesn’t accept credit cards.
“We have tons and tons of pumpkins this year,” said farmer Larry Secor. “This should be the biggest weekend for them. I put them out front and cover my hill with them. People like to pose their kids for pictures on our Pumpkin Hill.”
Bales of hay and cornstalks also are available, and both can be added to the garden as a fall compost or winter.
Giant pumpkins, which easily can weigh hundreds of pounds, also are edible, although they tend to be dry and stringy compared to so-called pie pumpkins, bright-orange Cinderella pumpkins, pale-skinned cheese pumpkins or greenish Mexican pumpkins. Pumpkins are found in cuisines throughout the world, and in many European countries, “pumpkin” is the word used to describe other hard-skinned winter squash.
Those who recently read about my adventures with a spaghetti squash (bit.ly/squash-adventure) know that winter squash can be difficult to cut, so it’s usually best to roast or microwave them for a few minutes before cutting them open, removing the seeds and cutting them up to roast for their pulp.
Because of their hard skins, winter pumpkins can last a long time. Wipe them down with vinegar to discourage bacterial growth, which can hasten their decay. Treating them may also discourage neighborhood chipmunks and squirrels from considering them as dinner.
“If you don’t cut into them and keep them from freezing, they’ll last for months,” said Secor.
But most people use pumpkins for jack o’lanterns.
Those choosing pumpkin as an ingredient should know that 1 pound fresh pumpkin equals 2 cups peeled and cooked pumpkin. Fresh and dried herbs perk up pumpkin’s mild flavor. Savory pumpkin dishes benefit from sage, thyme, rosemary, oregano, marjoram and fresh parsley. Spices that go well with pumpkin include ginger, cumin, turmeric, chili powder, cinnamon, cloves and mustard.
It can be hard to find fresh pumpkin once fall is over, but it freezes nicely, so consider cooking an entire pumpkin and saving its pulp in freezer bags for winter dishes.
To use a whole pumpkin as a serving dish, choose a bright Cinderella pumpkin and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Wash the pumpkin, cut off its top and scoop out seeds and fiber with a large metal spoon. Rub inside and outside with oil and place on top of a rimmed baking sheet. Bake the pumpkin and top for 30 minutes. Remove the top from the oven and continue baking the pumpkin for 15 minutes or until it can be pierced with a fork but does not collapse. The pumpkin should be able to stand on its own.
The quickest and simplest way to prepare cooked pumpkin starts with washing the pumpkin, slicing to remove seeds and fibers, then cutting it in chunks that will fit in a microwavable covered dish. Add a tablespoon of water and cook on high for five minutes until easily pierced with a fork. Let stand, covered, until cool enough to handle, then peel and proceed with the recipe.
You can substitute canned unsweetened pumpkin for freshly prepared pumpkin in most recipes.
Recipe
Braised Cabbage With Sausage and Pumpkin
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 smoked chicken apple sausages, cut in half lengthwise
1 pound fresh pumpkin, seeds and fibers removed, cut in chunks
1 medium onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 head Napa cabbage, washed and sliced crosswise
1 tart apple, cored and thinly sliced
½ cup dry white wine
2 to 3 teaspoons Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon celery seed
1 cup chicken stock
Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Heat one teaspoon of oil in a large skillet or saute pan over medium-high heat.
Add sausages and brown lightly for about 5 minutes.
Remove from the pan and set aside.
Microwave pumpkin on high for 5 minutes.
When cool enough to handle, remove skin and coarsely chop enough to make 2 cups.
Store the rest in the refrigerator for 1 week or freeze for 3 months.
Heat remaining oil in a pan, add onion and cook for several minutes until softened.
Add garlic, cabbage, and stir until cabbage begins to wilt, about five minutes.
Add pumpkin, apple, wine, mustard, salt and celery seed.
Add enough stock to simmer everything without sticking to the pan.
Cover and cook for 8 minutes, until cabbage and apples are tender.
Add sausages and a few grinds of pepper.
Simmer for a few minutes to warm the sausage.
Taste and adjust the seasonings.
— Adapted from “Pumpkin, a Super Food for All 12 Months of the Year” by DeeDee Stovel.
