Anthology

Different Ways to Eat Your Jack-O-Lantern

by: Casey Pukl

I love pumpkins. Those plump, adorable, little orange masterpieces just waiting to be carved into art and then consumed on my table make it actually feel like fall. It truly is one of the most versatile pieces of produce in the world. This week alone, I’ve eaten 5 different forms of pumpkin. I started the week with some toast slathered with pumpkin butter, then a pumpkin spice latte, pumpkin corn bread (that was hands down the favorite), pumpkin ravioli (Thanks, Bencotto!), and last but not least, some pumpkin seeds. Yet even with all of these delicious pumpkin options, I still see rotting jack-o-lanterns wasting away for the whole week following Halloween. Fortunately for you, Chef Todd Allison has a few creative and tasty ways for you to use your pumpkin!

The first thing you can use once your pumpkin is carved are the seeds. “Pumpkin seeds can be great not just on their own, but you can use them to top soups and salads,” Allison says. “Just be sure to wash them off, and let them dry overnight.” You can toss them with some salt and pepper, or for an extra kick, use a little curry, paprika, and ground red pepper. Bake them at 400 degrees for 10-20 minutes, or until they start to brown.

Now onto the tougher part- actually breaking down the pumpkin to use the flesh. Chef Allison recommends cutting the pumpkin into eighths, then roasting the pieces at 350 until they’re tender. You can then scoop the pumpkin out of the skin, and use it for a wide variety of options. Pureed pumpkin can be used for just about anything, so run that roasted pumpkin through a food processor or a blender, spice it up, and voila!

For those of you who are less adventurous, there’s always pumpkin pie, but for those of you looking for something new, why not try a pumpkin soup? All you need is a little chicken or vegetable broth, pureed pumpkin, scallions, and season with salt, pepper, cloves, and red pepper. Whisk it together, throw in a few tablespoons of half and half, and top with some of those toasted seeds or roasted chestnuts!

For dessert, save a little puree, because you can make the perfect fall s’mores with it. Spread a bit of the puree on the graham cracker, top with some cinnamon and nutmeg, and then add your chocolate and marshmallow. I just toss mine into the broiler for a minute or two to get the marshmallow nice and toasted. Yum!