Pumpkin, four ways

No-recipe recipes

It’s that time of the year. Every year you promise yourself that you won’t do it again, but each year it’s almost impossible to resist. A simple trip to the grocery store for milk somehow morphs into a cart brimming with pumpkins. Now what?  Decorating the house is an option, but the memory of repeated toe stubbing encounters with a mammoth pumpkin from last year’s porch display makes you reconsider. This year, it's definitely going to be about utilizing pumpkins for something delicious, instead. The obvious option seems to be pumpkin pie, but your lukewarm affection for this seasonal dessert stops you from unearthing your Grandma’s ancient pie dish. To make matters worse, you're drawing a blank on alternative culinary ideas.

Fear not! Below you will find a selection of creative approaches to cooking with pumpkin. Rest assured, there won't be any reference to pie (we’ve already covered that here). Instead, these recipes focus on dish concepts and flavor suggestions that will elevate your lunches, suppers, and side dishes.

In these no-recipe recipes you won’t encounter too many precise measurements or strict guidelines, rather approximations and suggestions - a sprinkle of this, a handful of that. I can assure you, this is not because I’m a lazy recipe writer. Rather, it’s a deliberate choice to create space for you, the creative cook, to smell, taste, and decide with gusto and authority how you want your food to taste. 

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On the menu

Roasted harissa pumpkin, apple butter & feta with pumpkin seed & hazelnut crumble

Kale, fig and pumpkin salad with spiced whipped goat’s cheese

Dirty martini butter beans with candied pumpkin and charcoal grilled game & pork sausage

Pumpkin, date, apple butter and ras el hanout spiced soup

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Since all four recipes share many common ingredients I've compiled a convenient check list for you. 

Shopping List 

Things you may have already 

• Pumpkins or squashes

• Lemon 

• Garlic

• Cinnamon 

• Nutmeg

• Paprika 

• Butter Beans 

• Parmesan

• Onions/shallots 

• Olive oil 

• Chicken stock/vegetable or stock cubes 

• Apples 

• Figs

• All-purpose flour 

• Butter 

• Vinegar (I recommend apple cider or white wine)

• Maple syrup/honey/brown sugar 

Ingredients you may need to buy 

• Ras el hanout 

• Harissa 

• Sage 

• Chipolatas (pork or venison)

• Vermouth 

• Soft cheese (such as goat cheese)  

• Feta 

• Kale 

• Heavy cream/ mascarpone

• Medjool dates

• Pumpkin seeds

• Hazelnuts 

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Substitutions 

Pumpkins - Feel free to substitute butternut squash or sweet potato for pumpkin.

Spices - You will see I have used ras el hanout - the lovely warm North African spice blend.

This spice blend includes: cumin, coriander, paprika, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, chili, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, turmeric, black pepper, fenugreek and sometimes rose petals.

If you don’t have ras el hanout to hand, don’t worry. Simply combine any of the above spices to make your own fragrant spice mix.

Acid - I frequently incorporate lemon into my cooking to introduce a touch of vibrancy. If you happen to be without lemons, a dash of vinegar can serve as a great substitute. Conversely, if you're out of vinegar, a dash of lemon will suffice. It's quite common that when a dish tastes good but not exceptional, a splash of acid is often the missing element.

Dates - For our soup (see below) a great substitute could be maple syrup. If you don't have maple syrup use honey, molasses or a tablespoon or two of brown sugar. 

Vermouth - A great substitute for vermouth is sherry. If you don’t have sherry, white wine, mirin or even vodka/gin will suffice.

Beans - Butter beans are a great favorite of mine, but cannellini or great northern beans are a wonderful substitute. 

Harissa - For a fiery kick similar to harissa, consider these dynamite substitutes: Tabasco, sriracha, chili bean paste, or Gochujang.

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Recipe Jazz

I must say, I have no idea if this is an official term, however, for me ‘Recipe jazz’ aptly describes the art of improvising and adding personal flair to a recipe, often by making creative modifications or ingredient substitutions (as above) to suit individual taste and style. Now, let’s cook.

Harissa roasted pumpkin, apple butter, feta, pumpkin seed & hazelnut crumble 

If you were to take a bite of raw pumpkin, amidst the bitter seeds and stringy bits, you might detect a subtle earthy, and mildly sweet nuttiness. Despite its vibrant appearance, pumpkin might be described as rather humble. It certainly has the potential to be the main character in any dish, but often shines brightest when complemented by an all-star supporting cast. Its taste and texture, and those of its sweeter squash cousins, are dramatically transformed when exposed to bold flavors, like heat and sweetness. Roasted, the flesh becomes tender and utterly delectable, and that's where harissa steps in as a perfect side-kick. Rose harissa, a variation of the classic North African condiment, marries the fiery intensity of traditional harissa with the delicate aroma of rose petals. This unique combination introduces a subtle floral undertone to the spicy heat, making it a versatile and aromatic paste that elevates a diverse range of dishes.

Ingredients

Pumpkin Wedges 

• 1 pumpkin, cut into thick wedges

• Olive oil

• Rose harissa

• Ras el hanout

• Salt (smoked salt is perfect here)

To serve

• Feta (or any cheese you prefer, such as burrata)

• Apple butter (recipe here)

Pumpkin Seed Crumble (great for salads and soup toppings too!) 

• 80g sugar (I recommend light brown but use any sugar to hand)

• 60g butter, cold and cubed

• 100g plain flour

• 50g nuts & seeds ( I recommend a 50/50 split between pumpkin seeds and hazelnuts, roughly chopped) 

• A pinch or two of spice (I recommend ras el hanout or nutmeg)

P.S. Use any type of sugar, nuts, seeds or spices you prefer.

Method

Pumpkin Wedges 

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF/180ºC.

2. Mix oil, harissa and spices together and coat pumpkin wedges (I like to use a pastry brush).

3. Bake uncovered for 35-50 minutes (check at the 35 minute mark)

Pumpkin Seed Crumble

Heat the oven to 180C.

Rub the butter into the flour to make a rough breadcrumb texture. Do not overwork or the crumble will become heavy. Add the sugar, nuts and spices

Spread out on a parchment covered baking tray and bake for 25-35 mins or until golden brown.

Break apart with a fork or spoon and store in an airtight container until ready to serve. 

Serving suggestions 

Mid-devouring

The fancy way 

Place the pumpkin wedges on top of a quenelle of apple butter (see recipe). Then, layer your chosen cheese before artfully scattering the pumpkin seed crumble. Drizzle the wedges with a little extra virgin olive oil (and if you like, a little hot honey/maple syrup) and garnish with fried sage leaves. 

To prepare these delightful sage leaves, gently fry them in olive oil for 15-30 seconds until they hiss and curl up. Then, place them on a paper towel to drain before seasoning with a little fleur de sel.

This is the sort of dish I would serve if I owned a cozy candlelit small plates restaurant. And speaking of restaurant-inspired touches, the plating takes inspiration from Noble Rot bar in Mayfair. 

The simple way

If baking a pumpkin seed crumble and crafting apple butter seems a tad laborious, you can opt for the simpler route of toasting some hazelnuts or pumpkin seeds, sprinkling them over the wedges, and finishing with a drizzle of hot honey or maple syrup. It's a convenient alternative, but really, the crumble only extends the preparation time by 5-10 minutes. Honestly. For my American readers, apple butter can always be conveniently purchased from the store. 

Kale, fig and pumpkin salad with whipped goat’s cheese

Once considered a humble garnish for many a retro buffet, kale has undergone a remarkable makeover and is now the main character in every LA girl’s salad bowl. Joking aside, kale is really a rather wonderful ingredient. I like it best raw and then doused and massaged in an unctuous sweet and tangy vinaigrette (see below). By the way, when massaged, the tough cellular structure of kale is broken down, making it tender and thus more palatable. Good to know!

Ingredients

Pumpkin cubes 

• Pumpkin or butternut squash, cubed 

• Spice (ras el hanout, nutmeg or cinnamon) 

Salad 

• Kale

• Figs

• Soft cheese (such as goat’s cheese, ricotta or labneh)  

• Maple syrup

Easy caramelized nuts

• Any nuts or seeds (I chose pumpkin and hazelnuts)

• A knob of butter

• A little sugar or maple syrup 

Vinaigrette

• 4 parts olive oil

• 1 part apple cider, white wine vinegar or lemon juice (or a combination of both)

• 1 part maple syrup

• Salt and pepper to taste

• A pinch of spice

These measurements are approximate ratios, and you can adjust them according to taste.

Method

Pumpkin 

Set oven temp to 180c. Mix a little oil with the cinnamon and seasonings then coat the pumpkin with this mixture. Cook the pumpkin for between 35-50 minutes (depending on the size of your pumpkin).

In the last 5 minutes of cooking, drizzle maple syrup over the pumpkin.

Easy caramelized nuts

To make candied nuts, place roughly chopped nuts, sugar, and butter in a nonstick skillet over low-medium heat then stir gently until the sugar melts and coats the nuts. Transfer the mixture to parchment paper to harden, then roughly chop. 

Salad

Make the simple vinaigrette and massage this into the kale. 

Whip your soft cheese of choice with any spices/seasoning you prefer. I like salt, pepper and a little pinch of cinnamon and paprika. 

Spread the cheese on a plate and then layer the salad. Serve with pumpkin cubes, figs, caramelized/toasted hazelnuts and pumpkin seeds. 

Pumpkin, date, apple and ras el hanout spiced soup 

My soup of the season

A medley of my absolute favorites, all in one bowl. What I love most about this dish is its adaptability.  Experimenting with different toppings, I savored this dish for four days running and didn’t once get bored. On Monday, I tried a drizzle of balsamic glaze and a touch of heavy cream; Tuesday I opted for feta, pumpkin seeds, and pesto + a giant crouton; Wednesday, was the day for my homemade pumpkin seed crumble and my mom's pomegranate molasses; and on Thursday, I indulged in leftover mascarpone and a dollop of green goddess dressing. 

The quantities suggested will yield between 8 -10 generous servings. Obviously, any leftovers can be frozen, which is great when you haven’t got time to prepare supper.

Ingredients

• 1 pumpkin, halved (mine was voluptuous at 8lb)

• Olive oil

• 4-6 medjool dates

• 1 large red onion (or 2 shallots), halved

• A whole head of garlic

• 2 - 3 sweet apples, halved

• 1 lemon, halved

• Smoked paprika

• A few healthy pinches of ras el hanout

• Cayenne

• Chicken or vegetable stock (I used around 1 liter)

• A glug of pomegranate molasses (use in or on the soup, I prefer a decorative swirl)

• 1 tub mascarpone or a generous amount of heavy cream

• A scoop or four of homemade apple butter

Method

On a large roasting tray lined with foil, place two pumpkin halves, cut-side down. Don’t worry about removing the seeds and stringy bits, we will do that after the pumpkin is cooked.

Place the apples, onion, garlic and lemon around the pumpkin and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt, pepper (don’t be shy), paprika and whatever else you fancy. Don’t worry too much about flavor at this point, there's more to come.

Roast for 40 - 50 minutes (check at 35 minutes, the pumpkin should be fork tender).

Remove the skin or alternatively scoop out the flesh, whichever is easiest. 

In a large Dutch oven/heavy bottomed casserole dish, add the pumpkin along with onion, garlic, apple and the juice of the lemon and roughly blend with an immersion blender (you could also use a regular blender)

Add stock and spices and bring the soup to a gentle simmer. Finally add the mascarpone or double cream. Taste and see what needs adding. Blend again. 

Strain and set aside until ready to serve.

Serve with a giant crouton, if you like. 

Spiced dirty martini butter beans with candied pumpkin and charcoal grilled game & pork sausage

Impressive, those sausages

If you're a fan of both dirty martinis and beans, this hybrid dish is tailor-made for you. Also, can we be friends? 

The rich umami of parmesan and vermouth, combined with the complex warmth of ras el hanout and the hint of sweetness from the pumpkin works together to create an ideal autumn supper. Naturally, I recommend enjoying it with a classic dirty martini for the perfect pairing.

Ingredients

Pumpkin Cubes:

• Pumpkin, cubed, skin on or off 

• Maple syrup

• Olive oil 

• Pinch of cinnamon

• Spice

Dirty Martini Beans:

• A knob of salted butter

• A drizzle of olive oil

• A splash of olive brine 

• 1 can butter beans

• 1 shallot, finely diced

• A few cloves of garlic, minced

• A good glug of dry vermouth

• Ras el hanout (or any spice you prefer such a cayenne)

• Grated parmesan 

• Heavy cream

• Squeeze of lemon

• Salt and pepper

Method

The pumpkin 

1. Set oven temp to 180c. Mix a little oil, salt and cinnamon and coat the pumpkin. Cook the pumpkin for between 35 - 60 minutes (depending on the size of your pumpkin).

2. In the last 5 minutes of cooking drizzle a little maple syrup over the pumpkin cubes.

The beans

1. Place butter and a splash of oil in a medium saucepan and then fry the shallot for a few minutes before adding the garlic. When they are both soft, but not brown, pour in the vermouth.

2. Drain the butter beans (but do not wash) and add them into the pan. Finally, add all the remaining ingredients and simmer for a few minutes. 

To serve

Serve in a wide brimmed bowl with a suitably charred sausage or two on the side. Top with pumpkin pieces, crispy sage leaves or anything you prefer.