Possible Pumpkin Flavors
I am hoping to try out cooking with pumpkin this year and only know a) not to buy jack-o-lantern varieties for cooking, and b) about making it into sweeter things like pies, cakes, cookies et cetera. I have seen recipes for roasting seeds and flavoring them to make them spicy (add red pepper, who'd have thought?), but I don't know what options I have as far as using the flesh/ground pumpkin to head more toward a savory dish. [Please note, I am particularly interested in vegan approaches, though all methods are welcome.]
- Are there particular varieties better for making savory dishes?
- What flavor spectrum does the pumpkin (raw, roasted...) lend itself toward naturally or without much force? How do you coax those out?
Best Answer
There are terrific Thai pumpkin curries; the flavor profile would be garlic, ginger, lemongrass, coriander seed, cilantro, chiles, Thai basil. Here is one I did with Delicata squash that would work equally well with pumpkin: http://www.herbivoracious.com/2009/10/red-curry-delicata-squash-and-tofu-recipe.html .
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What flavors with pumpkin?
What Goes Well With Pumpkin?- Spices: nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, ginger, chilies, Cajun spice, cayenne, pepper, and vanilla.
- Dairy: cream cheese, cream, milk, butter, whipped cream, browned butter, and vanilla ice cream.
- Savoury: almonds, pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, rice, and oats.
How many pumpkin spices are there?
Pumpkin spice, also known as pumpkin pie spice, is a mixture of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. Some pumpkin spice mixes might leave out a spice or two, but most consist of at least two or three of the spices listed above.Does pumpkin have any flavor?
A cousin to every other winter squash out there, pumpkins have a similar earthy sweet flavor. Some can be bitter and less enjoyable to eat on their own, which is probably why we started baking them in pies and why we've historically seasoned them with dessert spices.What flavors are in pumpkin spice?
Pumpkin spice is what makes the concoction taste good enough to crave.. The iconic spice blend is a mix of nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, and ginger. The combo has been used for centuries, but was officially combined and marketed by McCormick in the 1950s.More answers regarding possible Pumpkin Flavors
Answer 2
I like a spiced pumpkin risotto. I take a basic butternut squash risotto recipe substitute pumpkin and add ginger. I bake my pumpkin in 1 inch cubes with rosemary, cardamom, salt and pepper. If I am just cooking for my wife and I as opposed to cooking with my kids in mind, I add chiles to the risotto, it cuts some of the sweet out of the pumpkin.
edit: You could leave the cardamom out, I just really like the flavor so it is more of a personal choice.
Answer 3
A different option is nuts. Pumpkin works great with walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, ... There are nice tie-ins with e.g. mushrooms and goat cheese (not vegan, OK).
Answer 4
The original Iron Chef did a pumpkin battle, maybe there will be a replay on TV you could search for since we are in that time of year.
Should be some interesting ideas in there, been a long time since I saw that one.
Otherwise, here are some YouTube links for it
Part 1 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6LGzJPqjsA
Part 2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xiMI7bk4RE
Part 3 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YI5jDPVDYfM
Part 4 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJCETXOnYU0
Part 5 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqgfhakBWQU
Answer 5
In addition to what's already been mentioned (although, I admit I didn't watch the Iron Chef videos), if you're looking or savory, pumpkin works in a lot of places where you might use potatoes:
- pumpkin gnocchi : use roasted mashed pumpkin in place of the potato; look for recipes online
- roasted pumpkin : cube, toss with oil and salt (and maybe herbs & vinegar), roast alone or with other vegetables (eg, carrots, onion, garlic).
- pumpkin waffles (or pancakes) : again, look online, there might be vegan versions.
- pumpkin croquettes (fritters) : ditto, but I don't know how they'd bind without eggs
And of course:
- pumpkin bread (or muffins) : lots of recipes online
... but just about any recipe that calls for acorn squash (unless it's used as a serving dish), or sweet potato might give you ideas.
Answer 6
massaman curry paste was made for pumpkin. Throw in some cashews for extra richness.
dark mexican mole sauce equally yum. celeriac would be a nice addition.
Guilin chili sauce straight out of the jar and smeared on roast/grilled pumpkin is an easy side-dish
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