A pumpkin for all seasons.

Byline: Randi Bjornstad The Register-Guard

It's understandable that most people think about pumpkins only in the fall, when the season to carve jack o'lanterns comes around, quickly followed by Thanksgiving and the baking of the traditional pumpkin pies.

On top of that, since fresh pumpkins can be had only in the late fall, they tend to be a bit out of sight, out of mind the rest of the year. Given their nutritional value, though, they shouldn't be.

Pumpkin - actually a fruit rather than a vegetable - is loaded with the antioxidant beta-carotene, according to the University of Illinois Extension Service. Besides reducing the risk of developing certain types of cancer, beta-carotene converts in the body to vitamin A, which is vital to overall good health and reportedly helps ward off degenerative conditions related to aging.

One cup of cooked pumpkin has only 49 calories while providing 2 grams of protein, 12 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of dietary fiber and essential minerals such as iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc and selenium as well as vitamins C, A, E and niacin.

If that's not enough reason to introduce pumpkin into the regular diet, maybe the fact that it can be incorporated into many delicious recipes - from soups and main dishes to breads, desserts and candies - might be.

Not just in the fall months either, because pumpkin can be found year-round, of course, in the canned foods section of nearly every supermarket.

This time of year, though, cooks have the chance to make their own, and it's a simple matter. Those who know about pumpkins claim that every kind of pumpkin is edible, although some varieties cook up more tender than others. Generally, medium-size pumpkins tend to be less stringy and coarse than really large ones, while little ones may taste just great but don't give much "meat" for the effort taken to process them.

Pumpkin lore has it that the American colonists originated pumpkin pie, but originally the pumpkin constituted the crust, not the filling. Cooks sliced off the vine end of the pumpkin, scraped out the strings and seeds and filled the cavity with milk, honey and spices. Then they baked the pumpkin in the hot ashes of fireplaces or fire pits. The liquid combined with the meat of the pumpkin to create something akin to modern pumpkin pie filling.

Homemade Pumpkin Puree 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Select a ripe, firm medium-sized pumpkin. Larger pumpkins can be used, but they tend to have a grainier texture and less-pleasant flavor.

Cut the pumpkin open and remove the seeds and fibrous strings. Cut the pumpkin into 4 to 8 pieces.

Line a large baking pan with aluminum foil to minimize cleanup. Place the pumpkin pieces on the baking pan. Bake for 60 to 90 minutes, or until the pulp is soft.

Remove the pulp from the rind with a spoon and discard the rind. Blend the pulp until smooth, using a blender, food processor or mixer. To create a really thick puree, put the pulp into a cheesecloth and squeeze out excess water.

Source: pumpkinnook.com.

Pumpkin Soup in Tureen

For the tureen:

1 large, squat pumpkin

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 to 2 teaspoons salt

For the soup:

2 cups finely chopped onions

2 green onions, sliced thin, tops included

1/2 cup finely chopped celery

1 jalapeno chili, seeded and chopped fine

1/2 cup vegetable oil

6 cups chicken broth 

2 cups pumpkin puree

1 bay leaf 

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin 

1 cup evaporated milk

Salt and pepper, to taste

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

1/2 cup chopped parsley

For the tureen: Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Start by washing the pumpkin in warm soapy water; rinse well and dry. Using a sharp knife, insert the tip about 1/3 of the way down and cut around the pumpkin, forming a lid. Remove the cut-away piece and scoop out the seeds and stringy mass from inside the pumpkin.

Lightly oil the pumpkin inside and out and sprinkle the inside with salt. Place the pumpkin and lid on a parchment-lined baking sheet, or spray the sheet with an oil cooking spray. Bake 60 to 90 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of the shell.

Do not overbake the shell, because it will not support the weight of the soup. Bake only until the shell begins to soften, then remove from the oven and let cool.

Gently scoop out some of the soft pumpkin from the walls and lid of the pumpkin, taking care not to puncture the shell. Use this cooked portion for the pumpkin soup.

At serving time, ladle the hot soup into the shell and serve. The lid may be used as a cover to keep the soup hot, if desired.

For the soup: In a 6-quart saucepan, saute onions, green onions, celery and chili pepper in oil until the onions begin to look translucent.

Add broth, pumpkin puree, bay leaf and cumin. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove bay leaf. Add evaporated milk and cook over low heat 5 minutes. Do not boil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer hot soup to the pumpkin tureen. Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley. Serves 6 to 8.

Source: Illinois Extension Service.

Pumpkin-Style Chili

3 pounds lean ground beef

2 cups fresh or canned pumpkin puree

2 cans (15-ounces each) red kidney beans

2 medium onions, chopped fine

3 cans (15-ounces each) diced or crushed tomatoes

2 tablespoons chili powder

1/4 teaspoon crushed red chili pepper (optional)

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 bay leaves

1 cup sliced mushrooms (optional)

Brown the ground beef in a heavy skillet over medium heat until it loses its pink color. Drain away excess fat and put the browned meat into a large, heavy kettle.

Add the remaining ingredients to the kettle, and stir well. Cook over low heat for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.

Before serving, adjust seasonings. Serves 8 to 10.

Source: pumpkinnook.com.

Vegetable and Rice

Stuffed Pumpkin

1 medium pumpkin (about 15 inches in diameter) or 2 smaller ones

4 tablespoons sugar

6 tablespoons Tamari sauce (or soy sauce), divided

1 cup water

1/2 pound fresh shelled chestnuts

1/4 cup raisins

1/4 cup apricots, chopped

1 large, tart apple, chopped fine

1/2 cup walnuts, broken

1 stalk celery, chopped fine

1 medium white onion, chopped fine

1 medium red onion, chopped fine

2 cups corn, frozen or canned (drained)

1 medium green bell pepper, chopped fine

1 medium red bell pepper, chopped fine

1 medium zucchini squash, chopped fine

1 medium yellow summer squash, chopped fine

2 medium jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced

1/4 teaspoon mace

1/4 teaspoon turmeric 

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 cups cooked basmati rice, white or brown

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash the pumpkin and cut off the top, angling the cut inward so the top will fit back on easily. Scoop out strings and seeds.

Mix sugar and 2 tablespoons Tamari sauce; spread evenly over the inside of the pumpkin.

Line a large baking pan with a large piece of aluminum foil folded over itself three or four times. Pour 1 cup of water into the pan. Place the top back on the pumpkin; put it in the pan, covering the pumpkin and the pan with foil. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until the pumpkin just begins to get tender. Remove from the oven. Leave oven on.

Steam the chestnuts for about 15 minutes. Rinse in cold water and slip off the brown skins. Chop coarsely.

Combine chestnuts, raisins, apricots, apple, walnuts, celery, white and red onions, corn, green and red pepper, squash, jalapenos, mace, turmeric and rice. Mix well. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons of Tamari sauce and mix again.

Dust the inside of the baked pumpkin with cinnamon. Pack the pumpkin shell with the filling and replace the pumpkin top. Return the pan to the oven, add enough water to cover the bottom of the pan and bake 45 to 55 minutes longer.

Serve the pumpkin on the pan it was baked in, or very carefully lift it from the baking pan with the foil intact to remove it to a platter, because the pumpkin will be very soft. Scrape the inside of the pumpkin with the serving spoon to mix the "meat" with the rest of the stuffing.

Remove any leftover filling from the pumpkin and store in the refrigerator.

Source: pumpkin-patch.com.

Pumpkin Cremes Brulees

3 cups milk

5 eggs, lightly beaten

1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree (canned, frozen or freshly prepared)

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice 

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small saucepan, heat milk to just below boiling.

In a medium bowl, lightly beat eggs with a wire whisk. Add pumpkin, brown sugar, butter, spice and vanilla. Mix until well-blended.

Gradually whisk in the hot milk, taking care that the eggs do not begin to cook. Mix until all ingredients are combined. Pour the mixture into 12 custard cups with a capacity of 6 ounces each. Place the cups in two 9-by-13-by-2-inch baking pans. Place the pans in the preheated oven; pour hot tap water into the pans until it reaches halfway up the sides of the custard cups.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until custard centers are just slightly wobbly. Remove from the oven and allow the custards to cool in the water bath. Empty the pans of water. Cover the custard cups with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Just before serving, preheat the oven broiler. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of granulated sugar on each custard surface. Arrange on a baking sheet and place under the hot broiler until the sugar melts and bubbles but does not burn. The sugar will be lightly browned and caramelized.

Makes 12 servings. Leftovers may be refrigerated up to five days.

Source: Illinois Extension Service.

Pumpkin Pie Spice

4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon allspice 

1 teaspoon nutmeg

Mix all ingredients thoroughly in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container. Adjust proportions of spices to suit individual tastes.

Source: pumpkinnook.com.

Pumpkin Fudge

1 cup milk

3 cups sugar

3 tablespoons light corn syrup

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon allspice

4 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine milk, sugar, corn syrup, pumpkin and salt in a large saucepan. Cook over medium heat until boiling, stirring constantly. When mixture comes to a full boil, reduce heat. Simmer to "softball stage," when a teaspoon of the mixture dropped into cold water forms a ball. Remove from heat. Beat in cinnamon, allspice, butter and vanilla. Cool to room temperature, then beat until thick and mixture loses its gloss.

Pour into a buttered 8-by-8-inch baking dish and let set.

Source: Lucy Napier, via pumpkinnook.com.

CAPTION(S):

Homemade pumpkin soup is full of flavor and nutrition, and tastes especially delicious sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese. Roasted Pumpkin Seeds 4 cups water 2 tablespoons salt 2 cups pumpkin seeds 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or melted butter Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Bring the water and salt to a boil in a large saucepan. While it heats, remove as much of the stringy fibers as possible from the seeds. When the water boils, add the seeds and boil for 10 minutes. Drain, spread on a kitchen towel or paper towel and pat dry. Place the seeds in a bowl and toss with the oil or melted butter. Spread evenly in a single layer on a cookie sheet or roasting pan. Put the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until crisp and golden brown. Store seeds in airtight containers or storage bags and refrigerate until ready to eat. Source: University of Illinois Extension Service.