Don't waste your Halloween pumpkins! More than just a scary face, these big and beautiful winter squashes can be cooked in all sorts of ways for a delicious supper.
1. Pumpkin Pilaf Heat 2 tbsp oil and 2 tbsp butter in a saucepan with lid. Add 1 onion, 3 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp each of cumin, fennel and black onion seeds, and cook for 3 mins. Add 400g basmati rice, cook for 2 mins. Add 400g diced pumpkin and 800ml chicken stock, bring to boil, then simmer. Cook without stirring for 10 mins until liquid is absorbed, turn off heat, stand for 5 mins.
2. Broccoli, pumpkin & pine nut tart Mix 700g sliced pumpkin, 1 sliced red onion, 2 sprigs thyme and 2 tbsp olive oil in a roasting tin. Roast for 15 mins at 200°C. Add 200g Tenderstem broccoli (in 4cm pieces) and garlic to tin, mix and roast for 5 mins. Roll out puff pastry, place on baking tray. Place cooked mixture on top, sprinkle with pine nuts and dot with crème fraîche. Bake for 20 mins.
3. Shallot, red pepper and pumpkin soup Place 4 quartered, deseeded red peppers skin side up on a baking sheet and roast at 200°C for 25 mins, until the skins char. Cool, peel off skins, reserve flesh. In a pan melt 30g butter with 1 tbsp rapeseed oil. Add 6 shallots, 750g diced pumpkin and 1 red chilli, season, then sweat vegetables for 5-10 mins. Add 4 garlic cloves, sprig of thyme, 1.2l veg stock and simmer for 15 mins. Add red peppers and simmer for 5 mins. Blend.
4. Pennoni regati, butternut squash and pumpkin seeds Peel and dice a small squash. Season and sauté for 5 mins in 1 tbsp olive oil. Peel and add 20 small shallots. Cook and drain 300g pasta. Toast 50g pumpkin seeds. Mix a quarter of the cooked squash with 1 chilli and 6 tbsp water. Cook until it just starts to break down. Add a knob of butter, sprig of chopped rosemary and remaining squash and shallots. Mix in pasta. Add Parmesan to serve.
5. Baked pumpkin with a rosemary, chilli and orange topping Roast 12 shallots in olive oil and butter at 200°C for 15 mins. Add 1kg diced pumpkin, roast another 15 mins. Heat 4 tbsp olive oil with 3 cloves of garlic. Add 1 red chilli, 1 tbsp rosemary, 2 tbsp parsley and zest of 1 orange, stirring. Add 120g breadcrumbs, cook for 1 min. Spread breadcrumb mix over the squash and shallots mixture and return to the oven at 180°C for 30 mins.
Courtesy of www.ukshallot.com, www.loveradish.co.uk and www.tenderstem.co.uk.