driphoney
tittivator
- Joined
- Nov 10, 2008
- Posts
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Pumpkin Puree
(substitute in recipes calling for packed pumpkin)
1.) Go to market. Farmer's markets are best, if you can find one and pumpkins are grown locally.
2.) Find pumpkins and winter squash selection.
3.) Buy one small "pie-pumpkin" as a security blanket. Buy a huge pumpkin for Halloween carving. Remember, in the south, this will rot immediately upon sitting on doorstep in the 90F heat, so plan accordingly.
4.) Now comes the hardest part: selecting the squash. If the farmer is around, let him talk you into the right selection. My favorite is cushaw. It has fantastic flavor and lots of meat for the work. I've also used butternut, and to give a nod to pumpkins, I've used cheesepie pumpkins, but they're costly. But don't worry, if you aren't ready to become a pumpkin/squash snob like me, any pumpkin will work, and a day after Halloween, here in the States, you can get one for bargain basement pricing.
5.) Wash off outside of pumpkin.
6.) Turn oven on to something. I never think about it, but I guess for US folks that would be about 350F (don't have my converter up, but guessing 180C?)
7.) Now comes the second hardest part: cut the squash down the middle. Scrape out the seeds and strings.
8.) Unlike almost all of the recipes and advice you'll get, put a small amount of water (1 or 2 cups) in a large covered roasting pan, and place the squash CUT SIDE UP (yes, that's UP), and cover. Call me crazy, but it seems that a lot of goodness is in the liquid that comes out during baking, and I can't bear to part with it. I guess, if you must, bake it upside down and throw out the precious, nutritious liquid for a thicker mash.
9.) Bake until fork tender, just as you would a baked potato. Different thicknesses will take different amounts of time.
10.) While hot, scrape the squash out and puree in either a blender or food processor in small batches and store in freezer bags or containers until needed for holiday cooking.
Yes, done this way the puree is a lot runnier than canned pumpkin. In a standard pie recipe, my pies are ALWAYS firm in spite of never adjusting. In breads and cookies, I add a little more flour or take out a little oil or water.
[shrug] nobody complains, so it must be alright.
(substitute in recipes calling for packed pumpkin)
1.) Go to market. Farmer's markets are best, if you can find one and pumpkins are grown locally.
2.) Find pumpkins and winter squash selection.
3.) Buy one small "pie-pumpkin" as a security blanket. Buy a huge pumpkin for Halloween carving. Remember, in the south, this will rot immediately upon sitting on doorstep in the 90F heat, so plan accordingly.
4.) Now comes the hardest part: selecting the squash. If the farmer is around, let him talk you into the right selection. My favorite is cushaw. It has fantastic flavor and lots of meat for the work. I've also used butternut, and to give a nod to pumpkins, I've used cheesepie pumpkins, but they're costly. But don't worry, if you aren't ready to become a pumpkin/squash snob like me, any pumpkin will work, and a day after Halloween, here in the States, you can get one for bargain basement pricing.
5.) Wash off outside of pumpkin.
6.) Turn oven on to something. I never think about it, but I guess for US folks that would be about 350F (don't have my converter up, but guessing 180C?)
7.) Now comes the second hardest part: cut the squash down the middle. Scrape out the seeds and strings.
8.) Unlike almost all of the recipes and advice you'll get, put a small amount of water (1 or 2 cups) in a large covered roasting pan, and place the squash CUT SIDE UP (yes, that's UP), and cover. Call me crazy, but it seems that a lot of goodness is in the liquid that comes out during baking, and I can't bear to part with it. I guess, if you must, bake it upside down and throw out the precious, nutritious liquid for a thicker mash.
9.) Bake until fork tender, just as you would a baked potato. Different thicknesses will take different amounts of time.
10.) While hot, scrape the squash out and puree in either a blender or food processor in small batches and store in freezer bags or containers until needed for holiday cooking.
Yes, done this way the puree is a lot runnier than canned pumpkin. In a standard pie recipe, my pies are ALWAYS firm in spite of never adjusting. In breads and cookies, I add a little more flour or take out a little oil or water.
[shrug] nobody complains, so it must be alright.
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