October Fruit-in-the-Spotlight: Pumpkin

British pumpkin season starts in October and ends at the end of December. And although pumpkins are inextricably associated with Hallowe'en (which is why we're featuring them now), if they're stored properly they will last for a few months. They can be cooked in savoury or sweet dishes, and are great in spicy dishes as well as with more traditionally English seasonings.

Buying pumpkins

Choose a pumpkin that is a strong orange colour, with no cuts to the flesh (these allow bacteria in).

It should be firm and sound hollow when tapped.

Don't necessarily go for the biggest pumpkins - they tend to be watery with very little flavour. If you want to really enjoy your pumpkin, smaller tends to be better.

Storing pumpkins

Pumpkins can keep for months, but at home they're best kept somewhere dark, cool and airy and checked every few days. They tend to rot on the part in contact with the shelf, so change their position whenever you check them.

Cooking pumpkins

Obviously, you can remove the insides to carve the pumpkin, by slicing off the top and using a large spoon. However, if your aim is to cook the pumpkin, rather than carve it, then chop it in four and cut out the seeds and then the flesh. Cut the flesh into cubes and steam or boil in a little water until tender.

Consider decorating the outside of pumpkins rather than carving them, to avoid wasting this delicious fruit.

Pumpkins absorb flavours well, particularly cinnamon and nutmeg, for sweet dishes, or sage and rosemary for savoury meals.

More Pumpkin Information

Pumpkins are a member of the squash family, along with butternut squash and gem squash.

When growing, pumpkins are dark green, and they only turn orange when they ripen.

Believe it or not, these massive fruits actually hang off the plant on which they grow!

Pumpkins are sweet with a delicate, earthy flavour. They are a good source of beta-carotene (hence their orange colour), which the body converts to Vitamin A.

The seeds are also edible and are an excellent source of Omega oils.

"Pumpkin" carving at Halloween is an ancient Celtic ritual. But they used to carve turnips. It was only in the 1800s that pumpkins became more widely available in the UK and took their place.

Pumpkin Recipes

Creamy Pumpkin and Black Bean Chili

Pumpkin Pie

Butterbean and Pumpkin Seed Dip

Roast Pumpkin and Swiss Chard Risotto

Pumpkin Puree

Warming Pumpkin Soup

Pumpkin, Sage and Pine-Nut Ravioli

Have you got any favourite pumpkin recipes that we haven't covered here? How about adding them to ooffoo?