A savoury pumpkin pie

I love this time of year - seeing the breathtaking array of colour everywhere, crisp mornings, tramping through crunching leaves, the smell of bonfire smoke and also the fantastic selection of seasonal produce; quinces, apples, pears, figs and of course, pumpkins.

I'm not entirely sure when pumpkins and squashes became such a big thing, though I am pretty sure it has something to do with the commercialisation and Americanisation of Hallowe'en.

When I was a child and living up in North Yorkshire, Hallowe'en was virtually ignored, but we did have turnip Jack O'Lanterns and "celebrated" the 4th November as Mischief Night, which mostly seemed to involve knocking on people's front doors and running away...............another age!!

We did get up to slightly more mischievous activities, but if you think I am going to own up to those now, you are very much mistaken.  what happened in the past, stays in the past.

But for all I dislike the bought costumes, the dreadful Hallowe'en themed cakes and sweets for the equally awful Trick or Treating, I am pleased that we now have ready access to pumpkins and all their relatives.

And it has to be said that no pumpkin flesh is ever thrown away on carving day.

                                                      

                                         

Pumpkin pie is quintessentially an American institution and I am not going to attempt a version of their sweet confection.

I have gone for a savoury version, which went down a storm in our house and I hope you like it too.

None of these measurements are critical, so please feel free to adapt this to what you have on hand.

2 tblsp rapeseed oil

500g pumpkin flesh, peeled and chopped

1 large leek, washed thoroughly and cut into thick slices

2 tblsp dessicated coconut

2 tsp salt

1 dried chilli, crushed

200ml double cream

2 large potatoes

50g melted butter

Start by toasting the coconut in a frying pan over a medium heat.  Remove from the pan and set aside.

Heat the oil in a 10" frying pan - an oven safe one is ideal or, as this is going into the oven, remove the oak handle covers.

Put the pumpkin into the pan and cook for approx 15 minutes, until starting to take on a little colour and becoming soft.

Add the leeks and stir well to mix.

Throw in a couple of tablespoons of water and simmer until the water is absorbed.

Add the toasted coconut, salt, chilli and cream.

Mix well and remove from the heat.

Heat the oven to 170ºC

Slice the potatoes thinly.

Bring a large pan of water to the boil and add the potatoes.

Cook for 5 minutes, then drain and rinse with cold water.

Arrange the potatoes in overlapping layers over the pumpkin mix.

Pour the melted butter over the potatoes and put the pan in the oven.

Cook for 20 - 30 minutes until the potatoes are soft and golden.

Serve piping hot with peas and roasted tomatoes.

© Netherton Foundry Shropshire 2015

Two soups - hearty homage to the genius of Victoria Wood and Julie Walters

2 soups - with acknowledgements to Victoria Wood and Julie Walters - the 2 soups sketch is one of the funniest things, I have ever seen.  If you have seen it, you will know what I'm talking about - if you haven't, click on the 2 soups link and give yourself a giggle.

When my teenage kids were small, there were 2 authors they preferred above all others;  Dr Seuss and Helen Cooper - and one of their all time favourite stories was Pumpkin soup by Helen Cooper - I got to know it off by heart.  I am sure many of you know the feeling.

There's a good smell of soup, and at night, with luck, you might see a bagpiping Cat in the window, and a Squirrel with a banjo, and a small singing Duck. Everyone has their own jobs to do. Everyone is happy... or so it seems.... until one day Duck, the littlest one, decides it's his turn to stir the soup.

And that inspired this first recipe, a grown up soup for my growing up (all too quickly) kids

Spiced pumpkin and corn soup
A spicy blend of autumn ingredients to warm the body and soul

2 tblsp oil
2 onions, sliced
500g pumpkin flesh, chopped
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp paprika
Chilli to taste - fresh or dried
25g creamed coconut
1 litre vegetable or chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste
2 corn on the cob

I cooked mine on the versatile and incredibly useful Kitchen Companion

Put the bowl on the diffuser ring on top of the heater base  and pour in the oil.  You can choose what ever oil you fancy, I used some local rapeseed oil, but anything from olive to vegetable will do.
Heat over a medium heat and add the onions.  Sweat them until soft, but not coloured.
Add the spices, stir well and cook for a minute.
Add the pumpkin, stir well and cook for around 5 minutes.
Add the coconut, stock and seasoning and bring to the boil.

Simmer for 15 minutes, until the pumpkin is soft.
Blend until smooth and then add the kernels from 2 corn on the cob.
Cook for a further 10 minutes and serve.

We had ours with some crusty bread, flecked with fresh sage and topped with sea salt.

Soup 2 is made from more autumn bounty, including apples and sage from my garden.

Parsnip and apple soup

2 tblsp oil
2 onions, chopped
2 large parsnips, peeled and chopped
2 apples, cored and chopped - there is no need to peel them
1 litre chicken or vegetable stock
1 tsp chopped fresh sage - be careful with this, sage is a very pungent herb and too much will ruin the soup
Salt and pepper to taste

Again I used the Kitchen Companion for this.

Warm the oil over a medium heat and add the onions.
Cook until soft but not coloured
Put the parsnips, apples, sage and stock into the bowl .
Cover with the lid and bring to the boil over a high heat
Reduce to a simmer and cook for around 15-20 minutes until the parsnips are soft.

Blend and season with salt and pepper - it's likely you'll want to use a little more seasoning than usual,as this is quite a sweet soup.
I drizzled mine with hazelnut oil, for a luxurious and show off presentation and accompanied it with cheese bread.

Netherton Foundry Shropshire 2013 ©
www.netherton-foundry.co.uk