Pumpkin Simphony

 Autumn is a beautiful season when you can see the Nature turn into red and amber. This is also a very productive time where we can enjoy a lot of delicious fruits and vegetables like mushrooms, apples, chestnuts or PUMPKIN!

I have always been fascinated by this vegetable. I love its round shape and bright color! Perhaps, it also because I remember the Cinderella fairy tale where the her fairy godmother turns a pumpkin into carriage,...and then your dreams come true! ;-)

Its origin is not clear, even if it seems to come from North America the oldest seeds were found in Mexico.

It is part of the curcubitaceae family. You can find a wide range of different varieties with very different shape, colour and taste!
My favorites are still the pumpkin and butternut!


While in North America, Jack'o lanterns started to be carved and prepared to celebrate Halloween, I wanted to share with you some of my favorites recipes of pumpkin.




My grand mother was preparing a delicious pumpkin gratin that I want to share with you today! This is a wonderful side dish for a family Sunday meal!

Ingredients for 4/6 persons:

    -          1.5 Kgs. Pumpkin

    -          4 eggs

    -          4 tbs of wheat flour

    -          3 tbs of cream

    -          Salt, white pepper and nutmeg

    -          4 tbs of grated Comté cheese

1. Preheat the oven at 200ºC.

2. Let's start preparing the pumpkin. With a large and sharp knife, we open the pumpkin, cut it in pieces, take off the seeds and finally peel it. The peel is really harsh, so take a lot of care!

An easier way is to buy it already prepared, frozen or fresh.

Tip: You can keep the seeds, clean it properly from the fibers inside part. After cleaning and drying, you can then roast it in a pan or in the oven like I do my spicy nuts!

3. We slice it in small pieces, and put it in a pot with some 50ml. of water and cook it covered for 20 minutes.

4. When the pumpkin is smooth, drain the water pressing gently the pieces. We let it for 10 minutes.

5. Then in a baking pan, we put the pumpkin puree, we add the 4 eggs, and we mix it properly with a fork, then we add the flour, spreading it carefully and stirring constantly. Finally we put the cream. Season the blend with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

We add the cheese and mix it to the mixture.

6. Put it in the oven for 30 minutes at 200ºC, and then on the grill the last 10 minutes in order to get this golden and brown crust!

Enjoy it as a side dish with roast turkey or chicken! It could be a nice side dish of your Thanksgiving dinner for example!

Find more recipes of pumpkin here:
- Roast Pumpkin
- Pumpkin soup
- Sunday pork stew
- Couscous
- Pumpkin risotto
- Pumpkin tian

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