Around 14.5million pumpkins will be binned after Halloween, so if you want to avoid waste once you’ve carved your Jack-o'-lantern, why not try one of these delicious recipes?
KASHMIRI PUMPKIN ROGAN JOSH
(serves 4, prep: 15 minutes, cooking: 30 minutes)
Spice up your life with this delightful autumn curry which needs 400g of pumpkin, peeled and cut into 2cm dice – so this one is perfect for any display pumpkins you have that haven’t gone under the knife!
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE ROGAN JOSH PASTE
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
3cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
1 tsp hot chilli powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp paprika
40g tomato purée
2 tsp vegetable oil
FOR THE MAIN CURRY
400g pumpkin, peeled and cut into 2cm dice
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion
400g vine tomatoes, seeded and chopped
6 green cardamom, bashed to break the shells
1 cinnamon stick
300ml low-sodium vegetable stock
200g paneer, cut into 2cm chunks
150g tenderstem broccoli, cut in half lengthways
METHOD
To prepare the curry paste, place the ingredients into a small food processor with 3 tbsp water and blend until smooth.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large pan, add the pumpkin and fry gently for 6-8 minutes until beginning to soften.
Meanwhile peel and halve the onion then thinly slice. Roughly chop each tomato into about 6 wedges.
Add the onion to the pan and fry for 5 minutes until soft and golden, then stir in the curry paste and cook for a minute.
Add the cardamom, cinnamon stick and tomatoes and cook over a medium heat for a further 5 minutes.
Pour in the vegetable stock, bring to the boil then cover and simmer for 15 minutes until the pumpkin is cooked and the tomatoes have softened.
Heat the remaining oil in a non-stick frying pan. Add the paneer and fry until golden on all sides. When cooked add the paneer to the pan with the rogan josh sauce.
Put the pan you used for the paneer back on the heat and add another drizzle of oil then fry the broccoli for 5 minutes until charred. Add a splash of water if the pan looks dry.
Stir the broccoli through the sauce then serve the curry in bowls with basmati rice.
FUSILLI PSTA WITH A GARLIC AND MUSTARD DRESSING
(Serves 6-8, prep: 15 minutes, cooking: 40 minutes)
Don’t bin those seeds when you scoop out your Halloween pumpkin – they are a tasty and nutritious addition to all manner of recipes, and give this pasta salad (which is perfect for lunchboxes) the perfect amount of crunch and nuttiness:
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE MAIN SALAD
300g fusilli pasta
1 large aubergine, cut into bite-size chunks
2 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp mixed dried herbs
3 tsp soya sauce
400g can butter beans
2 red peppers, finely sliced
½ cucumber, seeds removed then chopped into bite-size chunks
50g olives
1 stick celery, finely chopped
20g capers
50g currants
200g fresh tomatoes, cut into small chunks
100g sundried tomatoes, sliced
50g pumpkin seeds
FOR THE DRESSING
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tsp mustard
1 lemon, juiced
Salt and pepper to taste
FOR THE GARNISH
2 tbsp fresh coriander,, roughly chopped
2 tbsp fresh oregano, roughly chopped
METHOD
Preheat your oven to 180°C/Gas 4.
Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet. Drain, then cool in running water and drain again, before transferring to a large bowl.
Place the aubergine on a baking tray, mix the oil, herbs and 1 teaspoon of soya sauce together and coat the aubergine. Season with pepper. Place in the oven for 30 minutes, turning from time to time. When cooked add to the pasta.
Drain the butter beans and rinse. Add the peppers, cucumber, olives, celery, capers, currants, fresh tomatoes, sundried tomatoes, butter beans and thyme to the salad.
In a dry frying pan gently toast the pumpkin seeds for 5 minutes. Then add the remaining soya sauce, cook for 30 seconds then set to one side. When cool, add to the salad.
Mix the dressing ingredients together and pour over the salad. Toss the salad to get an even coating of dressing.
Just prior to serving, add the fresh coriander and oregano.
GOLDEN RUM, BISCOFF AND PUMPKIN PIE TRIFLE
(Serves 12, prep: 25 minutes, cooking: 1 hour 15 minutes)
This absolute show-stopper of a trifle is well worth popping an extra pumpkin into your basket for!
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE CUSTARD
300g pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and cut into small chunks
1 tbsp sunflower oil
130ml oat or almond milk
28g caster sugar
1 tsp tahini
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground ginger
A few pinches of grated nutmeg
A pinch of sea salt
FOR THE BISCOFF SPONGE LAYER
230ml oat or almond milk
1 tsp cider vinegar
100g Biscoff spread
1 tsp vanilla extract
100ml sunflower oil
130g caster sugar
200g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp sea salt
10g vegan margarine, for greasing
FOR THE NUT TOPPING
50g hazelnuts, very roughly chopped
50g pecans, very roughly chopped
FOR THE BLUEBERRY COMPOTE LAYERS:
250 frozen or tinned blueberries
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp caster sugar, or to taste
100g mixture of chopped dried prunes and flame raisins
FOR THE SYRUP
4 tbsp golden rum or bourbon, to taste
2 tbsp maple or golden syrup, to taste
FOR THE CREAM AND TOPPING
300ml vegan whipping cream (we used Elmlea)
30g crystallised ginger
Grated nutmeg
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas mark 6.
To make the custard: In a roasting tin, mix the pumpkin or squash with 1 tbsp of sunflower oil. Roast for 30-40 minutes or until tender and a little golden. Leave to cool completely.
Put the cooled pumpkin and remaining custard ingredients into a food processor. Blend until it becomes silky smooth. Set aside in the fridge.
To make the sponge: Turn the oven down to 180°C/160°C fan/gas mark 4. Grease a 20cm x 30cm square brownie tin with the margarine and line with non-stick baking parchment.
In a jug, mix together the oat or almond milk and vinegar. Leave it to stand for 5 minutes, so it curdles slightly. In a medium bowl, add the Biscoff spread, vanilla extract, oil and sugar. Use an electric whisk to beat until smooth. Add the milk mixture and whisk together.
In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Sieve one third of the flour mixture into the bowl with the wet mixture and fold it in using a large spoon. Add the next third and fold in again. Add the final third and fold in, being careful not to overmix.
Spoon the sponge mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 25-35 minutes, until springy to the touch. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes. Lift out of the tin with the paper and leave to cool on a wire rack.
To roast the nuts: Place the hazelnuts and pecans on a baking tray, then roast for around 10 minutes in the oven, until they are a deep golden colour. Shake the tray occasionally to ensure even roasting and to keep a close eye on them as they can burn easily. Put the hazel roasted nuts onto a plate or board to cool.
To make the blueberry compote layer: In a small saucepan, heat the blueberries with the lemon juice and sugar over a low heat. Simmer gently for around 5-7 minutes, until the mixture is syrupy and will coat the back of a spoon. Take off the heat and mix in the prunes and flame raisins. Set aside to cool.
To make the syrup topping: In a small jug, mix together the rum or bourbon and maple or golden syrup. Set aside.
To make the whipped cream: In a large bowl, use an electric whisk to beat the cream until it holds its shape. Be careful not to overwhip or it may split.
To assemble: Cut the sponge into small squares then add half of the sponge in a layer in the bottom of a trifle dish. Drizzle over some of the syrup topping and almost half of the blueberry compote.
Add a third of the nuts and a third of the ginger, then half the custard and a third of the cream. Repeat these layers a second time in the same order.
Top the trifle with the rest of the whipped cream. Sprinkle the rest of the crystallised ginger, nuts and nutmeg over the top. Drizzle over the syrup to finish.
Recipes courtesy of the Vegetarian Society
Find out more at vegsoc.org
