We called for pumpkin recipes and they rolled in; tumbling and bumping into each other like so many squash cut loose in the pumpkin patch.
The Good Eating Great Pumpkin Contest featured that great orange gourd that is a fixture of holiday dinners, mostly in pie form. Lots of people eat pumpkin only at Thanksgiving, when the bland-looking but lovable slice of pie is the last morsel of food crammed into a body already stunned into insensibility by second helpings of roast turkey and stuffing and an ocean of gravy.
It seemed like a good time to see what else is out there, pumpkin-wise.
Plenty, as it turns out. Of the 267 entries we received, only a handful were for pies. Readers had other ideas in mind: pumpkin dips and butters, cheesecakes, muffins, breads, cake rolls, bars and cookies. Those were just the sweet things. Dozens of other recipes came in for soup, risotto, ravioli, kugel, gnocchi, pickles, stews and stratas. Some dishes were similar to other entries but had maybe just one additional ingredient that caught our eye. An offbeat, but time-consuming, favorite was the recipe from Monica Affleck of River Forest for pumpkin wine.
But for all the wonderful sweets entered in the contest, the finalists came down to a mix of sweet and savory dishes. And the savory recipes won out over the desserts.
The first-place winner, corn crepes with pumpkin filling, came from Carolyn McConnell, a legal secretary in Lincoln Park. Rus Pishnery, a bartender from Davis, Ill., took second place with a pumpkin and black bean salsa. And Andrea Shuman of Evanston, working on a master’s degree in organization development at Loyola University, earned third place with a vegetarian pumpkin chili.
We were surprised. They were surprised. No desserts? That’s fine with McConnell.
“Everybody is so excited,” McConnell said of her win. “I’ve told everybody; my children, my hairdresser, my dentist. Cooking is my passion.”
McConnell said she had only made the recipe three times before entering it in the contest. It will definitely be part of the Thanksgiving celebration this year, she said.
Pishnery said he took a recipe he had been using for years, a watermelon salsa, and simply substituted pumpkin.
“I’m really strong right now on Caribbean influences,” said the recent transplant from Ohio. Pishnery serves the salsa in a hollowed-out pumpkin with a side of orange and black tortilla chips.
Shuman, a 15-year vegetarian, likes “eclectic” food and won over tasters with an untraditional chili featuring seitan, a meat substitute made from wheat gluten.
In narrowing the entries to a list of finalists, the Good Eating staff looked for originality in the ideas as well as appeal and settled on 11 recipes to taste in the Tribune test kitchen. The panel of judges included, along with the Good Eating staff, Christopher Koetke, chef/instructor at Kendall College in Evanston; Mary Kay Halston, executive chef for Corner Bakery; and Mark Richardson, who won a judging slot in an auction to benefit the United Way. All praised the fun mix of ingredients and the colorful presentations.
The other finalists may not have taken the top prizes, but they still came up with some great recipes. They are:
Amy Bizzarri, Chicago, for pumpkin, Parmesan and sage risotto; Robert Hafey, Lockport, for pumpkin bread pudding with spiced caramel sauce; Christine Hausfeld, Arlington Heights, for pumpkin gnocchi with spinach; Joel Knutson, Chicago, for caramelized hazelnut pumpkin cheesecake; Roberta Marstellar, Chicago, for pumpkin cheesecake with eggnog creme; Patty Murray, Chicago, for maple nut pumpkin cake; Chenoa Ruecking, Chicago, for Indian summer sweet and spicy pumpkin soup; and Henrietta Susmilch, Stickney, for pumpkin pie biscotti. Good job, everybody.
Buying pumpkin
– For breads, pies or any recipe that calls for mashed pumpkin, it’s easiest to buy canned pumpkin puree. Make sure the label says “100 percent pumpkin” or lists pumpkin as the only ingredient. Don’t mistake it for “pumpkin pie filling,” which includes sweeteners and spices and will affect the taste of your recipe.
– Fresh pumpkin is harder to find after Halloween, but some supermarkets and natural foods markets may carry pumpkins or order them for you.
– Choose a pumpkin between 3 and 6 pounds. The flesh of larger ones may be tougher and less sweet; they are best saved for carving. The shell should be mostly free of blemishes and soft spots.
Cooking pumpkin
– Cut up pumpkin with a cleaver or large, heavy chef’s knife. Cut flesh away from the rind and cook before using; raw pumpkin will be bitter.
– Butternut or other firm winter squash may be substituted for pumpkin in most recipes.
Roasting seeds
Don’t throw away the best part when you’re cutting up the pumpkin. Pumpkin seeds should be thoroughly rinsed of pulp and fibers. Pat dry.
– Heat oven to 350 degrees. Toss dry pumpkin seeds with vegetable oil and sprinkle with salt. Spread evenly on a baking sheet and roast 30-45 minutes, until the shells are crisp and golden brown. Remove from the oven and place on a plate to cool.
– Seeds also may be seasoned with ground black pepper or chili powder or dried herbs.
– Store tightly covered at room temperature for up to a week.
NO. 1 — CAROLYN MCCONNELL, CHICAGO
CORN CREPES WITH PUMPKIN FILLING
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Standing time: 1 hour
Cooking time: 1 hour
Yield: 16 crepes
Carolyn McConnell makes these for an appetizer, but they also would make a savory brunch entree. They can be assembled a day ahead.
Crepes:
1 cup each: cooked corn kernels, milk
3 eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup stone-ground cornmeal
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, cooled
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce or to taste
2 green onions, minced
Pumpkin filling:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 shallots, minced
1 1/3 cups pumpkin puree
2/3 cup cottage cheese
3 green onions, minced
5 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons milk, optional
1. For crepes, place corn, milk, eggs, flour, cornmeal, 2 tablespoons of the butter and salt in container of food processor or blender. Blend 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of processor; blend another 30 seconds. Add hot pepper sauce and green onions; mix. Cover, let stand 1 hour.
2. Brush 6- or 7-inch crepe pan or skillet with remaining melted butter; place over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Stir batter well, fill 1/4 cup measure three-fourths full, pour batter into pan. Tilt and rotate pan to cover bottom evenly with batter. Return pan to heat, loosen edges of crepe with spatula, cook until underside is lightly browned, 1 1/2 – 2 minutes. Turn crepe; cook other side until lightly browned, 1 minute. Transfer to sheet of wax paper.
3. Repeat with remaining batter, making 16 crepes total; brush pan lightly with additional butter as needed. Stack cooked crepes, separated between sheets of wax paper; keep covered.
4. For filling, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots; cook, stirring, until softened, 1 1/2 2 minutes. Stir in pumpkin puree; cook 1 minute. Transfer to container of food processor or blender; add cottage cheese. Blend until smooth. Add green onions, 3 tablespoons of the Parmesan, salt and pepper. Mix briefly. Add milk if mixture is too thick.
5. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Spread 1 tablespoon filling in center of each crepe. Fold crepe in quarters to form a wedge. Arrange crepes, overlapping slightly on buttered oven-proof dish. Brush with remaining melted butter, sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Bake 10 minutes, until cheese is melted.
Nutrition information per crepe:
Calories ………… 115 Fat ………… 5 g Saturated fat .. 3 g
% calories from fat .. 40 Cholesterol .. 50 mg Sodium …… 315 mg
Carbohydrates …… 12 g Protein …….. 5 g Fiber ………. 1 g
NO. 2 — RUS PISHNERY, DAVIS, IL
PUMPKIN SALSA
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
Chilling time: 1 hour or overnight
Yield: 4 1/2 cups
Rus Pishnery of Davis, Ill., serves this chunky salsa in a hollowed-out pumpkin.
1 pumpkin, 2 1/2 pounds
4 cloves garlic, skin on
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large Vidalia or other sweet onion, chopped
1 poblano pepper, seeded, chopped
3/4 cup each: cooked corn kernels, cooked black beans
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
Tortilla chips
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut pumpkin into quarters, remove seeds, fibers. Cut flesh from rind; cut flesh into 3/4-inch dice. Place in bowl. Add garlic. Toss with oil. Spread mixture on baking sheet. Bake, turning pumpkin occasionally with spatula, until pumpkin is softened and golden, about 35 minutes. Let cool.
2. Put pumpkin mixture into large bowl. Remove garlic cloves from mixture. Squeeze garlic from skin into pumpkin in bowl; add onion, poblano pepper, corn, black beans, cilantro, brown sugar, nutmeg, lime juice, salt and pepper. Cover; refrigerate 1 hour or overnight. Stir in pumpkin seeds. Serve with tortilla chips.
Nutrition information per 1/2 cup:
Calories ………. 50 Fat ……….. 2 g Sat. fat …… 0.3 g
% cal. from fat … 35 Cholesterol .. 0 mg Sodium …….. 65 mg
Carbohydrates …. 7 g Protein ….. 1.5 g Fiber ……… 1.2 g
NO. 3 — ANDREA SHUMAN, EVANSTON
VEGETARIAN PUMPKIN CHILI IN A PUMPKIN BOWL
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Yield: 8 servings
Andrea Shuman of Evanston prepares this with seitan, a vegetarian meat substitute made of wheat gluten, found in natural foods stores. For meat eaters, chicken can be substituted.
2 pumpkins, one about 2 1/2 pounds, one 6 pounds
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 each, chopped: onion, red bell pepper
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) whole tomatoes, undrained, chopped
1 cup each: beer, vegetable broth
3 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 package (8 ounces) seitan, diced
1 can (16 ounces) pinto beans, rinsed, drained
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
6 tablespoons each: chopped green onion, shredded Cheddar cheese, sour cream
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut smaller pumpkin into quarters; remove seeds and fibers. Cut flesh from rind; cut flesh into 3/4-inch dice. Toss with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Spread cut pumpkin on baking sheet. Roast 35 minutes, turning occasionally with spatula, until pumpkin is softened and golden. Let cool.
2. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Cut off top of larger pumpkin. Remove seeds and fibers. Place hollowed pumpkin, with top on, on rack in roasting pan with 1 inch water. Roast 15-20 minutes. Set aside.
3. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons of the oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add bell pepper, jalapeno and garlic; cook 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, beer, broth, chili powder and salt; heat to boiling. Partly cover, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.
4. Stir in seitan, cooled pumpkin, beans and cocoa; cook 10 minutes. Stir in cilantro. Ladle chili into roasted pumpkin. Serve in bowls; pass green onion, cheese and sour cream for toppings.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories ………… 335 Fat ……….. 11 g Saturated fat .. 3.4 g
% calories from fat .. 28 Cholesterol .. 10 mg Sodium …….. 555 mg
Carbohydrates …… 39 g Protein ……. 24 g Fiber ……….. 11 g
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Look for other pumpkin recipes elsewhere in today’s section.
