Pumpkins and squash are the perfect symbols of autumn and winter cooking, according to food writer Diana Henry. She describes them as 'great culinary chameleons' that can absorb and marry well with ingredients as diverse as gruyere, chipotle, rosemary, sage and nutmeg. Their smoky, sweet flavours are ideal for the season of turning leaves.
Henry clarifies the confusion between pumpkins and squashes, noting they are both members of the same family. Pumpkins are typically the jack-o'-lantern shape with thick orange skins, while squashes come in myriad shapes and colours, from smooth to warty, striped to stippled. She recommends crown prince as the best all-rounder for cooking, praising its elegant grey-blue skin and vivid golden flesh.
For cooking methods, Henry advises roasting wedges or sauteing chunks in butter rather than boiling, to drive off moisture and intensify flavour. She suggests stuffing small varieties like sweet dumpling or delicata with mushrooms, cream and cheese, or a mix of wild rice, dried cranberries and smoked bacon. For purees, roasting first is key to achieving a rich taste.
Henry shares international inspirations: Italians use pumpkin in risotto or stuffed pasta with amaretti; Belgians cook a carbonnade of beef and beer in a hollowed-out pumpkin; and in south-west France, wedges are roasted with goose fat and thyme. She also loves savoury tarts filled with salty cheeses like gorgonzola or feta.
Pumpkin soup is a staple for Henry, who creates endless variations using a base of chopped pumpkin sweated in butter with leeks and simmered in stock. Additions include bourbon, smoked bacon, or pickle juice with paprika and dill. She concludes that with pumpkins, 'the only limit is the cook's imagination'.
