All pumpkins are squash but not all squash are pumpkins… The oldest record of cultivated pumpkins were seeds discovered by archaeologists in the highlands of Oaxaca in Mexico from 7500 years ago. In 2019, 22.9 million tonnes of pumpkins were grown worldwide and we grow an 15 different varieties in the Kitchen Garden.

Almost all parts of the pumpkin plant can be used. Not just the flesh, the seeds can be eaten or used for oil, the flowers can be battered, fried and stuffed, the leaf can be used like spinach and even the leaf stalks can be stuffed and cooked. Here, Jacquie McBeth, who sources lots of her veg from our Kitchen Garden for her Stir It Up recipe bags, shares her top ten pumpkin recipe ideas.

‘I like to enter into the Halloween spirit (see what I did there?) as much as the next overstretched parent, but as someone who is pretty militant about food waste, the thought of buying an enormous pumpkin or two for decoration only, leaves me a little uneasy. Whilst many people do now eat theirs, we’re set to waste a horrifying 15m pumpkins this year.

‘Being brutally honest, many of us (me included) have great intentions of using up discarded pumpkins every Halloween, but really, it just ends up in the fridge where it waits patiently to be binned. Who has a need for or time to cook 12kg of rather bland pumpkin?

‘For the past few years, I’ve bought smaller, fleshier squashes to adorn the garden briefly before they’re baked, roasted or puréed into a delicious dinner. But my guess is that your pumpkin has already been purchased for 2021, so here are 10 ways to save it from the scrapheap.

‘First of all, get the oven on at 180c. Slice up your monster pumpkin (don’t bother peeling) scatter on several baking sheets, douse liberally in olive oil and season well. Let it cook for 30 to 40 mins until softened and a little charred and leave to cool. Scrape the flesh from the skin, whizz up and deposit in 100g or 200g tubs/freezer bags and stash in freezer until required – it’s ready in minutes.’

What to do with your pumpkin…

1. Quesadillas – spread it on a wrap, adding sweetcorn or pepper for crunch, lots of grated cheese, all melted in a pan.
2. Pumpkin dal – add the purée to any dal recipe.
3. Soup – soften an onion and carrot in some olive oil, add the pumpkin and a litre of stock to make soup.
4. Shepherd’s pie – add it to mashed potatoes for a more nutritious shepherd’s pie topping.
5. Muffins – add pumpkin to a muffin mixture for extra fibre.
6. Frittata – stir into a few beaten eggs, with cream and cheese for a quick frittata.
7. Gnocchi – this gnocchi is amazing!
8. Tray bake – rustle up the famous Ottolenghi Spinach & Squash tray bake.
9. Mac and cheese – add to a cheese sauce for a healthier mac & cheese.
10. Pancakes – hide a few spoons in the kids’ pancakes (they’ll never know)!

What to do with your pumpkin puree…

1. Quesadillas – spread it on a wrap, adding sweetcorn or pepper for crunch, lots of grated cheese, all melted in a pan.
2. Pumpkin dal – add the purée to any dal recipe.
3. Soup – soften an onion and carrot in some olive oil, add the pumpkin and a litre of stock to make soup.
4. Shepherd’s pie – add it to mashed potatoes for a more nutritious shepherd’s pie topping.
5. Muffins – add pumpkin to a muffin mixture for extra fibre.
6. Frittata – stir into a few beaten eggs, with cream and cheese for a quick frittata.
7. Gnocchi – this gnocchi is amazing!
8. Tray bake – rustle up the famous Ottolenghi Spinach & Squash tray bake.
9. Mac and cheese – add to a cheese sauce for a healthier mac & cheese.
10. Pancakes – hide a few spoons in the kids’ pancakes (they’ll never know)!

Jacquie McBeth runs Stir It Up, a local recipe bag delivery scheme. Find out what’s cooking every week by subscribing to the Good Food newsletter.

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