Stuck with a spare or leftover pumpkin this Halloween and don't know what to do with it? Check out this series of "other uses for pumpkins", to make more than just a jack-o-lantern this Halloween. No1 - Pumpkin Soup!
This is the first article in our "other uses for pumpkins" series. Keep checking over the next few days for more ideas of ways to use your leftover pumpkins!
Pumpkins, pumpkins, pumpkins. What a weird tradition - where does it come from? Well, the carving of "jack-o-lanterns" was first recorded in American in 1837, and it stems from the Samhain custom of carving turnips (how glamorous) into lanterns to remember the souls held in purgatory. Of course...
Because the funny round pumpkins are larger and easier to carve, the crafty Americans changed things up a bit, and nowadays pumpkins are all the rage come 31 October every year.
So, they're funny looking and good for cutting into scary Halloween faces but nothing else, right?
Wrong!
Pumpkins can make lovely soups, stews and other meals. They're similar in texture to a butternut squash, which are all the rage these days, though perhaps not quite as sweet. So this Halloween, when you're shopping for the perfect Halloween decoration, why not bag another to cook up a delightful Halloween soup?
Note: once carved and left in the open air for 24 hours, pumpkins can be unsafe to eat. For this recipe you'll need a fresh pumpkin, so buy two! For ideas of what to do with the leftover gunk once you've hollowed out your jack-o-lantern, check out some of the other articles, like #2: Pumpkin Stock .
Pumpkin Soup
Serves: 6
Preparation time: 20 minsCooking time: 25 mins
Can be warmed from frozen if using vegetable stock
Ingredients:
Method:
This recipe was adapted from one at the BBC, which is where we got the lovely picture, too. Cheers, Beeb!
Tomorrow: #2 Pumpkin Stock - thrifty.
Once you've got your Halloween decorations all sorted - spiders webs, spooky faces, scary bunting and of course your petrifying pumpkins - check our Fancy Dress Ideas for bargain Halloween costumed!
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
This Halloween make roasted pumpkin seeds for your party guests, much better than boring old popcorn!Pumpkin Stock
Stuck with a spare pumpkin or two this Halloween and don't know what to do with them? Check out this series of "other uses for pumpkins", to make more than just a jack-o-lantern this Halloween. No2 - Pumpkin Stock!Talk Like A Pirate
Talk Like A Pirate Day is 19 September, so you'd better brush up on your lingo in time for a pirate costume party, eh shipmates?