Veg Box Newsletter maasthead

No.8  October 27th 2021

Photo of split pumpkin - the seeds of which can be eatenHi there!  This week we have a Halloween Special for you, and most of the boxes have a pumpkin in them.  The Halloween we know today is all a bit American but the carving of vegetables like turnips and squashes has been a common practice for centuries in many parts of the world – particularly Ireland and the Scottish Highlands.

The celebration of Halloween, a contraction of 'All Hallows' eve', also known as 'All-Souls' or the Celtic 'Samhain', marks the end of the harvest season and beginning of the dark nights of winter, with Jack-o-lanterns used to creepy effect round the bonfire.

However, all the fun can lead to a huge amount of waste each year.  More than eight million pumpkins are likely to be binned – the equivalent of more than 18,000 tonnes of edible pumpkin flesh.  Enough to make a bowl of pumpkin soup for everyone in Britain!  Most cheap pumpkins sold at this time of year in supermarkets are pretty tasteless – but not ours!  It is definitely worth saving as much of the flesh as you can to cook with – see recipes below.

Use the seeds
Scoop out the pulp and seeds, rinse and dry.  Then toss them with a dash of oil, salt and pepper, soya sauce or other favourite seasoning.  Spread seeds on a baking sheet.  Bake until the seeds are golden brown, turning occasionally.  Add to salads or soups or use in baking.  Or forget the seasoning altogether and use them as bird feed.

Sally



T: 07303 148117  |  E: VegBoxes@todalmighty.co.uk

RECIPES

Pumpkin pie


Ingredients
350g shortcrust pastry (you can use Jus-Rol, which is vegan)

Filling
550g pumpkin puree
60ml maple syrup
55g brown sugar
80ml almond milk
15ml olive oil (or melted coconut oil)
17g cornflour
1¾ tsp mix of ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg & cloves
¼ tsp sea salt

For serving (optional)
Vegan whipped cream or ice cream

Method
Heat oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4.
Roll out the pastry to the thickness of a £1 coin.  Drape it over your rolling pin and lift into a pie dish or tart tin.  Push the pastry into the corners of the tin using a scrap of excess pastry (you're less likely to pierce the pastry this way than using a finger).  Trim the excess pastry, leaving about 1cm hanging over the edge of the tin; it will shrink as it cooks.  Chill for 20 mins.
Increase the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6.  Line the tart case with a sheet of baking parchment (scrunch it up first to make it more pliable), then fill with baking beans or dry rice.  Bake for 15 mins until the sides look golden, then remove the parchment and filling.  Bake for another 5–10 mins until the base looks biscuity and dry.  Trim the edges with a small, serrated knife.
Add all pie filling ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth, scraping down sides as needed.  Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
Fill the tart case with the pumpkin filling, then return to the oven and lower the heat to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4.  Bake for 30 mins until the filling is set when you wobble the tart tin.  Cool for 20–25 mins.  Dust with icing sugar and serve with vegan ice cream or whipped cream.

Pumpkin soup


Ingredients
2 onions
Sunflower oil for frying
2 large carrots
600g pumpkin flesh, cubed
1 large sweet potato
1lt vegan savoury stock
Can of coconut milk

Method
Finely chop and saute the onions while you prepare the other vegetables.  Separate the seeds from the pumpkin flesh to use them elsewhere and chop the flesh into cubes.  Peel and chop the other vegetables likewise, and add to the pan with the stock.  Cook for about 15 minutes.
Add coconut milk.  Puree with a stick blender and adjust seasoning.

Photo of pumpkins - more than 8 million of which are likely to be binned this year after Halloween
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