Grow Your Own Magazine

Headfry · #1 (**permalink**) 14-11-2007, 09:41 AM

I have grown some small pumpkins this year...
just about soup bowl size.....you can see where this question is going....
I would like to use the flesh for the soup and the shell for the bowls...
Any ideas??
Thanks kind people of the vine

Hazel at the Hill · #2 (**permalink**) 14-11-2007, 09:52 AM

There was a recipe for exactly this in the Telegraph Sat Magagine 2 or 3 weeks ago.....

From memory, they used 3lb pumpkins as being about the right size, and the soup was made from the pumpkin (obviously!) and also included some sweet potatoes and sage....

Sorry, that's not overly helpful, is it?

Flummery · #3 (**permalink**) 14-11-2007, 10:08 AM

Wouldn't the hot soup make the shells go a bit wonky and wobbly? Not sure I'd fancy it myself. Now if you hollow out the shells and make the soup then put cold water in the bowls and float a few candles in them for table decoration, I'd be up for that.

scarey55 · #4 (**permalink**) 14-11-2007, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hazel at the Hill

There was a recipe for exactly this in the Telegraph Sat Magagine 2 or 3 weeks ago.....

From memory, they used 3lb pumpkins as being about the right size, and the soup was made from the pumpkin (obviously!) and also included some sweet potatoes and sage....

Sorry, that's not overly helpful, is it?

Do you mean this one Hazel luv?

PUMPKIN SOUP WITH SAGE LEAVES AND CROUTONS

Serves 4-6

Scrape out the pumpkin with a sharp spoon (a serrated grapefruit spoon works well) THIS BIT IS FOR HEADFRY and use the shell as a tureen for the soup, or carve it into the obligatory lantern.

For the croutons, cut the bread into grape-sized cubes or (for baguettes) thin slices.

Dribble with olive oil, scatter with salt and bake at 350F/180C/gas mark 4 for 10 minutes or until golden.

It's a sad truth that the really good, rustic, hand-made bread generally makes impossibly hard croutons. French bread or mass-produced loaves are the right thing for a crisp, melting result. Or cheat and buy ready-made croutons, such as the Merchant Gourmet brand from Sainsbury's, Budgens and independents.
1 small pumpkin, about 3lb/1.5kg
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, sliced
2 sticks of celery, sliced
1 sprig of sage
½pint/280ml milk
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into grape sized chunks
1 pint chicken or vegetable stock
Croutons to serve

Cut a lid from the pumpkin and scoop out the seeds. With a sturdy metal spoon, scrape out the flesh.

Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the onion, celery and a couple of sage leaves, and cook until softened.

Add the milk and pumpkin, and simmer until soft.

Meanwhile, in another pan, cook the sweet potato in the stock until it, too, is soft. Strain, keeping the stock and adding it to the pumpkin pan.

Purée the pumpkin mixture in a blender, then run it through a sieve. Stir in the sweet potato chunks and reheat, tasting to check the seasoning. Serve scattered with a few more sage leaves and croutons.

Recipe from www.telegraph.co.uk

Headfry · #5 (**permalink**) 14-11-2007, 11:19 AM

thanks so much, but would the soup get cold very quickly in the cold 'pumpkin bowls' ?

moggssue · #6 (**permalink**) 14-11-2007, 11:23 AM

Hmmm, is there some way you could 'bake' the pumpkin bowls to harden them, and warm them at the same time?

Or I guess you could use maybe use something like yacht varnish on the outside to harden them, but then they wouldn't be very natural .... I'll keep thinking!!

Hazel at the Hill · #7 (**permalink**) 14-11-2007, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scarey55

Do you mean this one Hazel luv?

I most certainly did! Thanks for that, Scarey - and would like like a job as my pa?

scarey55 · #8 (**permalink**) 14-11-2007, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hazel at the Hill

I most certainly did! Thanks for that, Scarey - and would like like a job as my pa?

Can I do it from here?

X

rustylady · #9 (**permalink**) 14-11-2007, 07:37 PM

The "bowls" should be fine as long as they are fresh (i.e. used the same day as you cut them and make the soup. The outside of pumpkins is quite stable until they start to rot, then they go downhill very quickly. Good luck.