Here in the UK we tend to buy pumpkins once a year at Halloween, make a jack-o-lantern out of them and throw out the insides. Gill Didsbury from Australia noticed this on a visit over here, she says that over in OZ they do things differently and to prove her point has sent us some tempting recipes.
Pumpkin and Sultana cake | Pumpkin and carrot soup | Pumpkin soup | Pumpkin scones |
Pumpkin sultana cake ( moist cake, very good )
1 cup (250ml, 8fl oz) warm mashed pumpkin
1 cup (250ml, 8fl oz) sugar
12oz (375g) sultanas
2 eggs
1/2 cup (125ml, 4fl oz) margarine
1 (250ml, 8fl oz) cup plain flour
1 cup (250ml, 8fl oz) self raising flour
lemon essence ( I don’t put this in)
Cream marg and pumpkin, add sugar, add eggs, slowly add flour. Mix well. Bake in moderate oven approx 1 hour(moderate 190c/350f/gas 4)
Pumpkin and carrot soup
40 grams (1 and a bit oz)butter
1 onion chopped
2 cloves garlic
500grams (16oz, 1lb) carrots sliced
1/2 (125ml, 4fl oz) cup orange juice
750 grams (24oz/1.5lbs)pumpkin, peeled and roughly chopped
1.5litres (2.5 pints)chicken stock
1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives
Melt butter in saucepan cook the onion for 5mins, add garlic and carrot, cook for 3mins. Pour in orange
juice bring to boil, add pumpkin and stock. Bring back to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30mins or till pumpkin is
cooked. Blend the soup in a blender until smooth.
Pumpkin soup
1kg (32oz/2lbs) butternut pumpkin (peeled seeded and chopped)
2 large potatoes
2 large onions
1.5 litres (2.5 pints) of chicken stock
1/2 cup (125ml, 4fl oz) cream
place all ingredients (except cream) in pan, bring to boil. reduce heat simmer 30 mins or till pumpkin is
cooked. Put soup in blender, blend till smooth.
Pumpkin scones (yummy)
1 tablespoon soft butter or marg
1.2 (100ml,3 oz) cup sugar
1 egg
1 (250ml, 8fl oz) cup mashed pumpkin
3 (750ml, 2.2 pints) cups self raising flour
a little milk (if needed)
Heat oven to 230c, mix butter and sugar to a cream, add the egg, then the
pumpkin and, lastly the flour. If too stiff add a little milk.
Bake on floured tray on top shelf in hot oven for 10-15 mins, so scones brown on top.
Hope you enjoy these, I use them a lot, the soups are GREAT in Winter.
Gill (Adelaide Australia)