Orange as a pumpkin

Cinzia Cuneo 29 ottobre, 2011 ricette, verdure

There are pumpkins and there are pumpkins. The North American variety is round and bright orange in colour, whereas the European one is rather flat and can vary from reddish orange to dark green. The flesh of the latter is also sweeter, tastier and less stringy than its North American cousin whose ample seeds, which once dried, make a very healthy snack.

As its vibrant colours suggest, the pumpkin is full of antioxidants, especially vitamin A. But unfortunately the North American variety is more often used as a decorative item for Halloween than being cooked and eaten.

This could be because many people find it very daunting to cook a pumpkin. And yet, all you have to do is to pop it into the oven at 175°C/350°F for about an hour, till it becomes nice and soft. Next you remove the rind and seeds and cut the flesh into cubes that can be kept for several months in the freezer.

Happy Halloween!

Try our recipe for Spiced Pumpkin Soup

Originally published in the Journal de Montréal on October 29, 2011.

Autori

Cinzia Cuneo

Italiana di nascita e canadese d'adozione, Cinzia ha deciso di coniugare le sue competenze professionali e la sua passione per la buona tavola sviluppando un servizio per aiutare i numerosi «aventi bisogno» a riprendere il controllo della loro alimentazione. Così è nata SOSCuisine. Ingegnere di formazione al Politecnico di Torino, Cinzia ha conseguito un Master's Degree in scienze applicate all'École Polytechnique de Montréal.