Stuffing is easily the highlight of most Holiday dinners. It’s what turns Sunday dinner in to a Holiday feast and there are about the same amount of people who eat it that there are ways of making it.

Here, I’ve combined a few of my favourites with a little seasonal flare, creating something scrumptious, festive and memorable.

What would be lovely on it’s own, shuffled up beside stewed cranberries, I originally thought I would stuff red onions. Upon a quick search, I found that the beautiful site, Smitten Kitchen had already done just that but with much different stuffing. Having a surplus of onions and one lonely pumpkin still left from Halloween, I decided to march forward and give you all one more pumpkin dish.

Naturally the stuffing can be baked up on it’s own, or in any other found cavity, but I really liked the moisture and the sweetness of this little pie pumpkin. It really complemented the dried persimmons and roasted chestnuts headlining the dressing.

…And I still had a little left over for a few onions after all.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Thank you for all your kind words and encouragement.
Enjoy the day, your friends, family and your dinner.

ROASTED CHESTNUT AND PERSIMMON STUFFING

1/3 Cup Brown Rice
3 T Wild Rice
1 Cup Water
1/2 teaspoon Salt

10 Chestnuts, roasted and roughly chopped
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Margarine
1 Red Onion, finely diced
2 Stalks of Celery, finely diced
1/3 Cup Dried Persimmons, roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon Salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon Fresh Black Pepper 0r to taste
10 Fresh Sage Leaves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon Rosemary, finely chopped
1 1/2 Tablespoons Fresh Thyme Leaves, chopped
3 Cups Whole Grain Bread, day old, cubed
1 1/2 Cups Vegetable stock
1 Pie Pumpkin, 2 – 3 pounds

In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a near boil, add the rice and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
Once the water begins to boil, cover the pan and reduce the heat to low and let it sit for 15 – 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Keeping the rice covered, turn off the heat and leave the pan for an additional 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, with a sharp paring knife, score the bottom of each chestnut with an “X”.
Dry roast over a cookie sheet for about 15 minutes, or until the chestnuts are opened and fragrant.
Twist the roasted chestnuts in a tea towel to loosen the skins and allow to cool.
Remove the top and clean the inside of the pumpkin, reserving seeds for another use, if desired.
Place the pumpkin upside down in a small roasting pan with enough water added to just cover the bottom.
Par-roast the pumpkin for 20 minutes at 350ºF.
In a large sauté pan, heat the oil then add the margarine.
Sauté the diced onions and celery until translucent; 3 – 5 minutes.
Cube the bread and add, tossing to coat and crisp all sides.
Peel and roughly chop the chestnuts as well as the dried persimmons and add to the bread mixture.
Follow with the chopped herbs, salt, pepper and stock stirring well to combine.
Adjust seasonings where and if necessary.
Fill the pumpkin, stuffing it as tightly as possible and cover it with aluminum foil.
Return it to the oven and continue to bake it at 350ºF for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for another 20-25 minutes or until the pumpkins is tender.
The dish may be served cut in wedges, otherwise the stuffing may be removed and the pumpkin scraped to be offered along side.

I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like to share at Thanksgiving. Quite frankly, it means there’s more to go around and it makes everyone feel good, of course.
Suganya, over at Tasty Palettes is doing just that. She’s been putting together a bit of a vegan recipe go to, perfect for vegans and non alike. Check it out, there’s sure to be quite a list to find something for dinner.

The purée overflowith and another Holiday to eat pumpkin pie is fast on my heels, I just couldn’t be happier.

Pumpkin pie is one of those things rarely eaten but certainly loved. Perhaps it’s absence is why it’s so cherished by so many. I don’t care really. It’s the highlight of Thanksgiving dinners everywhere and a terrific way to eat pumpkin.

This year having so many varieties to search for the ultimate pie pumpkin, I wanted got the urge to try out a few different ideas stemming from the same great end result.

With the scraps I made these super Pumpkin Pie Poppers. It was a perfect way to taste test and to say I ate the whole pie, so with the winner, I made a fresh batch.

Of all the pumpkins collected from the patch, I found some that were fabulous in soups, some that were great for pasta and of course pie.

In the top three, the all classic Sugar Pie Pumpkin is always standard. It has a good texture, dense and creamy for pies.
Next, silky with a hint of melony sweetness was the Rouge Vif D’Etamps. This Cinderella pumpkin is not just charming for it’s good looks. Once it’s prepared for pie, it’ll make you and your guests all feel happy forever after.
Last it’s the queen of Venice. I know I just when on and on about how I love the Marina Di Chioggia but, as far as pumpkins go, it’s practically perfect in every way. This gourd tasted great on it’s own so naturally, it’s sweet and creamy texture worked beautifully in the gnocchi, cake, pie, pasta and CUSTARD that followed.

Essentially that’s what pumpkin pie is right, custard in a pastry shell? This notion got me to thinking about my own likes for pie and maybe others too. I’m more for the insides and not so much for the crust. I try, really I do to eat every last crusty crumb, but after all this testing, I was looking forward to my second, er, third Thanksgiving of the year, I thought maybe to just put the good stuff in a cup.

This revolutionary classic is so versatile and sure to please everyone at the Holiday table. Topped with whipped cream and fresh nutmeg or made extra decedent with a good sprinkling of sugar and a dusting of fresh cardamom, then brûléed to a sharp, crunchy perfection.
Ahhhhhh. Don’t even get me started on my love of crème brûlée.…

PUMPKIN “CUSTARD”

1 1/2 cups Marina Di Chioggia Pumpkin Purée, roasted
1 1/2 cups Soy Milk
2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
1/3 cup Brown Sugar, packed
Pinch of Salt
1 1/2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Ground Ginger
1/8 tsp. Ground Cloves
Pinch Freshly Ground Nutmeg

Cut the pumpkin in half and remove the seeds.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Place the cleaned pumpkin in a large enough baking dish. Fill the dish with enough water to cover the bottom. Roast the pumpkin for 90 minutes or until soft.
Once cool enough to handle, remove the flesh from the skin and place in a food processor to purée until smooth.
In a large bowl, whisk together soy milk and cornstarch until smooth.
Add the pumpkin, sugar, salt and spices; mix well.

To make Vegan Pumpkin Custards:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Set a kettle of water to boil.
Pour the prepared custard mixture into six 3″ ramekins or similarly sized serving (tea/egg…) cups, about 3/4 full.
Place the cups on a baking dish with raised sides.
Transfer the dish to the oven and pour the boiled water into the baking dish to surround the ramekins, in a bain marie, about 3/4 the way up.
Bake for about 40 -45 minutes or until the centers are fairly firm and no longer jiggling.
Cool before serving and top with whipped cream and a dusting of freshly grated nutmeg.

To make Vegan Pumpkin Crème Brûlée:

Follow the instructions above for the custard, omitting the topping of the cream.
Once the custard cups have completely cooled, evenly top about 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar per cup along with a light sprinkling of ground cardamom, if desired.
Caramalize the sugar to a hard, golden, crackly crust with either a brûlée torch or under close watch, beneath the broiler.

To make Vegan Pumpkin Crème Caramel:

In small saucepan add stir 1 cup granulated sugar with 1/2 cup of water.
Heat over medium-high heat and stir until dissolved.
Reduce heat to medium; cook, stirring as little as possible.
Brushing down the sides of pan as necessary with brush dipped in cold water, until deep golden in colour, about 10 minutes minutes.
Remove from heat and divide among the ramekins to coat bottoms and about 1/2″ deep.
Pour in the prepared custard and place in the baking dish, again creating the bain marie water bath.
Bake for at 350ºF for about 45 minutes and remove from the oven when the centers appear firm.
Allow the custards to cool in the water until it is tepid then remove to cool completely.
Slide a knife around the sides of each ramekin; place a serving plate over each dish, flipping gently to remove, letting caramel run onto plates.

To make Vegan Pumpkin Pie:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Prepare vegan pastry dough.
Roll out to a single crust, dock the pastry with a fork and blind bake for 10 – 15, or until light golden in colour.
Prepare the basic custard and pour into the crust.
Cover the edge crust with aluminium foil then continue to bake at 350ºF for 40 minutes.
Remove foil and return the pie to the oven for an additional 10 minutes of baking.
Allow the pie to cool completely before slicing.

For the Pumpkin Pie Poppers:

Treat the poppers the same as the pie, however roll the dough and cut into rounds with a flour rimmed glass.
Fit the cut pastry dough into mini muffin tins.
Bake at 350ºF for 15 minutes for until the crust is golden and the center of the custards are firm.
Allow to cool slightly before removing from the tins.

Thrusting from a vacation back into the continual chill known as November in my part of the world, rejolted my need for hibernation.

Part of this ritual naturally consists of no longer wanting to venture outside for long walks along the beach or having bird like meals made up of crunchy vegetables. Rib sticking, hearty, soft and warm is what I crave, and so what if all I want to do is have a nap afterward?

With my onslaught of deliciously sweet pumpkins awaiting my arrival, I’ve made my share of sweet treats. If anything, I’ve noticed from my humble, hearty gourds is that, as wonderful as pumpkin is with sugar and nutmeg, they go fantastically well with the acidic punch of a tomato. So in meeting my hibernation qualifications, I concocted this little twist on a traditional cheese stuffed manicotti.

So, after a bit of an absence, I’m about to check in with Ruth and my other Presto Pasta lover’s to see about the transition from salads to soups and sauces. I’m positive the round-up of dishes will be rib stickingly delicious, as usual.

PUMPKIN MANICOTTI

1 250g Box Manicotti, 14 pasta tubes
1 Package Firm Tofu
4 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Thyme Leaves
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Salt
1/8 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper, or to taste
3 Tablespoons Nutritional Yeast Flakes, optional
1 Cup Fresh Basil Leaves, packed
2 Cups Marina Di Chioggia Pumpkin, or any good quality pumpkin, roasted
2 Cups Basic Tomato Sauce

Remove the seeds and roast the pumpkin at 350ºF, face down in a small amount of water to cover the bottom of the pan.
Roast the pumpkin for about 90 minutes or until tender.
Remove the pumpkin flesh from the skin and allow to sit in a colander to remove any excess moisture, until ready to use.
Set a large pot of water to boil, add the pasta and cook until just tender, about 6 minutes.
Drain then rinse the pasta and set aside for stuffing.
In large bowl, crumble the tofu into very small pieces.
Add the oil, minced garlic, salt, pepper, thyme and nutritional yeast flakes, if using and mix well.
Rinse and dry the basil. Lay the leaves on top of one another and roll tightly to chop into thin chiffonade strips.
Combine the basil and pumpkin to the tofu mixture and using a spoon, stuff the waiting manicotti tubes.
Evenly spread about 1/2 of the tomato sauce over the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish and lay the finished, stuffed manicotti in a single layer.
Spread the remaining sauce over the top of the finished manicotti, cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes at 350ºF.
Remove the foil and bake, uncovered for an additional 10 minutes.
Sprinkle with additional thyme, nutritional yeast flakes or parmesan cheese to serve.

CRANBERRY PUMPKIN TEACAKES

2 Cups Drained, Puréed Jarrahdale* Pumpkin
1/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 teaspoon Lemon Juice or Zest of One Lemon
1/2 Cup Cranberries, fresh or frozen – dried may also be substituted but will not give as fresh and tart of a flavour

Heat the oven to 350ºF.
Prepare large hole muffin tins with a spritz of spray oil.
Drain the pumpkin in a large mesh sieve in order to remove any excess liquid.
In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin, sugar and oil.
Add the vanilla, cinnamon, salt and lemon.
Once combined, add the flour, baking powder and baking soda, mixing only to moisten.
Fold in the cranberries and drop by the spoonful into the muffin tin.
Filling about 3/4 full, flatten the tops the back of a clean, dampened finger or spoon to make each cake even and level.
Bake for about 18 minutes or until a cake tester can be removed cleanly.

Allow to cool slightly then remove from tins to a rack to cool completely before dusting with confectioners sugar.
Serves perfectly with a big hat and a steeped Earl Grey.

*Jarrahdale pumpkins are beautiful, blue ridged heirlooms which originated from Australia. Terrific for baking, they have a velvety texture with a mild sweetness and a vibrant orange flesh. Of course other unseasoned pumpkin purées may be substituted if one can’t be found.

Upon returning from vacation I couldn’t help but notice one of my pumpkins from my collection. The skin of my Marina Di Chioggia had turned much darker than its original green and although I don’t know a whole heck of a lot about pumpkins and their various shades green, I do know that my prized Marina Di Chioggia is one of the most delectable of all the gourd breeds.

From the coasts near Venice, love is in the air for the pumpkin aptly nicknamed “Deliziosa”. The hard, green shell of this heirloom pumpkin may be a pain to peel, or even get into for that matter, but it’s sweet, subtle flavour and silky flesh certainly make it worth it. To claim victory over the tough to surrender peel, just make one cut around to get in and clean out the seeds, then simply roast the pumpkin in a short depth of water for about 90 minutes at 350ºF.

Of all the heirlooms gathered from the patch this season, the glorious Marina Di Chioggia is perfect for just about any recipe. It’s sweet yet delicate and can hold it’s own beautifully in pies, pasta and of course, gnocchi.

Perpetually intimidated by making gnocchi, with or without eggs, I found that this pumpkin is a great addition to the delightful dumplings. Typically worried about them being gummy and dense or at worst, falling apart in the cooking water, I found nothing of the sort. The dough was quite soft, so depending on the extent of draining you do, climate you live in and any other moisture factors, you may have to adjust the amount of flour to create a workable dough.

…And with a terrific yield, everyone can look forward to a few great pumpkin recipes to add to autumn and holiday collection.

MARINA DI CHIOGGIA GNOCCHI

1 1/2 Cups Marina Di Chioggia Pumpkin, about 1/2 roasted
1 Russet Baking Potato, baked in it’s skin
1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
Scant 1/2 teaspoon Dried Thyme Leaves
Pinch of Black Pepper & Nutmeg
1 3/4 Cups Unbleached All Purpose Flour, plus extra for rolling

Prick with a fork and bake the potato in a 350ºF oven for about 1 hour or in a microwave for 10-12 minutes, turning it over after 6 minutes.
Once the potato is just cool enough to handle, break it open and scrape the inside and continue to mash with the fork or a potato ricer.
Remove the roasted pumpkin from the skin. Place it in a sieve and allow it to drain as much extra moisture as possible.
Purée or pass the drained pumpkin through a sieve.
In a large bowl, mix the potato and the pumpkin purée with the remaining ingredients, adding in the flour 1/4 cup at a time.
Once the mixture comes together as a smooth, workable dough, transfer it to a flat board and cut it into eight pieces.
One by one, roll each of the pieces into 3/4″ diameter cylinders then cut them into 1/2″ pieces.
Using the back of a floured fork, push and roll each of the cut pieces down towards the end of the fork to create the ribbed gnocchi shape.
Roll in additional flour, if necessary and set aside.

Put a large pot of slightly salted water on to boil.
Once the water is rapidly boiling, drop the gnocchi in.
Cook only until the gnocchi begins to float, about 2 minutes, watching carefully being sure not to over cook.
Drain all at once or with a slotted spoon.
Serve immediately with butter, pesto, classic tomato sauce or toss with spinach and thyme.

SPINACH THYME TOSS

Heat about 2 Tablespoons of lactose free margarine (or butter) and add 2 cloves of minced garlic and 1/2 teaspoon of fresh or dried thyme leaves.
Once the margarine has melted and the garlic begins to sizzle, add a full handful of baby spinach leaves, about two cups and sauté to wilt.
Toss the cooked gnocchi with the spinacg to brown slightly.
Serve immediately.

With autumn here it’s not to tough to find the cooler weather ingredients. As the farmer’s markets begin the preparation of shutting down for the winter, the fall finds and harvest colours are still filling the tables.

Since Jack-o-Lanterns aren’t very good for eating, I used the Jarrahdale pumpkin left from my day at the patch. Although I didn’t have to worry about the abundance of carving pumpkins flooding the market, I figure a butternut squash may also do in a pinch.

With winds blustering and my grocery bag full, I was set for anything including a challenge.
Upon making my dinner, I was quite excited to read of A Slice of Cherry Pie’s call for my same three ingredients. It seems that shopping locally and celebrating of seasonal food isn’t all that uncommon, so if you too found these great ingredients at your local market, you can check out her round up for this and other great recipes using these wonderful autumn finds.

PUMPKIN MUSHROOM & LEEK RISOTTO

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Leek, white and green part, finely chopped
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1/4 Cup Dried Mushrooms, Chanterelle, Porcini or Portabella
2 3/4 Cups Water
1/2 Cup Arborio Rice
1/2 Cup Roasted Pumpkin*, diced
2 Tablespoons Dry Vermouth
1/3 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Thyme leaves
1/4 Teaspoon Rosemary, finely minced

*The pumpkin I used was a Jarrahdale. Sweet and smooth, it’s also great for baking. It’s a medium to large pumpkin so I knew I would have leftovers.
To roast, half, seed and slice the pumpkin into 1″ crescents.
Lightly coat, spray with vegetable oil or put a small amount of water to cover the bottom of the baking dish.
Cover with aluminum foil and roast for 1 1/2 hours at 350ºF or until soft and tender.
Remove the skin and roughly chop.

Heat the water and reconstitute the mushrooms for 15 – 20 minutes. Strain and reserve both the mushrooms and water.
Heat the oil in a medium stock pot.
Add the leek and garlic to soften; about 3 minutes.
Pour over the vermouth and cook for another 2 -3 minutes to evaporate the alcohol.
Add arborio, stirring to coat and toast for about 1 minute.
Pour over about 1 Cup of the strained liquid, stirring well until absorbed repeating with another cup and stirring.
Stir in the last of the water, salt, herbs and the cubed pumpkin.
Test the rice for tenderness, it should be al dente.
Chop and add reserved mushrooms.
Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.

Serves 2.

I went outside to try to find any scratch of this great Holiday going on. Any cars gathering for visits, the scent of roasting goodness traveling through a window screen, a football cheer, or the screech of a fork on a plate, but nothing. Nothing but cyclists, lawn mowers buzzing, the summer smell of the backyard grill, fans blowing and kids giggling with their dad on his day off.

I made soup last night, with feast leftovers, two kinds! This time of year, mind floods to comforting, feel good, stick to your ribs meals. But today, as I’m about down to my skivvies, I just can’t imagine any more hot and sticky.

Together with a little roasted pumpkin and grilled tofu, left over from yesterday, I whipped up a creamy spinach pesto to go over some quick, brown rice fettuccine. It was perfectly satisfying and didn’t add heat to the house.

Oh well, shouldn’t complain, it could have been snowing.

CREAMY SPINACH PESTO FETTUCINI

2 Cloves Garlic
8 Large Basil Leaves, fresh
3 Cups Baby Spinach Leaves, packed
1/2 teaspoon Salt, or to taste
1/4 Cup Pine Nuts
1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 Package Firm Silken Tofu
1 Package Firm Tofu, grilled or roasted – optional
700g Brown Rice Fettucini, 3/4 standard package
Zest of 1/2 Lemon
1/2 Cup Roasted Pumpkin, cubed

Place the brown rice noodles in a large bowl. Pour over enough boiling water to cover. Let the noodles sit to soften, changing the cooling water if necessary.

If using, grill tofu with a light spray of oil, salt and pepper until golden.

In a food processor, add 1/2 of the basil with the peeled garlic cloves, pulsing to chop.
Add the 2 cups of the spinach, salt, pine nuts and silken tofu. Combine well, stopping to scrape the sides, if necessary.
With the motor running, drizzle the oil through the feed tube, continuing to mix until an even, thin, paste-like sauce is created.

Once the noodles are al dente, drain and add them to a large bowl.
Pour over the tofu and toss the noodles well.
Chop the remaining basil and toss it and the remaining spinach to the hot rice noodles.
Serve topped with the cubed pumpkin, sliced, grilled tofu and a sprinkling of lemon zest.

Serves 4.

For this and more great pasta recipes, check out Ruth’s great weekly Presto Pasta round up.

On a recent trip to the country side, it was easy to absorb the surroundings and be thankful for what we have. The warm autumn days have brought with it a tremendous bounty.

While on the road, we were fortunate to experience one of the more remarkable pumpkin patches of recent memory. Flooded by the sea of orange, we washed up by the barn only to be further delighted by the classy heirloom varieties our hosts, the Nauman’s, had so knowledgeably grown over the past 100 days or so.

Beautiful and rarely seen French and Italian heirloom pumpkins soon filled my cart once only destined to carry orange carvers. Pink, red, blue and green classics, fit for a princess’s coach were on their way into my life to nobly, and tastily end theirs.

During the purchase of my great pumpkins, I naturally dreamed of creamy, spiced pies but thoughts shift creatively with vegan visitors and Thanksgiving at your doorstep.

Cracking into my vibrant Rouge Vif D’Etampe, I couldn’t help but imagine it’s outcome. This stunning, old French heirloom is also known as Cinderella’s Carriage, as it was used as the artist’s model in the Disney classic. It’s lovely, dense, creamy orange interior yielded about 5 cups of puréed intention. Ideal for baking, the Rouge Vif is smooth and easy to relieve of any excess liquid. This pumpkin easily puts any Holiday can of pie to shame and is well worth the small, extra effort.

SAVORY PUMPKIN TART

1 Shallot, minced
2 Cloves of Garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 1/2 Cups Rouge Vif d’Etampes Pumpkin, cooked and strained
3/4 teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 teaspoons Fresh Rosemary, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon Dried Sage
1/2 teaspoon Dried Thyme
1/8 teaspoon Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
1/2 Package Firm SILKEN Tofu
1 Tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice
1 Tablespoon Arrowroot Powder

Divide, seed and peel the pumpkin. Cut it into approximately 2″ cubes.
Steam until tender or place the pumpkin into a pressure cooker with a small amount of water and cook for 5 – 7 minutes.
Drain the pumpkin and place it into a mesh sieve. Stir to “purée” and leave it to sit, releasing as much water as possible.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Heat the oil in a sauté pan.
Mince the shallots and garlic. Sauté until softened.
In a food processor, combine the pumpkin, tofu, shallots and garlic.
Finely chop the rosemary and add it and the other spices along with the salt, pepper and lemon juice to the pumpkin mixture.
Once the spices are well combined add the arrowroot powder; pulse to combine.
Spread evenly over prepared crust and bake for 30 minutes.

OLIVE OIL TART CRUST (Gluten Free)

1 Cup (Cranberry) Bean Flour
1/2 Cup Soy Flour
1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Frozen
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 Cup Ice Water

Freeze pre-measured olive oil in a small bowl.
Measure flours into the bowl of a food processor, pulsing to sift.
Add the salt and frozen olive oil.
Combine until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
With the motor running, add the water 1 tablespoon at a time.
Stop once about half of the water has been added to begin checking the consistency of the dough by pinching the crumbs. The dough should hold together but not be sticky.
Add the remaining water as necessary.
Bring the dough together into a ball, then flatten it into a disk.
Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for a minimum of 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Roll the chilled dough 1/8″ thick to fit a 10″ tart pan.
Fit the dough in the pan and dock the dough with a fork.
Line the dough with a circle of parchment.
Add dried beans or pastry weights.
Blind bake for 12 minutes and allow to cool in the oven slightly before removing.

Nauman’s Farm is located just outside of Waterloo, Ontario. Only minutes away from the infamous St. Jacob’s farmers’ market there. My knowledgeable hosts Anne and Hugh had been busy throughout the summer, preparing to make my day. Beyond the brightness of the orange hillside, the Nauman family had an impressive display of close to twenty varieties of heirloom pumpkins. My lack of emotion about pumpkins was about to change. At the top of the hill, up by the barn, was one of the most incredible and elaborate arrangements of gourds I’ve seen. There was an amazing array of color, giving me the feeling of being on a shoot for a Martha Stewart spread.

The first to catch my eye, of course, was the Rouge Vif D’Etamps. Directly translated, this “vivid red” heirloom was first introduced in America in 1883 and tremendously popular in Paris’ Grande Market. Touted for it’s sweet, smooth interior, the Rouge Vif is perfect for pies… and princess coaches. Research into my lovely treasures, found that it was the Rouge Vif which was used as the illustrator’s model for Cinderella’s 12am ride; now that’s one snazzy pumpkin.

Along the rows of market styled, wooden bins were my next few finds. I found various shades and contours of blue varieties; Grey Ghost, Hubbard and the Jarrahdale. Blue grey in colour, the Jarrahdale is picturesque with it’s deep ribs and warty texture. This Aussie native stores well and with it’s nice texture, mild flavour and slight sweetness, it will cook or bake up into just about anything spectacular.

The frog prince of them all is another French heirloom. The Galeux d’Eysines is a brilliant specimen for any vegetable, let alone the humble and often overlooked pumpkin. Aptly named “The Pebbles of Eysines”, the coral coloured heirloom gains recognition by it’s warty like pebbled skin, which is a sign of it’s ripeness. Warts and all, this pumpkin is certainly made into a conversation piece on it’s own even before preparing it into just about the best soup this side of the Atlantic.

The one heirloom which had me throwing my hands together like a little school girl was the Marina Di Chioggia. Not typically being on the rah rah side of the pumpkin fence, The Marina Di Chioggia is the pumpkin which looks least like one. Appearing more like a squash with it’s hard green exterior and off – spherical shape this treasure hails from Venice. Read up about it anywhere and you will see that it’s the queen of pumpkins. Aptly nicknamed “Deliziosa”, it’s velvet interior with a perfect moisture content makes for perfect pies, cakes, soup and of course, gnocchi.

GALEUX D’ EYSINES PUMPKIN + FENNEL SOUP

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Shallot, minced
1 Leek, white + light green parts only
2 Cloves Garlic
1/2 Fennel Bulb
1 Macintosh Apple
1/3 Cup White Wine
8 Cups Vegetable Stock or water
1 Tablespoon Fleur de Sel
Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste
1/2 teaspoon Fresh Rosemary, 1 sprig finely minced
1/2 teaspoon Thyme
1 Dry, Red Chili
1 Galeux D’Eysines Pumpkin, about 5 – 6 Pounds whole

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Section and seed the pumpkin. Reserve seeds for roasting or trying to grow your own.
Peel half of the pumpkin, cute into cubes and reserve. Cut the other half into 2″ wedges.
Line a baking dish with parchment and lay the pumpkin wedges in an even layer. Bake for 20 – 30 minutes or until tender.
In a large stockpot, heat the oil and add the shallots and diced leeks.
Once they have softened add the garlic.
Half the fennel and reserve the fronds for garnish, if desired. Dice and add to the garlic, shallots and leeks.
Add the wine and allow it to cook down and soften the fennel, 2 – 3 minutes.
While the fennel begins to soften, peel and slice the apple.
Add the apple, rosemary, salt, thyme, chili and reserved, cubed pumpkin.
Cover with stock and bring to a simmer.
Cook until the pumpkin is very soft.
Remove the skins from the roasted pumkin and add to the soup along with freshly cracked pepper to taste.
Purée with a food processor or immersion blender.
Strain soup through a mesh sieve.
Adjust seasoning to taste.