I never know what to do with pumpkins besides carve them. Help!
Ella, Ipswich
As a key player in holidays such as Halloween and Thanksgiving, it’s little wonder that pumpkins are so social, being at ease with a multitude of flavours (miso, spices, parmesan) and in dishes from curries to savoury crumbles. There are many varieties to get to know, too – creamy, nutty kabocha, say, or the richer potimarron (AKA onion squash or red kuri) – although, happily, they are often interchangeable.
Roasting is perhaps Ella’s easiest route, not least because it leads to many possibilities. “I tend to roast firmer-fleshed pumpkins, such as crown prince or delica, ahead, and then it’s ready to go into salads, soups or stews,” says Joe Woodhouse, author of More Daily Veg. If, however, the pumpkin is on the small side (think red kuri), Woodhouse roasts it whole: “Take off the top, scoop out the innards, then stuff and bake it.”
