The future’s orange

You can use them in pies, soups, breads and even to make ice cream. For simplicity, just boil in water for 20 minutes until tender.

Pumpkins are a good source of the B vitamins – niacin (B3), thiamine (B1), vitamin B6 and vitamin A. Thiamin and niacin are needed to help the body release or utilise energy. Vitamin B6 is involved in the metabolism of amino acids in the body and helps form haemoglobin. The B vitamins maintain healthy skin and muscle tone, and enhance immune and nervous system functions. Some research has linked B vitamins with a reduced risk of stress and depression. As B vitamins are water soluble and cannot be stored by the body, we need a daily supply from our diets.

Vitamin A is important for growth and development. Retinol is a form of vitamin A that is found in the eye and helps support vision. This is where the old wives’ tale about carrots helping you see in the dark comes from as carrots, along with pumpkins and other orange/yellow vegetables are a good source of vitamin A! Vitamin A is also needed for the normal functioning of the immune system and helps red blood cells develop properly.

Pumpkin facts

• Pumpkins are in the same family as courgettes, marrows, cucumbers and other types of squash. In the UK they’re the least eaten of all the vegetables in this family – but this is changing thanks to more celebrity chefs using pumpkins in their recipes.
  
  
• They were discovered in the 14th century by the French and Spanish in North and South America and by the 17th century were being grown in Italy.
  
  
• Pumpkins are especially popular at Hallowe’en when they’re carved to make ‘Jack O Lanterns’ – a tradition which is thought to have started in Ireland. Originally the lanterns were carved from potatoes and turnips, but when the tradition caught on in America they did it bigger and better with pumpkins, so now that’s the tradition in the UK too.
  
  
• Pumpkin seeds are delicious roasted as a snack – and the flowers of the pumpkin are edible too.
  
  
• Every year the National Pumpkin Championship is held in Soham, Cambridgeshire. Last year’s winning pumpkin weighed in at 193kg.
  
  

  Pumpkin Risotto

  Serves 4 – Ingredients:

  • 1 small onion, peeled and chopped
  • 1 clove of garlic, chopped
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 170g Arborio rice
  • 6 sage leaves
  • 560ml hot vegetable stock
  • 250g pumpkin, peeled, seeds removed and flesh diced into small pieces
  • 100g gorgonzola cheese
  • A little grated Parmesan to serve

  Method:

  1. Fry the onion and garlic in the oil in a pan. Add the rice and sage leaves and cook for 2 minutes, then add half the stock.

  2. Add the pumpkin and stir into the rice. Cook until most of the stock has been absorbed then add half of the remaining stock and continue to simmer, stirring constantly, until the stock has been absorbed; add the last of the stock and again simmer until it has all been absorbed, the rice is cooked and the pumpkin is tender.

  3. Add the cheese at the last moment and give it a stir.

  4. Serve, topped with grated Parmesan if you like.