What is the defining sign of autumn’s arrival?

Is it the days growing shorter and the evenings becoming crisp and cool with omens of frost? Is it the leaves changing from lush green to striking shades of gold, amber, burnt orange, and red?

Is it the warm layers of wool sweaters and scarves that suddenly appear around our shoulders in mid-October? Or is it, as recent years can attest, the appearance of pumpkin spice everything on café and restaurant menus?

Whether you love it or would be happy to leave it, pumpkin spice is everywhere, from the infamous latte to the infinite variations of pumpkin and squash soup to the classic Thanksgiving dessert.

Many people seem to have reached peak pumpkin fatigue, which is why we’ve scoured our cookbooks to find unique recipes that make the most of seasonal squash. (And not a latte in sight.)

It’s time we got excited about pumpkin again. Bon appétit!

 

Spiced Pumpkin & Carrot Jam (from Grow for Flavor)

What you need:
400 g pumpkin, grated
400 g carrots, grated
1 tbsp butter
Juice and rind of 2 oranges
600 g sugar
½ tsp allspice
2 cardamom pods
Large pinch of salt

How to make it:

1. Grate carrots into a large saucepan. Sauté the grated veggies together with butter and the orange juice and rind for 20 minutes, until softened.

2. Stir in sugar, allspice, cardamom pods, and salt.

3. Simmer on medium heat for 1 hour or until the jam thickens. It is ready when a wooden spoon drawn across the bottom of the pan shows the base clearly.

4. Spoon into warm, sterilized jars and screw on the lids.

 

Makes 2 lb.

 

Spicy Pumpkin Chips (from Dehydrating at Home)

What you need:
1 small pumpkin
2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 pinch salt
Pumpkin pie spice, to taste

How to make it:

1. Prepare the pumpkin by quartering, peeling, and cutting into ¼-inch thick slices with a sharp knife.

2. Place the slices into a large mixing bowl along with the coconut oil, maple syrup, and salt. Mix with your hands until the pumpkin slices are evenly coated.

3. Arrange the pumpkin slices on the dehydrator trays. Avoid overcrowding because air needs to circulate.

4. Sprinkle the pumpkin slices lightly with pumpkin pie spice, or to taste.

5. Dry at 125ËšF for 8-12 hours, rotating the trays a few times, until dry and crisp. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

 

Serves 4-6.

 

Kolokithopita (from Mazi: Modern Greek Food)

What you need:
100ml olive oil
1 small onion, grated
1 butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and grated
5 tbsp superfine sugar, plus extra if needed to taste
1 heaped tbsp ground cinnamon
500g filo pastry
Handful of cloves, to decorate

For the syrup:
600g superfine sugar
590ml water

How to make it:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200˚C).

2. Heat a drizzle of the olive oil in a saucepan, add the onion and sauté over a medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring, until soft. Add the squash and sugar and sauté until the squash is soft. Continue cooking until all the liquid has evaporated, then finally add the cinnamon and stir well. Check the sweetness, as you may need to add a little more sugar. Remove from the heat and set aside.

3. Lay a sheet of filo pastry vertically on a work surface and brush half of it with olive oil. Fold the other half on top and brush the top with olive oil. Place 2–3 tablespoons of the filling across the centre of the folded filo, then roll up into a cylinder. Place on a large round baking tray. Continue with the remaining filo pastry sheets, arranging the cylinders on the tray end to end in a curve to form a spiral.

4. When the whole tray has been covered, brush the top of the spiral with olive oil and scatter over the cloves. Bake for 40–50 minutes until golden brown.

5. Meanwhile, make the syrup. Put the sugar and measured water in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to the boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Continue to boil for about 5 minutes until the mixture is syrupy.

6. Remove the pie from the oven, then pour over the hot syrup and serve.

 

Serves 6.

 

 

 

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Get the books:

 Grow For Flavor

 Dehydrating at Home

 Mazi: Modern Greek Food