Tuesday 21 August 2007

pumpkin dog



I convinced Matylda (Michal's mum) to grow some pumpkins this year. Pumpkins aren't all that big of a veg on a Polish plate. Pumpkin bread, soup, scones, salad, quiche etc are all unheard of. The poor Polish pumpkin has existed for the sole purpose of feeding pigs in winter with. But I am marketing the return of this super vegetable! Matylda complied and the pumpkins in her garden are huge. One is being grown to its hugest possible size - so far it weighs about 30 kilos (not shown here). We were given the one on the photo to take back to Krakow. It is now on our kitchen table and I am wondering what the hell am I going to do with all that flesh? Ideas anyone? Please remember that I do not have an oven. And yes, pots of pumpkin (and coconut milk) soup, are already being planned.

Aza the dog and the pumpkin

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

if you want that "roast" feeling without an oven, maybe quickly blanch cubes of the pumpkin and then fry off on realy high heat.
put it through a salad with blue cheese and pine nuts.
mash it and have it with a choice bit of salty and peppery cooked meat.
pumpkin gnocci? i'll see what stefani alexander says and let you know.
yours in hunger, hugh

Michael Wong Thye Seng said...

As an adjunct to the pumpkin & coconut milk soup, you could ask my mother for her pumpkin and cashew curry recipe (liznwong@yahoo.com).

It is rather big to use for the Thai dessert of coconut milk custard in pumpkin. But maybe if you buy an industrial-sized stockpot . . .?

I saw some mini schauzers in a pet store here, and got a bit emotional. I miss that little unit!

Anonymous said...

aza is tops - did she use the pumpkin as a football and frolick around the yard with it? (surely a teeny schnauzer is not that strong?!)
and pumpkin scones i say - i have reclaimed the art of scone making from the CWA recently and find it most enjoyable!

Anonymous said...

Your pumpkin dog looks a bit like Czwartek... The best way to buy good frames is to talk to Ciocia Pola. I am sure she still has her friends in Optyk(Optic?)

Anonymous said...

check out this site for some tasty pumpkin ideas...

http://www.abc.net.au/backyard/recipes/

jk1

beth said...

I make a mean pumpkin, fresh beetroot, chickpea salad.. Simply blanch/steam the pumpky and beetroot, chickpeas and pesto sauce and bon apetite!

I'm a random chef, but normal people like it too...honest!

Justyna said...

Thank you to all you Peters Pumpkin Eaters for your suggestions! I shall be blanching my arse off and the like. I am tackling the whale vegetable on the weekend. I need lotsa room. And lotsa time for the sucker. Will keep you posted.

Anonymous said...

all pumpkin enquiries should be directed to the subject in the following article:

http://www.smh.com.au/news/recipes/one-from-the-heart/2007/08/27/1188066997899.html

h