Consider The Pumpkin

By John Currence | November 26, 2008 | Food

My sous chefs do not get enough credit…for that matter, most sous chefs don’t get enough credit. Bless you all, you Herculean bastards. My praise today comes from a genuine place and with an extremely concrete example.

I am guilty, as are all of you (so, I feel a little better), of overlooking the pumpkin. They’re everywhere this time of year: Jack-o-lanterns, pumpkin pie, yard ornaments, etc., but other than that (and as a teenager, smacking them with a baseball bat) I really haven’t given the pumpkin much thought, particularly since more often than not, it is used in canned form. In my mind, the pumpkin, for eating, is relegated to a compartment that also holds cinnamon, nutmeg and mace, so I don’t go there very often unless I am thinking about a spin on pumpkin pie. 

Recently, on a dinner menu that my two sous’ (Vish and Heath) took a crack at writing, they independently came back with two savory dishes with fresh pumpkin. One, a roasted pumpkin and andouille soup, the other, a cumin-sautéed pumpkin as a side for southwestern grilled achiote chicken dish, both of which made me painfully nervous.  Both are nothing short of outstanding. My twenty or so years at the stove are shamed at the admission.

So, here I am naked and exposed (and I hope my wife can hear it)…I WAS WRONG. A world of thanks to my visionary knuckle-heads for helping me see the pumpkin-colored light. There is a new weapon in the arsenal. Beware.

Go now to the farmers’ market or the grocery store. Pumpkin is plentiful. Pumpkin is cheap and pumpkin is good for you.* Remember: pumpkin, it isn’t just for pie anymore.

* (According to nutritiondata.com: This food is low in Saturated Fat, and very low in Cholesterol and Sodium. It is also a good source of Thiamin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Pantothenic Acid, Iron, Magnesium and Phosphorus, and a very good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Riboflavin, Potassium, Copper and Manganese.)