baking pumpkin seeds

When carving this year's Halloween jack-o'-lantern, turn the pumpkin seeds inside into flavorful and healthful snacks. Roasted pumpkin seeds are subtly sweet with a nutty undertone. They are a good source of zinc, iron, copper and other minerals. Pumpkin seeds are also a good source of protein and vitamin K.

Laura Slama, cooking instructor at Sweet Basil Gourmetware & Cooking School in Scottsdale, demonstrates how to turn pumpkin seeds into a Southwestern-flavored treat that can be eaten as a snack or sprinkled on salads for a spicy crunch:

1Use a sharp, serrated knife to cut a lid on the pumpkin. Remove lid. advertisement




2Use your hands to pull out the seeds and place in a colander. Discard any damaged or shriveled ones.

3Separate pulp and fiber from the seeds. A pumpkin produces about 1 1/2 cups of seeds.

4Place colander in the sink and rinse well, or until the seeds are free of any pulp.

5Dry seeds completely with paper towels and preheat oven to 350 degrees.

6In a large mixing bowl, Slama combines 1/2 teaspoon each of ground cumin, chipotle powder and cinnamon. Add 1 tablespoon of olive, canola or vegetable oil to seasoning and mix well. Toss seeds in the bowl and mix well until all are covered. Salt to taste.

7Place seeds in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast until golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes, moving seeds occasionally to roast both sides evenly.

8Remove from oven and cool completely. Seeds can be served immediately or stored in a tightly sealed container and kept in a cool, dry place.
Cooked, fresh pumpkin purée and canned pumpkin can be used interchangeably in recipes.

A small sugar or pie pumpkin, which is sweeter and has a thicker and smoother flesh than a carving pumpkin, works best for cooking. A carving pumpkin will do, but you may need to add more sugar to your recipe, and you might need to purée the pulp longer to make it smooth. One pound of fresh pumpkin yields about a cup of cooked pulp.

To cook a pumpkin, cut it in half or into large chunks. (If it is small, you can cook it whole -- just cut a circle around the stem to release the steam.) Scoop out the seeds and the stringy membrane. Place the halves cut side down in a baking pan. Add about ½ inch of water. Bake it at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until it can be easily pierced with a fork. Allow the pieces to cool enough to handle. Then scoop out the pumpkin flesh and purée it in a food processor or a blender.

Now you are ready to use it in any recipe that calls for canned pumpkin. Cooked and puréed pumpkin can be frozen.

Most people tend to associate pumpkin with sweet and cinnamon-flavored dishes such as muffins, quick breads, pies or cookies. It also makes a wonderful savory soup or side dish when seasoned with earthy spices such as chili powder, coriander or ground cumin.

To roast pumpkin seeds, first wash them thoroughly. Spread them in a single layer in a shallow pan and bake them at 375 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes. Spray them with a little oil and sprinkle on your favorite seasoning such as garlic, chili powder or cumin and raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Bake them until nicely browned, about five to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt if desired. Store the seeds in airtight containers.

Pumpkins are loaded with antioxidant beta-carotene. Studies show that beta-carotene may reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer and protects against heart disease.

Pumpkin seeds are almost a superfood. They are a good source of amino acids and contain high amounts of zinc. They contain high quantities of protein, iron and phosphorus, so they are particularly good for vegans and vegetarians.

One ounce of plain roasted pumpkin seeds has 155 calories, which is about 15 calories less than the same amount of walnuts. One cup of cooked pumpkin has 49 calories, 12 grams of carbohydrate and 3 grams of dietary fiber. It also contains 2,650 IU of vitamin A.

For dieters, pumpkin is a nutritious way to add variety to meals. Try combining puréed pumpkin with spices and a lightly whipped egg white (you can even sweeten the mixture with a diet sweetener), then bake it until the mixture is firm. As a child, I used to dread this time of year, for it meant shorter days and less time playing circus in the orchards of Los Altos where there once were endless trees for trapezes. I will always associate the smell of bologna sandwiches coming from inside a metal lunchbox with that sinking feeling of returning back to school in the fall.

Now I love this golden time, when my favorite vegetables and fruits reach the peak of their season. Pumpkins and colorful squash appear during my weekly forays into farmers' markets. The little sugar pumpkins (also called pie pumpkins or sweetie pies) are not only sweeter but less fibrous than big pumpkins.

Just last weekend in Ojai (Ventura County), I bought a chunk of a large creamy-skinned Tahiti squash, and I found similar squash labeled Mediterranean at a vegetable stand. This creamy hard-skinned squash with a long neck has become the squash of many different names but all similar to a butternut squash with velvety, non-fibrous texture.

Look in your farmers' market or the wonderful Ferry Plaza Farmers Market on Saturday and see if you can find another version. Most of the hard-skinned squash such as the many variations of butternut squash can be used interchangeably with the sugar pumpkins especially when pureed for soups and fillings like the one for Sweet Marinated Ancho Chiles Stuffed with Pumpkin. I do think the little pumpkins have a richer flavor.

Steaming or baking pumpkins and squash are the most common cooking techniques, but my favorite method is roasting. I am always shooting for caramelization, which to me is like another flavor component along with the classic sweet, sour, bitter and salty.

To caramelize successfully, you have to turn up the heat to at least 400 degrees and sometimes more, use a dark pan to absorb more heat, and add just enough oil and/or butter to help along caramelization. It doubles the flavor of many vegetables (even Brussels sprouts).

Pumpkin Pickles
Yields about 1 quart

No one expects a pickle from a pumpkin. The pumpkin cubes absorb all the cinnamon and cloves from the syrup and make a great accompaniment to turkey and pork. Place in a beautiful glass jar for a gift. You can layer slices of pumpkin pickle into an impressive turkey sandwich and no one will guess your mystery ingredient.

1 pumpkin, at least 1 1/2 pounds 1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
4-inch-long cinnamon stick, broken in pieces
4 cloves
Four 2-inch-wide strips lemon peel
1 small dried chile (arbol), optional
Instructions: Slice the top off the pumpkin. Cut into wedges so it will be easier to handle. Using a paring knife, remove inner fibers and seeds and discard. Use a potato peeler to remove the pumpkin's skin and then cut the pumpkin into 11/2-inch cubes.

Combine the sugar, salt, apple cider vinegar, 2 cups water, cinnamon, cloves, lemon peel and chile and simmer for 5 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Add the pumpkin cubes and simmer until tender, about 18 minutes. Check with a fork to make sure they are just tender enough to be easily speared. Remove the pumpkin cubes to a glass bowl and continue to simmer the liquid until it is reduced and syrupy. Be careful, as it can turn to caramel very quickly. You want the syrup to just coat a spoon. Cool it down for 15 minutes and then pour over the pumpkin cubes. Cover and refrigerate at least 24 hours before using. Place in a pretty glass jar to give pumpkin pickles as a gift. They will keep for a month, but should be refrigerated at all times.

The calories and other nutrients absorbed from brines vary and are difficult to estimate. Variables include the type of food, brining time and amount of surface area. Therefore, this recipe contains no analysis


Sweet Marinated Ancho Chiles Stuffed with Pumpkin
Serves 8

Stuffing the pumpkin puree into the ancho chiles results in a magical culinary osmosis. Serve with roasted or grilled meats or as part of a Thanksgiving feast.

For the Ancho chiles:
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon salt
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons cinnamon
8 large dried ancho chiles (2 inches by 21/2 inches) For the Pumpkin:
2 sugar or pie pumpkins (about 2 pounds each)
4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
1 tablespoon mild olive oil
6 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 to 4 tablespoons half-and-half
1/4 cup toasted pecans, chopped finely
2 tablespoons crema Mexicana or heavy cream (optional garnish)
To prepare the ancho chiles: Combine 6 cups water, balsamic vinegar, salt, dark brown sugar, bay leaves and cinnamon in a pot and bring to a simmer. Rinse off the whole ancho chiles and add to the pot. Simmer for 5 minutes and then turn off heat. Keep pushing the chiles into the liquid. They will tend to float until they hydrate. Steep the chiles for about 3 hours or until soft.

Cut open the softened chiles and remove the seed heart right under the stem. Use the marinade liquid to wash out the rest of the seeds. Discard marinade.

To prepare the pumpkin: Preheat oven to 400°. Slice tops off pumpkins. Cut pumpkins in half, then use a sharp spoon to dig around the edges of the seeds and fiber at the heart to make them easier to remove. Cut pumpkin into large wedges and use a peeler to remove tough skins. Cut pumpkin into 2-inch squares and place in a dark baking pan or sheet. Toss with the butter and olive oil. Sprinkle with 5 tablespoons of the brown sugar, salt and pepper. Roast in oven for 45-50 minutes or until edges are caramelized. At least twice during roasting, use a spatula to flip the pumpkin, as it will caramelize more on the bottom.

After roasting, let cool and then puree 2/3 of the pumpkin cubes in the food processor. Add enough half-and-half to make the puree creamy. Dice the rest of caramelized pumpkin and set aside for garnishing.

To assemble and finish dish: Preheat the oven to 375°. Oil a large shallow baking dish or pan. Place about 1/2 cup pumpkin puree inside each ancho chile. It looks prettier if the chiles are open with the mound of puree peeking out. Push a few cubes of caramelized pumpkin into the puree. Fill the remaining chiles and place in baking dish. Mix the pecans and the remaining tablespoon of brown sugar together and sprinkle over the filled chiles.

Bake for 10 minutes. To serve, lay the chiles on a platter and drizzle with crema Mexicana or heavy cream.

Note: You can prepare this dish up to a day ahead and refrigerate; the chiles will flavor the pumpkin delicately. Reheat in a 375° oven for 10 minutes or until warmed.

Per serving: 155 calories, 2 g protein, 15 g carbohydrate, 11 g fat (4 g saturated), 17 mg cholesterol, 278 mg sodium, 3 g fiber.

The calories and other nutrients absorbed from marinades are difficult to estimate. Variables include the type of food, marinating time and surface area. Therefore, the marinade is not included in this analysis.


Jacqueline Higuera McMahan, whose family lived on one of the last Spanish land-grant ranchos in the Bay Area, has lived in Mexico and now resides in Southern California. McMahan is the author of "California Rancho Cooking" (Sasquatch Books, 2003). E-mail h
Cool temperatures and shorter days mark the beginning of autumn, but so do those bright orange orbs decorating our homes and enthusiastically carved into jack-o'-lanterns by excited children anticipating Halloween.

However, inside that little - or big - round pumpkin is a very tasty treat: the seeds!

When I was a little girl, I'm not sure which excited me more, that jolly carved jack-o'-lantern with the light bulb inside or the prospect of those tasty seeds spiced with that wonderful sauce my grandmother used in everything short of dessert. Of course, I've come to realize that, for me, creating this little delicacy was as much a part of the season as the colors orange and black.

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It is now my pleasure to share with you the "recipe" for this wonderful delicacy.

I'm sure it was in the "waste-not-want-not" tradition that the baking of pumpkin seeds began, but I can tell you that the extraordinary flavor and texture caused it to take on a life of its own.

After carving off the top of the pumpkin, we begin by removing the stringy insides, separating the seeds from the sticky interior. Due to its "icky" feel, kids usually love to do this. (Of course, thorough hand-washing - before and after - is a must.)

Have them place the seeds in a separate bowl discarding the remainder of the pumpkin's "innards." Don't wash the seeds.

You may now continue with the sculpting of your pumpkin.

Here is the recipe for the seeds. It includes pimenta moida which is Portuguese hot crushed pepper. It can be found in any food market in southeastern Massachusetts or, together with smoked paprika, online at www.thespanishtable.com

Spicy pumpkin seeds