James Beard Award-winning author (and all-around great pal of TABLE Magazine) Cheryl Alters Jamison looked at peak fall produce part of her research into what’s delicious season by season. She was stunned by the obvious: it’s pumpkin season, for heaven’s sake! Enjoy a walk through the pumpkin patch with us. Cheryl’s recipes are easy to make, gorgeous to look at, and delightful to eat. What more could we ask for?
What to Cook with Farm-Fresh Pumpkins
Haitian Pumpkin-Beef Soup Recipe
The symbol of Haitian independence and the resilience of its people, Haitians traditionally eat joumou on New Year’s Day. Initially, it was cooked by enslaved Africans for their white owners. Since 1804, it has represented freedom and has a UNESCO designation as an official symbol of the country’s cultural heritage. Often joumou is made with a very hefty turban squash, or other sizeable pumpkin. Starting with a can of pumpkin puree allows for a smaller batch of the soup while also eliminating the step of pureeing the pumpkin. You will need to make the pikliz, a piquant relish used in the soup and as an accompaniment, at least a day ahead. It keeps for weeks though, refrigerated.
Roasted Pumpkin Salad with Goat Cheese, Pomegranates, and Pepitas
Fall salads call for a bit of heft, for which chunks of fresh cooked pumpkin are perfect. Combine the pumpkin with bright bits of pomegranate and crumbles of cheese over sturdy greens, and top it all off with more pumpkin in the form of crunchy pepitas, or hulled pumpkin seeds. You can buy the pepitas, but Cheryl offers instructions for preparing your own, if you wish.
Pumpkin-Stuffed Ravioli with Brown Butter, Sage, and Hazelnuts
These ravioli and their accompaniments simply sing of autumn. The pumpkin filling is enveloped in wonton wrappers to make large pasta “pillows”. A ravioli crimper or other pastry trimmer can make a decorative edge, but you can also use the tines of a fork to seal the edges. The sage-scented sauce is simple, enriched with toasty brown butter. To make it, melt butter in a skillet, then continue to warm it long enough to color the milk solids and develop a nutty aroma.
Baked Baby Pumpkins
Here’s the perfect use for those adorable mini-pumpkins, such as Little Jack Horners or Baby Boos. They look so festive and jaunty with their lids slightly askew when you serve them. These are perfect for a sit-down Sunday dinner with family and friends: they make a great impression and are guaranteed to get the autumn conversation going.
Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust
The classic flavors of pumpkin and spice spark international interest each autumn, mostly in the form of overpromoted lattes and scented candles. We toe a more traditional line with this pumpkin cheesecake recipe, which leans nicely into the aromatic baking spices we all love, but pairs them with creamy cheesecake filling and cradles them in a delectable ginger snap crust. If you make one, please call us over. We’ll bring freshly ground coffee beans and our appetites.
Recipes and Story by Cheryl Alters Jamison
Styling by Anna Franklin
Photography by David Bryce
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