We’re finally in the autumn season which means it’s the perfect time to try out some new food and recipes. And when we think of pumpkins, we usually associate them with Halloween.

Environmental charity Hubbub found that around 12.8 million pumpkins were set to be carved out but not eaten, as one in seven people who celebrate Halloween said they don’t even think of pumpkins as food. Only 42% (two in five) realised you can eat a carving pumpkin from the supermarket.

In 2015, only 31% of pumpkins were actually eaten, rising to 46% in 2019 and 59% in 2020. However, more people are celebrating Halloween than ever before (up to 56% in 2020 from 50% in 2019), and those households which celebrate tend to carve an average of just over two pumpkins each.

There’s so much you can do with pumpkins outside of Halloween and we’ve got three recipes to highlight how versatile they are.

Soups were made for autumn time, especially this creamy pumpkin soup recipe created by the environmental charity Hubbub. This recipe is all pumpkin with some ginger and honey to add to the flavour.

• 250g butter
• 1 small onion, diced finely
• 800g pumpkin, peeled and cut into chunk
• 1-2 tsp runny honey
• 15g grated root ginger
• 1 vegetable stock cube or 1l of home made veg stock
• 100ml single cream
• black pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp freshly chopped coriander (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC. Lay foil on an oven safe dish and spread the
pumpkin seeds, add a splash of olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste. Put in
oven to toast for 40 minutes.
2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the onions and pumpkin and
cook on medium heat for 3-4 minutes until the vegetables soften but do
not brown.
3. Add the honey, ginger, and vegetable stock and bring to the boil.
Simmer for 15-20 minutes until the pumpkin is soft.
4. Stir in most of the single cream and place in a food processor. Blend
until smooth. Season to taste with black pepper.
5. Serve garnished with a swirl of the remaining single cream, a sprinkle of
coriander if desired, and the toasted pumpkin seeds.

Who said chips have to be potato-based? These loaded pumpkin fries from the Primula cheese team will make you forget about your favorite junk food fries. Add in some cheese and jalapenos so you can add to the experience.

• 1 medium-sized pumpkin
• 2 tsp cornflour
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp fajita seasoning
• 150g Primula Cheese ‘n’ Jalapenos
• Handful of fresh coriander, to garnish

1. Using a sharp knife, slice the pumpkin in half. Scoop out the seeds and pulp.
2. Remove the ends from the pumpkin, peel and slice into fries.
3. Place the pumpkin fries in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Let the fries soak for at least 30 minutes, but preferably overnight.
4. When the fries have finished soaking, pre-heat your oven to 220°C.
5. Drain the fries and pat dry with paper towels.
6. Fill a large zip-lock bag with the fries. Add the cornflour, seal the bag and shake to cover the fries. Add the oil and fajita seasoning to the fries and shake well, covering them evenly.
7. Spread the fries in a single layer on a lined baking tray. Allow the fries plenty of space to ensure they’re perfectly crisp. You may need a couple of trays.
8. Place in the oven for 10 – 15 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until the fries are crisp and golden.
9. Remove from the oven. Squeeze over the Primula Cheese and scatter the coriander.
10. Serve immediately.

Another yummy recipe from the Primula team is this Roasted Sourdough Pumpkin recipe. Sourdough took off during the first lockdown and it might be time to go back to it with a twist. This roasted pumpkins sourdough recipe will be your guilty pleasure this autumn.

Ingredients

• 500g pumpkin, peeled and diced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Pinch of chilli flakes
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 loaf of sourdough bread, sliced
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 100g Primula Cheese ‘n’ Ham

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C.
2. Arrange the pumpkin in a large, shallow baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and scatter over chilli flakes. Add the chopped garlic cloves.
3. Roast for 25 – 30 minutes, or until tender and lightly charred. Remove from the oven, add a tablespoon of honey and mix well to coat the pumpkin. Set aside.
4. Toast the sourdough until golden. Remove from the toaster and gently rub with the remaining garlic clove. Top with Primula Cheese ‘n’ Ham.
5. Serve immediately.