Turn Pumpkin Guts Into a Delicious and Flavorful Broth
I don’t know how to carve pumpkins, but I’m pretty good at making delicious things out of them, like mini crustless pumpkin pie and beer pickled pumpkin seeds . However, I usually end up with at least one jack-o’-lantern because that’s what people do this time of year (and because I need those tangy, salty pumpkin seeds). In the past I’ve rinsed the slimy innards to get to the precious seeds, but no more – this year I’m salvaging the innards and turning them into a nice, savory broth.
I first came across this idea on Food52 and think it’s brilliant. After all, a squash is a squash, and squashes are known for their vegetal, slightly bitter, earthy flavor—a flavor that pairs beautifully with tender noodles, starchy rice, fried onions, and salty meats. Pumpkin guts are so flavorful and can be removed in about half an hour. Food52 recommends roasting the pulp with other vegetable scraps, then adding water and simmering for 30 to 60 minutes.
My vegetable bag is currently empty (I just made a batch of broth) so I chopped up a couple of small shallots, crushed a few cloves of garlic and grabbed a sprig of fresh sage. The whole thing was seasoned with salt and sautéed in a little olive oil until the mixture was fragrant and the shallots and garlic began to brown. I added the pumpkin guts, stirred until they took on color, then covered everything with a few inches of water and let it simmer for half an hour.
I gave it a taste. As expected, it was vegetal and earthy, but a little too bitter for my taste, so I added a few pinches of sugar and a glass of apple cider vinegar to balance out the sweet and tangy flavors. It was perfect.
Pumpkin broth is thicker and more flavorful than other vegetable broths, so it’s especially good for creamy risotto and hearty vegetable soups, but you can use it as you would any other broth, or add a little heavy cream for a rich, flavorful broth. . biscuit-like soup. Once you’ve made your pumpkin broth, try adding a few more zucchini to it. Acorn squash broth sounds especially autumnal.
Savory Pumpkin Broth (about a pint)
Ingredients:
- Entrails of 1 medium pumpkin
- 2 small shallots, sliced into rings (skin can be left on)
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 3-4 sage leaves
- A little olive oil
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- White pepper to taste
Remove the guts from the Jack-O-Lantern and set them aside in a bowl. Add the shallots, garlic and sage to a medium saucepan or Dutch oven with a splash of olive oil and half the salt. Sauté over medium heat until the onion is completely soft and beginning to brown.
Add the pumpkin along with the rest of the salt and stir for a few minutes to cook off any excess moisture and give it some color. Add sugar, vinegar, two grinds of white pepper and enough water to cover by a few inches. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for half an hour. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.