I'd like to introduce you to my new autumn infatuation. It was found in this week's Abundant Harvest box. It's name is kabocha, or Japanese Pumpkin. And it is gorgeous. There were two tasty-looking recipes for kabocha in the ever-entertaining weekly newsletter from Uncle Vern, but I decided to make the season's first pumpkin pie with mine. Normally, I don't really enjoy the smell of raw pumpkin, but when I opened this kind up (with my parents' fabulous Wusthof), the most pleasant, cool, cucumber-ish smell filled my nostrils. If there were a kabocha beeswax candle, it'd be my favorite.
Vern said you can roast the seeds just like normal pumpkin seeds, so I did, in a 350 degree oven with 1 Tablespoon coconut oil
and 1 teaspoon celtic sea salt
for 20 minutes. If I were home, I'd probably soak the seeds in a brine overnight and dehydrate them to preserve the enzymes.
Kabocha seeds are thicker and meatier than regular pumpkin seeds. My son adored them and proceeded to finish them off within minutes.
After baking the kabocha for about 50 minutes in a 350 degree oven, I pureed it in the food processor. It's a lot thicker than normal pumpkin and there is no need to strain any water out. One less step. Hooray!
I used my favorite pumpkin pie recipe out of Nourishing Traditions.
My daughter pinched the crust for me (and I can't do a better job).
My daughter pinched the crust for me (and I can't do a better job).
Don't forget freshly-whipped cream. Glory.
Kabocha tastes like a mixture of pumpkin and yam or sweet potato, and you can pretty much use it in any sweet potato or pumpkin recipe. There will definitely be kabocha growing in the garden next year. I am in love.
DISCLAIMER: My friend is already our area coordinator for what I'm about to share with you, so I don't make a penny from plugging this amazing family farm company. Just sharing the love, folks. Do you adore affordable, locally-grown organic produce that was picked the day before or the day you receive it? Do you live in California? Me too! Sweet! So you're getting the amazing Abundant Harvest Organic boxes as well! No? Why?! They don't have a delivery spot in your area? Oh, and you'd like to easily earn some money while helping others receive affordable organics? Well then, become an area coordinator, already! It is quite a stay-at-home-mom-friendly job, in case you were wondering. You think the boxes are too big for your family to go through in one week? Split the boxes with another family or two. It's worth it, I tell you.
