All you need to know about pumpkins:

A pumpkin is really a squash. It is a member of the Cucurbita family, which includes squash and cucumbers. Pumpkins are grown all over the world on six of the seven continents, with Antarctica being the sole exception. They are even grown in Alaska. Pumpkins are believed to have originated in Central America. Native American Indians used pumpkin as a staple in their diets centuries before the pilgrims landed. When white settlers arrived, they saw the pumpkins grown by the Indians. Pumpkin soon became a staple in their diets, too. They also brought seeds back to Europe, where they quickly became popular. Just like today, early settlers used pumpkins in a wide variety of recipes, from desserts to stews and soups. In addition to cooking with pumpkins, they also dried the shells and cut strips to weave into mats. Early settlers made pumpkin pie by filling a hollowed out shell with milk, honey and spices, then baking it. Whether they learned this from Native Americans is not known. Pumpkins are rich in Vitamin A and potassium. They are also high in fibre. From a medicinal standpoint, pumpkins have been used for a variety of ailments:

• They were once recommended as a cure for freckles.
• They were used as a remedy for snakebites.
• The seeds help avoid prostate cancer in men.


Pumpkin Risotto

With trompettes de mort and pancetta
You will need:
25g / 1oz butter
2 shallots, finely diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp thyme
250g / 8oz arborio rice
200ml / 7fl oz white wine
1 litre / 1¾ pints hot Vegetable Stock
100ml / 3½ fl oz double cream
50g / 2oz Parmesan, grated
75g / 3oz pancetta, thinly sliced
100g / 3½ oz trompettes de mort
(or button mushrooms) sautéed in
50g / 2oz butter
4 tbsp mascarpone
1 tbsp diced red pepper, to garnish

Pumpkin Puree:
2 small pumpkins, peeled, deseeded and diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 tbsp olive oil
3 sprigs thyme

Serves 4

For the puree, preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas mark 6. Place the pumpkin in a heavy-based, ovenproof pan with the garlic, olive oil and thyme. Roast for 30 minutes, then remove from the oven and allow to cool. Transfer to a food processor, blend until smooth, then push through a fine sieve into a bowl. Rinse out the pan.

For the risotto, melt the butter in the pan. Add the shallots, garlic and thyme, cover and sweat over a medium heat until soft. Add the rice and white wine. Cover and sweat for about 2 minutes on a medium heat, then uncover and reduce until almost dry. Gradually add the vegetable stock to the rice, stirring continuously after each addition until all the stock has been absorbed and the rice is tender.

Mix the cream and the Parmesan into the risotto, then mix in the pumpkin puree. Serve in bowls and arrange the pancetta and trompettes de mort on top. Add a spoonful of mascarpone to each serving and garnish with the diced pepper.
1. Green asparagus can grow up to 4 inches per day.
2. Feta cheese is traditionally made from ewe or goat’s milk.
3. In Morocco, mint tea is a sign of welcome.
4. Coulis is a pure liquid fruit or vegetable puree made without flour.
5. When These Fruits Are In Season?

Figs (January to March)
Granadilla (All year)
Star Fruit (April and May)
Persimmon (June)
Beurre Bosc Pears (April to August)
Tamarillo (April to June)


Word of the month: Deglaze

Definition: [dee-GLAYZ] Deglazing is achieved by heating a small amount of liquid, most often wine or stock, in the pan in which the food (usually meat) has been sautéed in. Excess food and fat must first be removed and stirring is used to loosen the browned bits of food on the bottom of the pan resulting in a mixture often used as a base for a gravy or sauce.


Smoke A Turkey

On a medium stove, place a large, bottom heavy, cast-iron pot.
Ensure that no smoke escapes by using a tight-fitting lid. Sprinkle 50ml of wood shavings (different types of wood give the turkey a variety of flavours) Place the metal ring from a jam bottle in the pot to separate the food from the shavings. Place the turkey pieces on a foil plate on top of the metal ring. Close the lid and make sure that there is enough space for the smoke to circulate. To allow for the smoke to circulate, the lid must be closed and the turkey smoked for 20 minutes per 2,5cm pot thickness. Gravies and sauces can be made from the pan drippings.

Conrad Gallagher will begin Cooking Classes in June 2004 after many successful years running from his home in Dublin, Ireland. Based in Cape Town, South Africa, Conrad now offers groups of up to 50 people an opportunity to participate in 1-week courses at his new home. For further information click here or contact Zoe:
Tel: +27 21 434 6100
Email: zoe@conradgallagher.com