Pumpkin Gratin and Falling Leaves
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The theme of this month's Heart of the Matter, hosted by Michelle of The Accidental Scientist, is Holiday Foods. How appropriate!
And how challenging!
By definition holiday foods seem to be all of the things NOT involved in a healthy diet; if not in and of themselves, at least in the vast quantities consumed this time of year.
You know: the occasional poached egg versus a night drinking eggnog!
But first, just to get you in the mood for a luscious yet healthy holiday treat, let me share some photos and tell you what happened at our house this morning.
After all, photos of falling leaves should be soothing, and help lower blood pressure, right? RIGHT?!? RIGHT!!!!???
We had a frost last night; very early in the year for us. Usually temperatures don't drop below freezing until after the holidays.
We have a huge mulberry tree at one end of this garden, with leaves the size of dinner plates. It normally keeps most of it's leaves until just before Christmas, when they slowly turn yellow and fall.
Not this year.
When I sat at the table eating my breakfast my herb garden looked like this: one lonely leaf in the bird bath.
Then the leaves fell.
Not quite with the "Whump" of the Peanuts Cartoon, but very, very close.
We heard a noise that sounded suspiciously like sleet.
As the sun was shining brightly we knew that wasn't it.
It was the sound of green mulberry leaves hitting the terrace at an alarming rate.
In the space of about 15 minutes my garden looked like this.
There are rather too many, and they're too green, to use my little leaf vacuum and grind them up for the compost.
As the compost pile is about 80 metres from the herb garden, and I'll fill the little bag on the vacuum about every 90 seconds, I don't think I'll have to ride my exercise bike today.
The rest of the leaves should be down by the time I finish.
Oh joy!
Back to the food.
As many of you know we butchered the Great Pumpkin two weeks ago.
There was a time when I thought pumpkin was meant for pies, bread and maybe muffins.
Pumpkin Gratin
This could be made with butternut squash or, for those unfortunates without their own pumpkin patch, canned pumpkin.
2 cups pumpkin
2 egg whites
1 leek
1 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup Greek or plain yogurt (2oz, 60ml)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, (1oz, 30gm)
1/2 tsp sage
1/2 tsp marjoram
1 tbs dried bread crumbs
1 tbs olive oil
Cook squash or pumpkin if using fresh. Thinly slice leek. In medium nonstick skillet sauté leek in olive oil over medium heat until tender, about 10 minutes. In medium bowl whisk egg whites. Add yogurt, 2 tbs Parmesan and herbs. Mix well. Add pumpkin and leeks, mix well. Pour into a lightly oiled, glass baking dish. Sprinkle the top with remaining cheese, then bread crumbs. Drizzle with 1 tbs oil. Bake at 200C (400F) for 30 minutes or until top is set and golden brown. Remove and serve.
Be sure to visit The Accidental Scientist for the complete recap after November 18th or the Heart of the Matter site for all of the heart-healthy recipes.
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I’m awestruck at the leaves! Incredible, those are magic times. And then I’m awestruck at your garden. WOW you live grandly. Now I’ll have such a lovely picture of coffee in the morning with you!
I’m trying so hard to come up with a dish for Michelle. I try not to do too many of events but I really believe in that one. I want to do your seasons eating but I’ve got to have an idea and life is imposing ideas and not letting me develop them on my own at the moment but I’m trying to think about it.
Gratin looks like it would be good for coffee in the garden anytime of the day, leaves or no. Frost! Shoot it was 80° yesterday here.
This is comfort food to the Nth degree…pumpkins, autumn, gratin, cheese? How soothing.
That’s bizarre that the tree just dropped all the leaves like that.
The pumpkin gratin looks excellent. I think this is the year that I am also realizing there’s a lot more to pumpkins than just pies with all of the great recipes out there (such as this one!).
This gratin looks totally luscious. Butternut squash is abundant right now here in New England, and I’ve been making and freezing soup for the winter. This dish will be lovely for the vegetarians at our holiday table.
I’m going to cut up and cook our pumpkins this week – just in time, it seems, to try this wonderful sounding recipe.
And the leaves!!! I had a mulberry tree when I lived in the hot inland valley and it never dropped leaves like that. I wish you’d caught it on tape; I’m sure it was a sight to behold!
I am absolutely crazy about savory pumpkin dishes. I have to try your gratin recipe — it looks fabulous. I’ve been pretty lazy about trying new recipes lately, though.
Katie,
Beautiful gratin.
I would love to try some 🙂
Margot
I was just thinking about doing something like this with some butternut squash! Looks good! And I love your pictures of your yard and garden!
I SO wish I had a compost pile again!!! I live in a very strict community and composting apparently is a no-no. shame on the rules!
More beautiful photos! I bought my mom a compost bin and it’s the best gift I ever gave her.
Kate, you’ve given me a reason to buy a pumpkin! I’m a very poor pie maker. It’s just not my thing. But this gratin looks like it’s got my name written all over it!
The weather has been weird everywhere, I guess. How incredible to have an entire mulberry tree lose all of it’s leaves at once! This is when a compost pile becomes an even bigger godsend!
I am almost overcome with major herb garden envy!! What a beautiful garden!
The pumpkin gratin sounds delicious. Our vegetable store is selling terrific butternut squashes right now. We’ll have to try this!
-Elizabeth
P.S. I’m appalled that your community disallows composting, Pam. That doesn’t make sense at all. Can you and your neighbours write to your town council to get that silly rule changed? The reduction in the amount that the garbage removal people would have to pick up would be remarkable and there would be much less going into landfill (landfill that is at a premium now) – not to mention that the finished compost is good for the garden.
Great recipe, and count me in!
Tanna, it was pretty amazing! My leaf blower didn’t stand a chance. We ran them throw the wood chipper!
Peter, yes, it is a very autumnal dish – with American Thanksgiving coming up!
Mike, it was bizarre! The kiwifruit vines dropped their, too. Fortunately it didn’t damage the fruit!
Lydia, I think I’m going to make it again with butternut – I still have 3 left.
Christine, It’s never done it before – but the leaves are usually down before a frost.
Betty, if you try it…hope you like it! I’m starting to find more savory pumpkin recipes and I really like them, as well.
Thanks Margot – too bad you live so far away.
Pam, butternut squash would be good –
probably smoother than the pumpkin was.
Jaden, how strange that compost piles aren’t allowed – properly done there’s no smell and no animals interested…
Kelly, our compost pile is just that – a pile 😉
Toni, we hauled three garden-tractor-trailer loads of minced leaves…it was amazing!
Elizabeth, on days like these I rather regret putting it so close to the mulberry tree…esp all those paths…. Oh well. I’m very happy with it in the summer…
Simona, you’re in!
You know how much I adore anything with pumpkin/squash in it~this is perfect for my Thanksgiving dinner~I do hope it turns out as well as yours! What a smashing garden, the pictures are incredible-
Wow – this has got my name written all over it…first, middle, and last! 🙂
Jann, I’m sure it will be wonderful! We are only two – so it even re-heated well!
Chris, happy to oblige!
Far out that those leaves all fell at the same time! Mother nature again shows us who is in charge!
Our evenings are now starting to dip down into the low 70’s so I have been in a baking, heat up the oven mood. Your gratin sounds like it might like to head to my oven!
The gratin looks wonderful — I am in need of some savory pumpkin recipes, since I am actually getting a little sick of sweet ones!
This pumpkin gratin sounds pretty interesting.
Deb, dipping below 70? I fear winter has arrved here, the rains started on Sunday…I hope it stops sometime before April!
Sugarlaw, I’m really starting to love savory pumpkin… The recipes are not easy to find, though. But mon mari is a willing test subject!
Kevin, thanks, butternut would work well in it, too!
I’m distracted from the food by your garden. It’s gorgeous!
Thanks, Julie! I enjoy it…usually!
I love all things pumpkin, but have never heard of pumpkin gratin until today (8/16/09)
With what does one serve pumpkin gratin?
Is it a side dish or entre?
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Thanks!
Thank you for providing this recipe. I’m entering a friendly cooking competition today with a group of friends and this dish will be my entry.
This is my first time pureeing my own pumpkin too!
I really like your blog.
~Mrs. Chupchake