Five Ways with Pumpkins
This creamy pumpkin soup is a simple, comforting meal - velvety and full of autumnal flavour - perfect paired with Fortnum’s Chicken Rillettes and Smoked Cheese Straws for a hearty, satisfying meal.
Ingredients
SERVES 4
2 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, peeled and finely chopped
1kg pumpkin or squash, peeled, deseeded and chopped into large chunks
700ml vegetable stock or chicken stock
1⁄2 tsp curry powder or cumin (optional)
Double cream, to serve
Handful pumpkin seeds, to garnish
Fortnum’s Chicken Rillettes with Tarragon & Sage, and Smoked Cheese Straws, to serve
Method
1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, then gently cook the onions for 5 minutes, until soft but not coloured.
2. Add the pumpkin or squash to the pan along with the stock and spices (if using). Season with salt and pepper, then bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 10-12 minutes, or until the pumpkin is very soft.
3. Purée the soup with a hand blender until completely smooth.
4. Ladle into bowls, then drizzle with cream and sprinkle with some pumpkin seeds. Serve alongside the rillettes and cheese straws.
This pumpkin galette pairs savoury-sweet pumpkin with Fortnum’s Somerset Reserve Cheddar in crisp, buttery pastry. Its rustic style makes it surprisingly forgiving to make, yet always impressive on the table. For sweet culinary pumpkins, peeling is optional, as the skin adds lovely colour and texture to the finished tart.
Ingredients
SERVES 4
1 medium culinary pumpkin or butternut squash, about 1kg, deseeded and cut into 1.5cm slices
2 tbsp Fortnum’s Garlic Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 eschalion shallots, peeled and thickly sliced
1 block of puff or shortcrust pastry, plus flour for rolling out
70g Fortnum’s Somerset Reserve Cheddar, finely grated
1.5 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 egg, beaten
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
1. Preheat your oven to 200°C / Fan 180°C / Gas 6. Toss the pumpkin and shallots with the olive oil and season well. Roast on a large baking tray for 20–25 minutes, or until the pieces are just tender, turning the vegetables halfway through cooking. Set aside to cool completely.
2. Remove the pastry from the fridge 10 minutes before using it. Preheat your oven to 220°C / Fan 200°C / Gas 7.
3. Lightly dust a large sheet of greaseproof paper with flour, then roll out the pastry on top until it’s about the thickness of a £1 coin. Trim the edges to form a rough circle, roughly 30cm in diameter. Use the greaseproof paper to lift the pastry onto a large baking tray.
4. Evenly scatter two-thirds of the cheddar over the pastry, leaving a 3cm border around the edge. Sprinkle over the thyme, then layer on the cooked pumpkin and shallots. Top with the remaining cheese.
5. Fold the edges of the pastry inwards, slightly covering the filling, to form a rough circular shape. Brush the edge of the pastry with beaten egg.
6. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until both the cheese and pastry are golden brown and crisp. Serve with a crisp, seasonal salad.
Creamy and spiced, this pumpkin hummus is a vibrant twist on a classic dip, enriched with Fortnum’s Harissa Flavour Paste and finished with a drizzle of Fortnum’s Chili Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Ingredients
SERVES 6
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
500g pumpkin or squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into large chunks
1 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 lemon, juiced
80g tahini, stirred well
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp Fortnum’s Honey & Smoked Harissa Flavour Paste
3-4 tbsp very cold water
Chopped flat leaf parsley, pumpkin seeds and pomegranate seeds, to garnish
Sea salt
Method
1. Preheat your oven to 200°C/ Fan 180°C / Gas 6. Toss the pumpkin with olive oil and season well. Roast on a large baking tray for 20-25 minutes or until the pieces are just tender, turning the vegetables halfway through cooking. Set aside to cool.
2. Place the cooked pumpkin in a food processor along with the lemon juice, tahini, olive oil, garlic, harissa, and a generous amount of salt. Process for 30 seconds, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, and then process for another 30 seconds or until well blended.
3. Add half of the chickpeas to the food processor and process for 1 minute. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, then add the remaining chickpeas and process them until thick and almost completely smooth.
4. Add 3-4 tablespoons of very cold water with the food processor turned on until you reach a very smooth consistency.
5. Taste for seasoning then serve topped with toasted pumpkin seeds, parsley and pomegranate seeds, plus a drizzle of Fortnum’s Chili Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
This pumpkin spiced honey Swiss roll combines a light, fluffy pumpkin sponge with a luxuriously creamy filling sweetened with Fortnum’s Chef’s Cinnamon Honey. Subtly spiced, it makes an elegant treat for sharing or a show-stopping dessert.
Ingredients
MAKES 1 LARGE SWISS ROLL
For the sponge
95g plain flour
1⁄2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1⁄2 tsp ground cinnamon
1⁄2 tsp ground cardamom (optional)
3 large eggs
175g caster sugar
150g tinned pumpkin (or homemade pumpkin purée)
1 tsp vanilla extract
For the cinnamon honey filling
200g double cream
3 tbsp Fortnum’s Chef’s Cinnamon Honey
2 tbsp Greek yogurt
Method
1. Preheat your oven to 180°C / Fan 160°C / Gas 4. Lightly butter a Swiss roll tin (30cm x 20cm) and line with baking paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and cardamom (if using). In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and pumpkin until completely smooth.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and fold through just until combined and no dry streaks remain. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared tin.
4. Bake for 12–15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
5. Immediately lift the baking paper and hot cake out of the tin onto a flat, heat-safe surface. While the cake is still hot, starting at a short end, gently and slowly roll the cake (with the baking paper) all the way up. Place on a wire cooling rack and allow to cool completely. (This helps the cake cool evenly and prevents it from sweating.)
6. While the cake is cooling, whisk the cream, honey, and Greek yogurt together with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.
7. Once the cake is completely cool, unroll it very carefully. Spread the filling evenly over the cake, leaving a 3cm border. Roll up the cake again, this time without the baking paper.
8. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour before slicing and serving.
This Truffled Pumpkin Pasta combines roasted pumpkin with the luxurious flavours of Fortnum’s Truffled Cheddar and Truffle Butter for a rich, indulgent autumn dish.
Ingredients
SERVES 4
1 onion, quartered
2 garlic cloves
500g pumpkin or squash, peeled and cut into roughly 3cm cubes
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp tomato purée
2 tbsp Fortnum’s Truffle Butter
200ml chicken or vegetable stock
80g Fortnum’s Truffled Cheddar Wedge, grated
350g textured pasta, such as mafalda, rigatoni or penne
Grated parmesan, to serve
Torn sage leaves, to serve (optional)
Method
1. Preheat your oven to 200°C / Fan 180°C / Gas 6. Toss the pumpkin, onion and garlic cloves with olive oil and season well. Roast on a large baking tray for 20–25 minutes, or until the pieces are just tender, turning halfway through cooking. Set aside to cool.
2. Using a blender, food processor, or hand blender, purée the roasted vegetables with the tomato purée, truffle butter, stock and truffled cheddar until smooth. Pour into a large saucepan and warm gently over a low heat, while stirring.
3. While the sauce is warming, cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling, salted water until al dente. Drain, reserving a cup of the cooking water.
4. Toss the pasta with the pumpkin sauce, adding 50–100ml of the reserved water to loosen. Season to taste and serve topped with grated parmesan and torn sage leaves, if using.
