I’ve got the blue pumpkins blues. See the pretty blue pumpkin? See how it almost glows in the dull light of my kitchen? Now, I know that the inside of blue pumpkins isn’t also blue. I know the inside of blue pumpkins is just as bright orange and non-blue as any other pumpkin, but the naive child inside me is always a wee bit disappointed when I cut in and see no blue, no deep purple, no shimmery gray. Take heart, though, I cheer up almost immediately because that orange has a magical power all its own.
So I cut the top off the blue pumpkin, much as one would for a jack o’lantern, had my weird let down at the sight of orange winter squash flesh, scooped out the fat pumpkin seeds (again, as for a jack o’lantern), put about 6 oz. of fresh shiitakes (trimmed and halved) inside, sprinkled them with 1/2 oz. porcini that I’d soaked in hot water for 15 minutes and then chopped up, added a pinch of salt and some generous grinds of black pepper, and then drizzled on about a 1/3 of a cup of cream.
That all got popped in a 375 oven until the squash was tender and everything was bubbling and yummy looking, which took about an hour. It all seems a bit soupy because the mushrooms have let off their liquid into the cream:
It is quite tasty just like that, no doubt. But, if you can control yourself and not eat it while it sits (covered with foil to keep it warm) for 20 or 30 minutes, the cream and mushroom liquid gets all soaked up by the squash and the mushrooms and something magical happens:
You get this creamy, sweet, floury, earthy, savory delight. I liked mine with a poached egg and a bit of spinach salad. A great shared side dish – with everyone scooping their share from the baked gourd at the table – for Thanksgiving, no doubt. Also, in a smaller, individual, acorn squash (or similar sized) halves? I’m thinking that is a pretty sweet vegetarian main dish for the annual feast.
esme | 20-Nov-09 at 10:50 am | Permalink
dude I thought you didn’t like the shiitake? This sounds great. Can’t wait to try it.
Molly Watson | 20-Nov-09 at 10:57 am | Permalink
I like fresh shiitake, but you’re right, often the reconstituted dried ones overwhelm me. You will love this one – I predict you dive right in pie-eating-contest-style.
Cheryl | 20-Nov-09 at 11:51 am | Permalink
Awesome. I once made a beef stew in a pumpkin. People are always floored when you bring something like that to the table.
Screw my non-mushroom-loving family. I’m sick of walking past the mushroom farmers’ market lady every Sunday in deference to their mushroomophobia. This weekend I’m going to spend a good long time at her stall and go to town.
Long live creamy fungi!
Molly Watson | 21-Nov-09 at 8:38 am | Permalink
Cheryl, your family sounds very problematic. I had no idea you were living amid such restraints! I say let loose and make a mushroom feast – or at least a pan of sauteed wild mushrooms in butter and sprinkled with salt. The silver lining – since you’re just buying enough mushrooms for one, you can splurge!
Heather | 21-Nov-09 at 1:09 pm | Permalink
I love love love this idea….AND I have mushrooms from last week’s CSA and squash from this morning’s farmers market visit. Thank you!
Leslie | 21-Nov-09 at 2:07 pm | Permalink
I’ve never seen a blue pumpkin, it’s beautiful! The mushrooms cooked with the cream inside the pumpkin sounds amazing! Thanks for sharing!
Jane | 21-Nov-09 at 4:23 pm | Permalink
Molly, that is an amazing and delicious-seeming idea! I am excited to try it, and I thank you for your culinary genius
molly | 28-Nov-09 at 5:07 pm | Permalink
oh. oh my. this looks divine. never in a million years would have thought of it. and i’m a mushroom and squash fiend. Dog-earing this post right this instant…
alice | 03-Dec-09 at 11:29 am | Permalink
How big was the pumpkin? I’ve been looking for ideas for what to do with the giant one we have (16 lbs!!) and I’m wondering if I would need to double or triple the recipe…. looks delicious!
Molly Watson | 03-Dec-09 at 11:40 am | Permalink
It was about 4 1/5 pounds. Sixteen pounds! Sounds daunting!
alice | 04-Dec-09 at 1:29 pm | Permalink
Right now it is destined to be roasted, pureed, frozen, and used in soups and muffins for the next 6 months, but this looks delicious too. If I go your delicious-looking route I will have to make a (big) dinner party out of it!
jessica | 10-Dec-09 at 7:50 pm | Permalink
Hi Molly,
Do you cover the pumpkin while it’s cooking? I want to attempt this over the weekend. I’ve visited your pictures several times and they make me drool.
Molly Watson | 11-Dec-09 at 9:00 am | Permalink
Jessica – I partially covered it with the cut-off cap fro about half the cooking time. If I were to make it again, however, I would leave that out of the mix.
kbk | 01-Jan-10 at 12:43 pm | Permalink
Hi there! I found this site while searching for squash recipes a few days ago. I’d gone to Rainbow Grocery and found these amazing blue Hokkaido pumpkins, you see, and I was searching out a good recipe for them.
You have no idea how excited I was to see this recipe. I had a smallish pumpkin, followed your recipe and ate the whole darn thing for dinner. Delicious!
Also, I feel the need to tell you how excited I am to see that we’re both in the same city. That means that when you find awesome local produce, I might be able to find it, too! Muahahahah!
*ahem*
What I mean to say, of course, is that I’m now a follower of you blog, and can’t wait to start cooking up more lovely local produce and meatstuffs.
Thank you! You are awesome for sharing this!
- kbk
Molly Watson | 01-Jan-10 at 5:20 pm | Permalink
Enjoy kbk! I got the blue pumpkin featured in the photo at that same Rainbow Grocery.
Gillian | 12-Nov-11 at 9:59 pm | Permalink
Oh boy! I’m excited — with reservations. I’ve turned into an obsessed cucurbitacean this year, having “discovered” squash after a lifetime of thinking it was just that acorn thing with brown sugar in it.
So yesterday I saw a sign saying “49¢/lb” over a giant bin at the market with about ten different kinds of beautiful, crazy-looking squashes in it, including the Turban, which I’ve been dying to try! Another was a blue one that is similar to the one in your picture above, but it’s called “Sweet Mama Squash”, not pumpkin. I’m all for experimenting, so I’m going to use it for this recipe, but my main qualm is that I couldn’t afford the dried mushrooms they had there ($19.99!) so I got giant button mushrooms and chanterelles and I’m hoping that their mild flavor isn’t too bland for this recipe. Ah well. I have another giant squash, so if this doesn’t work, I’ll try again.
But I was wondering: if I still can’t find any affordable dried mushrooms, would you have any suggestions of spices or other ingredients I might add instead to enhance the flavor of my plain mushrooms? I’d be extremely grateful for any advice! And apologies for such a long rambling comment! (Hopefully you haven’t quit getting notified of replies to your article — I see now that it was posted a couple of years ago!) Anyway, wish me luck! And thanks for your amazing guide to squashes where I first found your link to this recipe!
Molly Watson | 13-Nov-11 at 9:10 am | Permalink
I think fresh mushrooms will have enough flavor. It won’t be the umami-taste explosion that it is with dried, but still very good. Some herbs or garlic would always bump things up – thyme would be particularly good here, as would just the lightest hint of rosemary. A bit of freshly grated parmesan wouldn’t hurt anything either.
Can I ask if it was $19.99 for 1/2 ounce? That’s outrageous.