Recipes

Chosen from Thane Prince's Jams & Chutneys, she writes "With its affinity for sugar and spices, pumpkin lends itself to both savoury and sweet treatments. Eating this flame-coloured pumpkin butter is akin to tasting autumn."

Makes 1.6kg

    2kg (4 1/2lb) pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and cut into 2cm cubes
    600g (1lb 5oz) unrefined sugar
    1 cinnamon stick
    1/2 nutmeg
    6 cloves
    2 mace blades
    Finely grated zest and freshly squeezed juice of 2 lemons

Method

Put the pumpkin in a steamer and steam for 10 minutes or until soft. Transfer to a blender or food processor and whiz until you have a smooth puree.

Transfer the puree to a preserving pan and add the sugar.  Using a coffee mill, grind the spices to a fine powder. Alternatively grind using a pestle and mortar. Stir into the pumpkin puree along with the lemon juice and zest.

Simmer over a low heat for 60-90 minutes until very thick, stirring frequently. Take care as the butter can start spitting as it cooks. The mixture is quite thick to begin with, but needs long cooking to condense and form the butter.

When the puree is as thick as it can be (it will begin to catch no matter how often you stir) and when a wooden spoon drawn across the bottom of the pan leaves a clear channel, it is ready for potting. Pot it into hot sterilised jars, seal and label.

RECIPE TIP

Thane says "Spread it on buttered toast, eat it on gingerbread, or spoon it onto waffles and serve with whipped cream."