Delicious pumpkin recipes
Ben Kiely is a chef instructor at The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Vancouver. In addition to teaching, he oversees the student-run restaurant Culinaria located at 100 - 609 Granville Street, Vancouver, B.C. V7Y 1G5.
Both Halloween and Thanksgiving are finally over, now what do you do with all that leftover pumpkin? Sure you could bake it into a pie, or maybe whip up some warm pumpkin soup, but why not try a little something different with this highly nutritious squash? Chef Ben Kiely from the International Culinary School at the Arts Institute suggests trying out this unique recipe for delicious Pumpkin Ale Beignets. The recipe uses Pumpkin Ale which "adds another dimension and sweetness to the flavour profile of a dish," says Kiely.
Pumpkin Ale Beignets
- 1/2 teaspoon dry yeast
- 1/4 cup warm water
- 350 mL pumpkin ale
- 5 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups canned pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup whipping cream
- 1/4 cup hot water
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Vegetable oil, for frying
Method for pumpkin beignets:
- Sprinkle yeast over warm water in a small bowl, stirring to dissolve. Let stand for 5 minutes.
- Combine flour, pumpkin puree, sugar, heavy cream, hot water, egg, shortening, and salt in a large bowl; stir in yeast mixture. Mix dough just until combined and smooth. Let dough rest in bowl, covered with a clean kitchen towel, 30 minutes.
- Transfer dough to a well-floured surface. Pat to about 1/4-inch thickness and cut into 2-inch squares. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let dough rise in a warm, draft-free area, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
- Heat 3 inches of vegetable oil to 350 F in a deep, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Fry beignets until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes, turning as soon as they brown on one side. Serve immediately.
If Beignets don’t quite fit your diet, but you still want to make use of your pumpkins, Kiely also recommends his favourite pumpkin dish, Moroccan style pumpkin tagine.
Try adding pumpkin to any of your favourite dishes this fall, this orange squash is high in fibre and rich in antioxidants, so don’t be afraid to test it out.
Looking for some more pumpkin recipes? Give these ones a try: