As I mentioned on my last post, we love to make our own pumpkin puree.  The pulp stores well in the freezer and we can use it for pies, soups, sauces or anything else that calls for the canned product.  Once that pumpkin is cut open, don’t even consider discarding the seeds.  Roasted pumpkin seeds, home-made, are a special delicacy.  Until now, we’ve followed traditional recipes that simply lay the seeds on a baking sheet, lightly coated with oil and a little seasoning.  This time, I took a slightly different route: I brined the seeds before roasting, and what a difference that made!  All credit goes to Sawsan, the wonderful blogger and ultra-talented photographer from Jordan.  Check her post about it here.

GINGER-PAPRIKA TOASTED PUMPKIN SEEDS
(from Chef in Disguise)

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
2 cups water
1 tablespoon salt
about 1 tablespoon olive oil
powdered ginger to taste
paprika to taste
     

Scoop out the insides of your pumpkin. Separate the seeds from the stringy core and then rinse them.

In a small saucepan, add the water, seeds and 1 tablespoon of salt
Bring to a boil. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and drain.
Spread your seeds on a baking sheet and allow to dry completely.

Drizzle the seeds once they get dry with olive oil, sprinkle with the powdered ginger and paprika, or any seasonings you like, and mix to coat them as evenly as possible.  Spread the seeds out over the roasting pan, all in one layer.

Bake in a preheated oven at 390-400 F (200 Celsius) until they become golden brown or are roasted the way you like (10-20 minutes).  Allow to cool, and….

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments:  Three great advantages in this brining approach: first, the salt gets into the seed instead of outside only, so you won’t get excess salt in one bite and not enough in another, which is quite common in the “old” method.  Second, the roasting time is reduced quite a bit, as the seeds will have a chance to start mellowing down in the brining step.  Third, a more pleasant texture in the final roasted seeds.  Try it with different seasonings, Southwest spices, chili, I bet even a little curry could be pretty interesting.

Sawsan, thanks for teaching me about brining seeds, loved it!

And now, time to show off the blog award I received…

I was nominated by Alison, from Happy Domesticity, and of course, it made my day when I got her note about it!  The winner of such an award must answer 10 questions. Alison added one more. I don’t mind at all, as 11 is a prime number, therefore a lot cooler than 10.  Let’s get down to business:

1. What is your favorite color? Maybe yellow, but I do love all colors.
2. Your favorite animal? I am a dog person as far as pets go, but my favorite animal is the elephant.
3. Your favorite non-alcoholic drinks? Home-made carbonated water (Penguin). Twist of lemon is optional.
4. Facebook or Twitter? I use Facebook because my blog posts are publicized there and I get messages from readers.  I don’t like Twitter, and that is a good thing because I wouldn’t have time for it anyway.
5. Your favourite pattern? I love horizontal stripes, just the other day I noticed that a lot of my clothes have stripes.
6. Do you prefer getting or giving presents? Giving.
7. Your favourite number?  4
8. Your favorite day of the week? Friday.
9. Your favorite flower? Christmas-cactus in full bloom.
10. What is your passion? My work. But fitness comes a close second. Cookbooks get the bronze medal.
11. Why did you start to write your blog? I love to write and I love to cook. Blogging seems like a good way to join both… 😉 

Alison, thank you once again for the award!
Makes blogging even more fun!

ONE YEAR AGO: A Sourdough Experiment

TWO YEARS AGO: Shrimp and Fennel Casserole

THREE YEARS AGO: Tuscan Bread