If there's a singular food item that best represents fall and winter cooking, it must be the pumpkin. Not so much the iconic orange Halloween pumpkin; instead, think of the sweet nuttiness of a kabocha pumpkin or butternut squash. Each has a distinct, subtle sweetness locked behind a tough skin—the perfect base for a dessert dish, Tournant style. Professional chefs and outdoor cooking enthusiasts Mona and Jaret know how to bring that hidden sweetness to the surface to highlight fall goodness with fresh ingredients, always locally sourced when possible. A touch of vanilla, a lot of honey, and a bright dollop of yogurt bring it all together; that’s the beauty of Tournant’s Pumpkin Spoon Sweet.
INGREDIENTS
2 cups peeled and diced squash/pumpkin (such as delicata, butternut, or kabocha)
1 cup wildflower honey, plus more for serving
1 cup sugar
1⁄2 cup toasted walnuts
1⁄2 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
1⁄2 cup golden raisins
Zest and juice of 1⁄2 lemon
1 whole vanilla bean, split
Greek yogurt or mascarpone, for serving
PREPARATION
STEP 1
Heat a 12-inch pan and pour in honey, then the sugar and a splash of water; cook until fragrant and lightly caramelized.
STEP 2
Add pumpkin and gently fold together until well coated. Cook over medium heat for 20-25 minutes until squash is tender and well glazed.
STEP 3
Fold in the remaining ingredients and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and bring to room temperature. Serve with thick yogurt and a drizzle of honey.
Processing a raw pumpkin is no easy task. The dense flesh is hard, and the skin is tough. Mona and Jaret’s knife of choice for a prep task like this is the Chef Knife, part of the kitchen must-have 3 Piece Set. With ultra-sharp SelectEdge technology, the Chef Knife makes quick work of processing thick-skinned fruits and vegetables. “Kitchen smarts” means knowing the right knife for the job.
