It seems especially appropriate to share a pumpkin themed recipe today too; calendar Samhain (Lunar Samhain is tomorrow), perhaps more commonly known as Hallowe'en or All Hallows Eve, heralding the arrival of All Saint's Day or in certain parts of the world, Día de los Muertos. I shall let you do your own research on those festivals if you want historical, anthropologic or theological accuracy but I'll happily share my own take on it and why it feels important to mark in some way; Samhain (pronounced 'saowain') is a Celtic Pagan fire festival which I believe is fairly authentically ancient. The name translates to 'summer's end' in Gaelic at the point of transition from the lighter to the darker days. | The last festival was Autumn Equinox, when we saw a balance in the length of night and day but it's unlikely to have escaped the attention of many that we're now experiencing more darkness than daylight. This is the time of year when the trees embody that wonderful dance of dying whilst being at their most abundant, teaching those who would learn that true riches aren't found in clinging, demonstrating the grace and beauty of releasing that which has served its purpose and allowing even their precious fruits to be recycled back into the earth from which they were nurtured, to prepare for and nourish the new year's growth. But first... The darkness. And of course the trees know full well the importance of darkness, half their very bodies live an entire life in the dark, rooting down to places where the light is not welcome. And we need the darkness too, just as much as we need the light. From the darkness we are gifted rest, reflection, recovery. So there's a reason this time of year is the time we are invited to pause and consider those we have lost, gifts of life we have been called to return to the darkness. It's a time I like to especially call to mind people in my life who have died, to reflect with gratitude on all they brought to enrich my life and practice accepting their death, as well as the inevitably that I shall one day be following in their footsteps. That's not always comfortable, but it feels like an important way of becoming a bit more honest about being alive. |
Life is not forever and what you do with it matters.
But hang on. Isn't this the precursor to a recipe? What about the pumpkins?! Why is it relevant to share a pumpkin recipe today? Well, of course it's completely seasonally appropriate and the folklore linking carved vegetables to this festival also goes back a long way (I'll let you research that yourself too) but of all the fruits (yes, it's a fruit) that demonstrate life and vigour springing from death, I can't help thinking the pumpkin really is the crown prince. Pumpkins and squash absolutely thrive on a huge, great, metaphorically steaming piles of well rotten compost. They take last years dead stuff and grow rampantly on it, trumpeting their presence with great, sunny flowers and climbing all over the garden with their curious tendrils. |
So, now that the preamble is all cleared up, may I have the pleasure of introducing the Uchiki Kuri, also known as Onion Squash? It's conveniently easy to grow, usefully sized for an average meal portion, doesn't require a power tool to penetrate, stores well (easily for three or more months), cooks quickly and tastes completely delicious. How marvellous! And better still, I have discovered a totally delectable thing to do with it! Though I would never advise anything other than a simple roasting was necessary to enjoy this sumptuous squash, it happens to scramble really well with tofu. Now, I am extremely reluctant to compare plant to animal based foods. Firstly, whilst I have no desire to convince or convert anyone to anything, there's something about the idea that 'if only vegetables tasted as nice as meat, omnivores would put the steak knife down' that seems to rather miss the point. Secondly, there's no better way of cultivating disappointment than raising expectation. So, those are the reasons that I'm not going to assert that this is like scrambled eggs. It's not like scrambled eggs. |
Scrambled Onion Squash with Smoky TofuYou'll need:
Though it's quite quick to make the actual scramble, it really helps to have the squash precooked, so I try and get one in the oven when I've got it on for something else. Simply slice it in half and pop it in (you can use oil if you like but you don't really need to), anywhere between 180°c and 220°c for 40 to 30 minutes or so, respectively. Cooking time will depend a bit on the size of the squash, of course. When it's cool, gently tease the seedy mesh from the centre (take them out before roasting if you want to plant them in the spring!) and then scoop the flesh from the skins. The skins are really worth keeping, they make a delicious crispy, chewy snack if you cut them into strips and bake them further, or a tasty container for seasoned lentils, a bit like stuffed peppers but crispier. The cooked flesh (and skins, for that matter) will keep well in the refrigerator for a few days so it makes sense to get ahead on that if you can, especially if you want this meal earlier in the day (we enjoy it as a weekend brunch!). When you're ready to make the scramble (actually, you can prepare this bit in advance too), break the tofu into chunks and gently mash it in a large bowl with the squash flesh, salt, pepper, parsley and enough soya milk to allow the squash and tofu to mix well, maybe half a cup. Melt the plant butter in a large frying pan and add the milky squashy tofu mixture to the hot, melted fat. Cook it, stirring fairly regularly until it starts to reduce down a bit and get to a consistency you like. You can always add more milk if it seems dry or starts sticking. Serve on hot, buttery toast with all the trimmings; mushrooms, tomatoes and wilted chard (home grown, of course!) are especially good companions! | |