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LIGHT & LOCAL |
| • | Turkey 101 |
If you've never made a pumpkin pie from scratch, you are missing out on a very satisfying culinary experience. I know that it is so much easier to go to the market and buy canned pumpkin, but the standard American pumpkin puree in cans can't beat the fresh taste of roasted kabocha — the smallish, green-and-brown-streaked pumpkin-like squash readily available here. I like to use kabocha because it is sweeter and tastier for this all-American Thanksgiving delight.
Look for the squattest, knobbiest and heaviest-looking squash in the vegetable aisle; that's kabocha. Don't let the exterior fool you. It may look rough on the outside, but the flesh is tender, creamy, fragrant and sweet on the inside. A kabocha may weigh anywhere from 2 to 8 pounds apiece. Kabocha is available year round, but they are at their prime in the late summer and early fall. They hail from Japan, California, Tasmania, New Zealand, Mexico, Chile and South Africa.
There are many different interpretations of where the kabocha originated. Some say that Portuguese sailors introduced this squash to the Japanese in the 1500s. Others say they may have come from Southeast Asia or China. One thing is certain, and that is that this squash is rich in beta carotene, iron, vitamin C, potassium, calcium and folic acid.
Have a happy, healthy Thanksgiving!
ROASTED JAPANESE PUMPKIN (KABOCHA) PIE
To roast and prepare the kabocha squash: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Scrub a 1-pound kabocha squash with a brush. Place the squash stem up on a cutting board. With a sharp knife cut into a half then into 1-inch wedges. Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick spray and arrange the wedges in rows. Place in the oven with a heatproof bowl of hot water nearby to create steam so that the squash will not dry out. Roast for 45 to 60 minutes. Poke with a fork to check for tenderness. Cool and remove the skins with a sharp paring knife. Place the squash in a deep bowl and mash and blend to a smooth consistency. (Don't throw away the skins, you can eat them with a dipping sauce of your choice. If you are feeling ambitious you can roast the seeds, too.)
While the pumpkin is roasting, combine the gingersnap crumbs, margarine and sugar in a mixing bowl. Scrape into a 9-inch pie pan coated with cooking spray. Press on bottom and up sides of pans, using fingers and/or a smaller pie pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 5 minutes and cool on a wire rack. Do not turn off oven.
While the pie shell is cooling, place the skinned squash in a large mixing bowl and then add the agave syrup, cornstarch or arrowroot, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, salt, egg whites, egg and evaporated skim milk. Mix well and pour into the cooled pie shell and place in a 325-degree oven for 1 hour or until the knife inserted into center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
Makes 10 servings.
Note: If using arrowroot: 2 teaspoons of arrowroot= 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
Want a local recipe lightened up? Write Light & Local, Taste Section, The Advertiser, P.O. Box 3110, Honolulu, HI 96802; or taste@honoluluadvertiser.com. Carol Devenot is a Kaimuki-raised kama'aina, teacher and recipe consultant, and author of "Island Light Cuisine" (Blue Sea Publishing, paper, 2003). Learn more at www.islandlightcuisine.com.
