Forum Thermomix
Questions Doubts and Requests => Tips and Tricks => Topic started by: tonydav on March 01, 2010, 03:21:04 am
-
Hi,
This is the the first time I've tried making the pumpkin soup from the book and it turned out a bit of a disaster.
I used one small golden nugget pumpkin (weighed about 700gms), removed the core and chopped roughly. The book says not to skin soft skin pumpkins. Had a quick peel, and it felt pretty soft to me! So I didn't peel or remove the seeds.
The issue was that it was very grainy. And by grainy I mean give the mix to the dogs grainy. Tried whizzing longer and higher - no difference.
I'm not sure if the graininess is from the skin or the seeds. They were a good size but not having whizzed whole seeds before I'm not sure what happens.
I have another pumpkin but want to work out where I went wrong before trying. Ideally I don't want to peel as this is what really turns me off pumpkin soup. Maybe I need to use a different variety of pumpkin. I usually use Jap/Kent but think the skin is pretty tough on them.
Advice???
Thanks,
tony
-
I had the same issue. I think the seeds are just too hard to grind up to the smooth consistency needed for soup. I have reverted back to peeling and deseeding. Not a very helpful reply I'm sorry. :)
-
I had a feeling it was the seeds. But they looked really big and hard.
I suppose my question is really; What types of pumpkin can you not de-seed or peel?
The de-seeding is pretty easy, but given a lot of the flavour comes from the seeds and pulp I'd prefer not to do this.
Removing the skin is a real pain though. Not one of my favourite jobs that's for sure.
-
Hi Tonydav,
When making this I only use Kent or butternut pumpkins. Usually use the skin and seed too (unless they have those hard little 'scars' on the skin). Only once has it been a bit grainy, the rest of the time it's been so smooth and creamy.
I usually purree it on speed 9-10 for at least 1 minute as per the EDC version.
-
Do you mean the seeds have scars?
When it was grainy did you find any reason?
I think I'll get some Kent (we've always called it Jap here - don't really know why they changed the name) and give it a go. I think it has the best flavour as well.
-
Jap .... J ust Another Pumpkin. I think. I use Butternut but I always peel them and add milk or coconut milk.
-
Do you mean the seeds have scars?
No, the skin can sometimes have hard bits like scars I guess - I have no idea what the offical reference is though - LOL
When it was grainy did you find any reason?
I wasn't sure what made it so grainy, it was about 6 months ago or more. I think I put it down at the time to the condition of the skin. Perhaps the seeds or skin was a little dried out??
I think I'll get some Kent (we've always called it Jap here - don't really know why they changed the name) and give it a go. I think it has the best flavour as well.
We always called them Jap too, figured they changed the name to be more politically correct... ???
-
l used butternut the other day with skin and seeds. Very smooth. But tasted a bit watery to me. will use less stock next time.
-
I made pumpkin soup yesterday - one lot with butternut and other with Kent. I took the seeds out as I think it takes 5 seconds and took most of the skin off the Kent.
Now, I never follow the EDC recipe - coz I'm bad that way. I always blitz the pumpkin pieces to grated consistency to speed up cooking and after 10 minutes on 90 degrees I gradually ran the speed up to 9 and left it for 40 seconds and they are both sooooooo smooth.
It may be that the soup wasn't cooked enough?
Did one lot with fresh ginger and coconut milk and the other with ras el hanout. Part of a cookathon for the stepson.
-
Yes I'm not going to risk ruining my soup again for the sake of a couple of seconds with a knife removing the seeds. :)
-
i've found that you definitely need to cook the soup a lot longer than the recipe says
-
Really? I usually add extra veggies in there on top of the weighed ingredients and 20 minutes does it perfectly. ???
-
I made pumpkin soup for the first time tonight. After reading this, I did remove the seeds, but kept the peel on as it was very thin peel. I blended the pumpkin completely before cooking, and it cooked perfectly in the suggested time.
I thought the consistency was perfect - very thick and creamy. However, DH thought it was grainy and chewy. So maybe there's opinion in this as well? It all came from the same batch.
-
I don't like the EDC pumpkin recipe and prefer to roast my pumpkin before making soup with it. I usually add 1-2 potatoes too.
-
JD, I agree pumpkin soup needs potato. For a plain soup I add a tin of 'Light and Creamy' evaporated milk.
-
I used to add potato but found it didn't de-frost nicely (admittedly it was pre TMX days). But I usually add sweet potato, a couple of carrots and a stick of celery if I have it in the fridge (or slices frozen).
-
So many helpful replies!
Cathy, when I mentioned grainy I realised I should have said gritty. I think it was the seeds. I've since cut another of these pumpkins up and they have a huge amount of seeds.
My reasons for including the seeds and pulp as a large amount of flavour comes from this area. I have numerous recipes frying them off and removing the seeds before finished. I might try something similar today. I'll pick up a Kent/Jap and give it a go. Maybe I can use the basket?
-
May sound like a lot of work, but I would pit it through the mouli, Tonydav. I do this with parsnips if they are a bit woody.
-
Maybe only use some of the seeds, or cook with all the seeds whole (to get the goodness) and fish some out before final blend.
-
Hey guys just a little tip for peeling pumpkin, stick a piece in the microwave for a minute or two, then you will find it easy peasy to remove skin! ;) ;) ;) ;)
-
Well I have the pumpkin now. Going to do another batch today but will experiment with the seeds. Initially keep whole and strain at the end. And maybe puree a small amount to see how these seeds go.
I'm also going to put some sweet potato in as I like the flavour. Probably about 20%.
-
Good luck tonydav.
Hey Bron! :o Great to see you again ;D
-
I've done a couple of batches now.
Using Jap/Kent I noticed the seeds are much smaller and softer than the seeds in the Golden Nugget.
In my first batch I removed the seeds after cooking with the pulp to make a stock (more below on this).
In my second batch I blitzed the seeds at the end. Despite being cooked for about 90 minutes I still detected minor gritiness in the stock. As I'd only blitzed the seeds and stock mix I was able to strain the seed fragments out.
Taste wise I didn't detect any difference in the batches so I don't think there is any disadvantage in not removing the seeds. However there is a lot of pumpkin flavour in the stock leading me to believe that this provides a real flavour boost.
I used a fairly simply pumpkin soup recipe that is designed to get the best out of the pumpkin. It's been modified from one I've used before, orginally from Cooks Illustrated.
Quarter one small onion or 2 french shallots in *: at speed 5 for 3-5 seconds
Add 50g of butter
Cook at 100 for 2 mins on speed 1
Add seeds and pulp from 1kg Jap pumpkin
Cook at 100 for 4 mins reverse soft
Add 1000g of water
Put diced pumpkin in varoma (keep skin on pumpkin but wash and remove any hard bits)
Cook for 60 mins at Varoma temp speed reverse soft
** NB: Cook until the pumpkin and skin is very soft. May need extra time
Strain pumpkin stock and discard seeds and pulp
Return stock to *: along with pumpkin
Blitz at speed 9 for around 30 seconds until smooth
Add 1 ts brown sugar and 1/2 cup cream
Add salt to taste. Around 1ts is a what I used but take care particularly if using salted butter
Mix on speed 5 for about 5 seconds
I'm still determining the optimum time to cook the pumpkin to ensure a soft skin that will ensure it is very smooth.
We really like the taste and simplicity of the pumpkin flavour hence don't normally add other veges to this recipe. I do cook a different recipe with sweet potato and carrot but the flavour is a different. The kids really like this one - nice to see them eating pumpkin!
-
Made pumpkin soup for the second time over the weekend. First time was with a butternut (skin and seeds excluded) but it tasted a bit...underdone? Not full of flavour like I expected. The pumpkin could have had a lot to do with it, or maybe it needed more cooking time. ???
The next time I roasted some Jap pumpkin in big chunks first (makes the skin removal much easier and intensifies the flavour of the pumpkin). It was absolutely amazing. I only gave it 10 mins cooking time, seeing as the pumpkin was precooked. Will definitely do it that way again next time.
-
Your experience with the butternut is pretty common. It really needs the seeds and other scrapings to get the best flavour.
-
I agree wholeheartedly with you bellesy - the EDC soup tastes 'raw' and roasting the pumpkin (any pumpkin) will make an amazing difference. I never just roast pumpkin to make soup, I plan ahead and just do extra when we have a roast or oven baked vegies. Freeze it if necessary for when I do want to make the soup.
-
Good luck tonydav.
Hey Bron! :o Great to see you again ;D
Am still around, however just don't seem to get so much time to get on, and when I do there seems to be so much reading to do.....that I dont get much time to write! Hope your dessert/date went down a treat! I was going to suggest making smaller tartlets all different to really impress.... ;)
-
Thanks Bron.
I have an enjo party coming up soon on a saturday night so perhaps I could do that then to impress the gals ;) ;D :-*
Know what you mean, I feel embarrassed when I look at how many un-read positings I have!