PUMPKIN TSUKEMONO

My, how time flies! Thanksgiving and Halloween over and Christmas fast approaching. Will you e-mail me if anyone out there tried the Brined Turkey recipe I submitted a year ago? Our turkey was soo moist, soo tender and DELICIOUS!

A reader Ian Belcher wrote to me about Pumpkin tsukemono and I found it so interesting, I am passing it on to you.

PUMPKIN TSUKEMONO
Your recipe in the latest Bulletin brought back memories of going to the beach with my mother, She didn’t go just to enjoy the sunshine and the water but was always on the lookout for the perfect “daikon ishi” which I would have to carry home. During the war years she would pickle some strange stuff. Watermelon comes to mind. She would peel the rind, cut off any remaining flesh which left the rind about a quarter of an inch thick. She would slice these to about three inches long and layer them in a plate, salting each layer, cover with a saucer and top it with our “ishi”. I don’t remember how long it was under pressure before we ate it.

A few years ago, as I was cutting up the Jack O’ Lantern pumpkin after Halloween, I noticed the flesh had a similar texture to daikon radish, The raw pumpkin had no flavour. I asked my wife if she ever heard of Japanese pickling pumpkin. She said no. I asked my mother-in-law. She never heard of it either, So I decided to try it. I used a standard 4 water, 2 sugar, 1 vinegar recipe and made five jars. A week later we were having a Japanese style dinner and we tried the pickles. They were delicious and I broke out in a food allergy rash. I’m allergic to raw pumpkin!

Ian’s mother took the remaining jars home and let her guests try it out and about two of them were mildly allergic. Want to try?

I was going to try it out before going to print since I bought four pumpkins to use as a container for my Thanksgiving table for 23 people plus for my coffee table filled them with dahlias and Japanese broom and flower pods with colourful maple leaves surrounding it. My guests remarked on its beauty so I sent three of them home with them and kept one for myself. Although I put them outside for the night I didn’t get to the pumpkin while it was fresh so I couldn’t use it for pickling. If you try it, let me know so I can pass it on to Ian, the creative cook!

KAHLUA PUMPKIN FLAN
Since we are on the subject of Pumpkin, Mrs. Sumi Urata bought over a delicious flan to our church tea along with the recipe so I thought you might enjoy this too, There’s no crust so it’s great for weight watchers.

1 1/4 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup canned or cooked pumpkin
1 1/4 cup half & half
1/4 cup Kahlua
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

In skillet, heat 3/4 cup sugar over medium heat until sugar is dissolved and turns golden color.
Immediately pour into bottom of 6 (6-oz.) custard cups or souffle dishes. Set aside.

In bowl, beat eggs with remaining 1/2 cup sugar, pumpkin, half & half, Kahlua, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Divide mixture between prepared dishes.
Set in 13 x 9 inch baking pan and pour water to come half way up dishes.
Bake at 325 F. about 40 minutes or until just set.
Remove from oven and cool, then chill.

To serve run thin knife around edges of dishes then turn out onto individual dessert plates.

Serves 6