pumpkin and tofu stew

Recently the Erqsome to Wave household was blessed with the unexpected addition of a bit of an urban myth: the neverending story pumpkin. It began three weeks ago, at the Sunday farmers' market at Blackheath. It was my parents' last day in London and so we meandered through stalls of the freshly picked and pickled and jarred, trying to eke out the last few hours before a two-month departure.

The day, as I remember, was fine and crisp. The sort of day that makes one, such as I, from North America think longingly for redly orange leaves and raking up long drives, a drizzle of maple syrup over the soft whipped cream of a pumpkin pie and a search for mittens forgotten in the heat of the summer.
And there I was, at a farmers' market, with a £1.25 organic pumpkin beaming at me from its trolley. I couldn't resist. I brought it home.

I let it sit in my kitchen for three full days before I even thought of cutting into it, though I did give it a little polish. It was just so friendly and patient. It kept the kittens company in the day while Matthew and I were at work and greeted us cheerfully when we returned. Eventually, though, we both knew it was time. A knife came out. A knife went in. Innards were removed. (Very tasty innards, too. Those lightly roasted pumpkin seeds did me the power of good.)

It was much bigger than I realised. I cut away about a quarter of it, chipped away the skin and turned it into soup, with some suede and a fistful of purple cabbage. I chiselled off another wedge and that was experimented on with fresh curry leaves and a pinch of graram masala. The third wedge was stuffed with ricotta and spinach; the fourth became went into a stir-fry. The fifth was pumpkin risotto. Then at last the sixth became stew, and that is what I will write of tonight.*

ingredients (in order of use):

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped a bit rough

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 large carrot, the largest you can find, sliced

1 tbsp sugar

3 tbsp plain flour

3 medium potatoes, trapezoided into pieces about an inch thick

1/2 a very small gem squash (about 75g), skinned and gutted and cut like the potatoes

1 hefty wedge of pumpkin, skinned, gutted and cut a little larger than the potatoes

4 leaves of purple cabbage, rolled and sliced into long thin pieces, then halved

2 1/2 cups vegetable stock

175 ml white wine (note: red has done several times for me in the past)

2 pinches all spice

1 tin plum tomatoes, squished and chopped

1 packet firm tofu, cubed into 1-inch pieces

a fistful curry leaves or 1/2 tsp curry powder

the same, fresh/dried rosemary

salt and pepper to taste

method:

NOTE: This is not a fast recipe. Unless you like to eat late or have the luxury of working from home, I'd pretty strongly suggest leaving off trying this one out until the weekend. If you can, invite people round to share, because otherwise you'll be eating nothing else but for the week to come.

Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot on low heat until it swills easily across the bottom. Add the onions, carrots and garlic, then cook until very soft. This will take approximately 20 minutes. Gently stir in the sugar, mixing as evenly as possible, and continue to cook for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the onions have caramelised. Stir in the flour -- it will look like you chucked in a bucket of sand, but I assure you it makes a huge difference -- and cook for exactly one minute. Add the rest of the root vegetables (the potato, squash and pumpkin) and the cabbage, then mix in the stock, wine and all spice (at this point add the dried curry and rosemary if you're using them, otherwise wait until the very end to add the fresh leaves).

Cover the pot and allow it to come to the boil on medium-high heat. Once it's bubbling healthily, reduce the heat and let it simmer, covered, for another 20 minutes. Now mix in the plum tomatoes and the tofu. Although I said the tomatoes should be squished and chopped, I can rarely be bothered to create more washing up and tend to squish them in the pot. It's more fun and this way you end up with long trendily bits of tomato swimming around in your plate.

Keep the pot covered and simmer for 20 more minutes, until the tofu is tender and full of flavour. Then salt and pepper to your heart's content and serve, over rice or (my personal preference) with a piece of corn on the cob and a hunk of fresh warm bread.

*There is a seventh wedge of this never-ending pumpkin, that is just as fresh and firm as the day I bought it. It will be mashed into mush and mixed into muffins, the final tasty remains of a marvellous pumpkin.

Comments

[Kendra]

Looks tasty. That must have been one big pumpkin. I always wondered how Cinderella fitted into hers...

[Sharon]

Squash is hard enough, I'm not sure I could cope with a huge pumpkin. But that stew looks astounding. I really need to diversify my cookery portfolio.

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