Becoming a chef changed Sean Keeley’s perception of the pumpkin.
Most people think of the orange, round member of the gourd family as something
to carve as a Halloween decoration. Its meaty interior is usually only considered
as a main ingredient for pumpkin pie. Even then, the pumpkin filling is usually
purchased in cans. Who knew the versatile, vibrant fruit could be used in everything
from soups and stews to salads and ice cream?
As a child, Keeley was among those who regarded the pumpkin only as a traditional
holiday dessert. But when he began cooking for a living, he discovered the unique
uses of pumpkins. Now a chef at Sebastian’s Hideout, he roasts them in
the oven before cutting out the soft flesh to use in his chili rellenos. He
spices up the traditional stuffed pepper dish by adding pumpkin puree to the
cheese and spice inside the pepper, before dipping it in batter and frying it.
The item will soon be on the menu at the restaurant, along with pumpkin cheesecake.
While many local restaurants offer pumpkin pie during the fall season when
pumpkins are plentiful, Sebastian’s is just one of a few local eateries that
are using the seasonal fruit to create interesting and unusual menu items.
Maldaner’s is offering pumpkin ratatouille, a blend of roasted pumpkin,
eggplant, zucchini, squash and red onion, served as a side dish, as well as
pumpkin risotto, a blend of roasted pumpkin and risotto blended with heavy cream.
Chris Howell, one of the restaurant’s cooks, says customers are accustomed to
Chef Michael Higgins’s use of seasonal produce in interesting ways, but are
still “amazed at what he does do with things.”
Howell says he often watched his grandmother prepare pumpkin pie from scratch
and even mix pumpkin with mashed potatoes. “I knew that pumpkin could be quite
versatile. When I started working with Michael, I saw that a lot more could
be done with it,” Howell says.
To prepare a pumpkin, Howell suggests cutting the fruit in half with a sharp
knife, then removing the skin and interior seeds and pulp. It can then be cut
in pieces and roasted, baked, pureed and used in a variety of dishes, as well
as a replacement for squash or potatoes. Howell says roasting the fruit brings
out a hearty flavor. “If you like sweet potatoes, try it with pumpkin. It’s
a lot better. I don’t like yams, but I like pumpkin,” he says.
Even though Howell says the size may be intimidating for some, “once you’ve
done it, it’s not difficult. When you cut it in half, the seeds come out easy.”
There are other options to try the culinary uses and health benefits of pumpkin
during the fall season. For dessert, The Feed Store is offering pumpkin
cheesecake as its specialty flavor of the month, in addition to its regular
vanilla and chocolate and raspberry flavors. Soiree Bistro is currently
offering a white chocolate pumpkin cheesecake, served with a five-spice whipped
cream.
Pumpkins also are used by many local bakeries for muffins and breads. Jubelt’s
Bakery offers a 50-cent discount on Fridays for pumpkin pies during October.
A new menu item this year is pumpkin praline muffins, available through November.
The family-owned bakery also offers a sugar-free pumpkin pie. Pumpkin muffins
are also an occasional variety offered at Andiamo! And Trout Lily
Cafe will begin offering cranberry and pumpkin muffins this week, which
is a popular fall and winter menu item. Owner Kate Hawkes says “people start
asking for them in June. We have a lot of requests.”
Some area spots to try pumpkin dishes:
Andiamo!
204 S. Sixth St. (217) 523-3262.
The Feed Store
516 E. Adams St. (217) 528-3355.
Jubelt’s
2343 W. Monroe St. (217) 793-5161.
Maldaner’s
222 S. 6th St. (217) 522-4313.
Sebastian’s Hideout
221 S. 5th St. (217) 789-8988.
Soiree Bistro
2824 Plaza Dr. (217) 546-4660.
Trout Lily Café
218 S. Sixth St. (217) 391-0101.
This article appears in Oct 23-29, 2003.
