THE end of the month is approaching rapidly. Halloween on October 31 is almost here and it’s time to gather the pumpkins.

When you’ve sculpted them into frightening faces to be illuminated by tea lights don’t be wasteful with all that scooped out orange flesh.

Use it to make a nourishing and warming meal.

This recipe for pumpkin gratin comes from the 2012 Dairy Diary (£6.99) and the one for pumpkin soup in the Dairy Book of Home Cookery (£10.49).

SERVES FOUR

Ingredients

1.8kg (4lb), pumpkin peeled and deseeded
50g (2oz), grated parmesan cheese
50g (2oz) fresh breadcrumbs
50g (2oz), pecan nuts roughly chopped
2 tbsp chopped thyme leaves
50g (2oz) melted butter

Method

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.

Cut the pumpkin into 2.5cm (1in) thick wedges. Place in a lightly buttered ovenproof dish. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Mix together the parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, pecan nuts, thyme and saeasoning in a bowl.

Sprinkle evenly over pumpkin and then drizzle over the melted butter.

Bake in oven for 30-40 minutes, until pumpkin is tender and the topping is golden. Serve immediately.

Cook’s tip: Rather than parmesan cheese crumble over some strong blue cheese – if you prefer.

PUMPKIN SOUP
SERVES FOUR

Ingredients

25g (1oz) butter
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
350g (12oz) pumpkin, peeled and roughly chopped
750ml (11/4 pints) milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
150g (5oz) natural yogurt to serve
Dried pumpkin seeds to garnish, optional

Method

Melt butter and gently fry onion and carrot for five minutes mins, until softened. Add pumpkin, milk and season to taste then bring gently to boil.

Cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Liquidise then serve swirled with yogurt and garnish with pumpkin seeds.

􀁥 For more information about the Dairy Diary and theDairy Book of Home Cookery visit dairydiary.co.uk or call 0845 0948128.