Pumpkin is the star ingredient in dishes from some of Massachusetts’ best restaurants
BOSTON – October 9, 2013 – Whether carving a pumpkin, roasting its seeds or using the insides for a pie, pumpkin is an American staple of the fall season. When autumn comes, Massachusetts chefs turn to the pumpkin for warm, comfort dishes and nostalgic desserts. At each of their respective restaurants, the chefs are planning their fall menus with dishes that feature this orange squash native to North America. The seeds and insides are extremely versatile in creating menu items like a pumpkin puree bed for scallops, pumpkin steamed pudding with bourbon-spiked whipped cream and pumpkin risotto. Throughout the state, chefs will celebrate one of the best fruits Massachusetts farms have to offer. For more information on Massachusetts restaurants, visit massvacation.com or check out the “MassFinds” blog at massvacation.com/blog.
Greater Boston
Pumpkin steamed pudding: Hungry Mother ~ Cambridge, MA
Hungry Mother Pastry chef Rachel Sundet takes a classic steamed pudding and adds an autumnal twist using pumpkin. Sundet uses maple syrup instead of Golden Syrup and folds in roasted, pureed and drained sugar pumpkin. Atop this dessert is a brittle with pumpkin seeds, roasted in olive oil and salted. The finishing touch is a bourbon-spiked whipped cream in conjunction with the southern cuisine at Hungry Mother. “Pumpkin is fun because it’s a pretty savory ingredient that, if not for pumpkin pie, would not be a usual choice for dessert,” Sundet said. “It’s nice to get whole pumpkins so that you have the chance to make use of the seeds, which are delicious, and so that you have control over the texture and density of the final product.” Hungrymothercambridge.com
Seared scallops with roasted pumpkin puree: Puritan & Company ~ Cambridge, MA
Chef Will Gilson uses pureed pumpkin as the base of seared scallops in brown butter with sage for his modern American New England-inspired menu. “I like using Long Island cheese pumpkins because they have the best flavor of the flesh and the thinnest exterior, which makes them great for roasting and subsequently pureeing.” Gilson’s mainstays are ingredients sourced from local farms, so naturally Gilson shops for pumpkins at the local farmers market, specifically from Kimball Fruit Farm in Pepperell, MA. Puritancambridge.com
Squash Cremeux: Harvest ~ Cambridge, MA
A good cremeux is a luscious textural cross between a ganache and a mousse and award-winning pastry chef Brian Mercury, knows just how to create it. Mercury just added this dense, creamy pudding to the menu at Harvest with chicory sucre, brown butter carrot sauce, cardamom cream, parsnip cake, pepitas and dried root chips, highlighting the pumpkin’s sibling. Harvestcambridge.com
North of Boston
Apple cider tempura shrimp with local pumpkin and fresh herb risotto: Left Bank Restaurant ~ Tyngsboro, MA
Just 40 miles north of Boston, stands the Stonehedge Inn and Spa, designed after a luxurious European country manor. Inside this inn stands the Left Bank Restaurant, which has been recognized internationally for its prestigious wine list, wine cave and New England cuisine. Chef Florent Boutet uses the seasonal ingredients of apple cider and pumpkin. Delicate, cider-battered shrimp stand beside risotto cooked with pumpkin, white wine and fresh herbs. Boutet intended for the sweetness of the pumpkin to balance with the acidity of the cider. In the risotto, the pumpkin will keep its shape and add a seasonal flavor to the dish. Stonehedgeinnandspa.com
Cinnamon and Sugar Pumpkin-Mascarpone Fritters: Ceia Kitchen + Bar ~ Newburyport, MA
Chef Andrew Beddos, Chef de Cuisine at Ceia, a European coastal restaurant on the North Shore, has squash and pumpkin on the brain for October with accompanying cocktails. In the crispy donut/beignet blend, roasted pumpkin and mascarpone cheese combine in a batter spiced with cinnamon and thyme before frying to a golden brown. Sumptuous and hot, these fritters become dusted with sugar and then topped with a drizzle of maple syrup or warm caramel sauce. Accompanying this dessert is a scoop of vanilla, maple walnut or butter pecan ice cream, depending no what is in house that day. ceiakitchenbar.com
Western Massachusetts
Pumpkin Curry: The People’s Pint ~ Greenfield, MA
The People’s Pint seems to be doing everything right, from brewing their own beers at their brewery close by, composting all extra food scraps and brewery grains, recycling as much as possible and purveying organic produce from local growers. Regulars flock to this small town pub for ales and an eclectic menu. Chef Josh Breitner will feature a pumpkin curry this fall using local veggies. “I always look forward to cooking warm, comfort food for the New England fall with all the seasonal produce that we can get from local farms, particularly pumpkins, squash and apples. I like to adapt those flavors to different cuisine,” Breitner said. Thepeoplespint.com
Central Massachusetts
Pumpkin mash with marshmallows, fried sage and pickled chanterelles: Fish Restaurant and Bar ~ Marlborough, MA
Chef Sasha St. Germain aims to “make life fresher” at his central Massachusetts seafood restaurant. He sends the restaurant truck all the way to the Boston Fish Pier for seafood pickups. This season, St. Germain will create a side dish to complement his notable fish entrees of a pumpkin mash with marshmallows, fried sage and pickled chanterelles, a layering of sweet and savory flavors. Eatatfish.com
Cape Cod and the Islands
Kabocha squash soup with roasted peaches and basil: Ten Tables ~ Provincetown, Cape Cod, MA
Ten Tables is a selection of 3 small farm-to-table restaurants in Jamaica Plain, Cambridge and Provincetown, MA. Cooking locally grown, handcrafted cuisine, Ten Tables strives for a restaurant that feels more like a dinner party. Chef Eric Cooper has selected a kabocha squash, a member of the pumpkin family, for this fall’s menu using caramelized onions, local gourds and a touch of mace, a more pungent version of nutmeg. “I enjoy working with pumpkin and other winter squashes because they have such a wonderful deep flavor that tastes like a dry fall day in New England,” Cooper said. “Nothing compares to the silly texture of a well-made squash soup.” Tentables.net
Red wine-braised short ribs with fall pumpkin and mascarpone gnocchi: Atria ~ Edgartown, Martha’s Vineyard, MA
At Atria, Chef Christian Thornton, uses red wine from his extensive collection at the restaurant, to braise his tender, juicy short ribs. Thornton grew up in Napa Valley and has built many relationships with some of the best California wineries. As a wine aficionado and flavor enthusiast, wine is a staple in his cooking. He serves the short ribs beside a pillow-like pumpkin and mascarpone gnocchi. “I cook with the seasons,” Thornton said, “and fall really screams pumpkin.” Atriamv.com
About MOTT:
The Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism (MOTT) is the state agency dedicated to promoting Massachusetts as a leisure-travel destination. An integral part of the state’s economy, tourism generates close to $1 billion in state and local taxes and $16.9 billion in travel related expenditures, supporting 124,700 in-state jobs. massvacation.com
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