Eunice Power: We’re in the season of pumpkins and squashes — here's how I make soup and moussaka

Halloween has changed a lot since I was young, we had to put on full performances our treats!

Eunice Power's Moussaka recipe. Picture: Chani Anderson

Next weekend it is Halloween!

When I was young, it was a very different affair. My friends and I made our own masks and walked for miles around the neighbourhood, terrifying ourselves at the noises in the trees as we went up long, dark country roads and drives. There were one or two beauties locally who would roar at us to get out, but when someone did answer the door, they were treated to a full performance, complete with tin whistle, singing and Irish dancing.

We were rewarded with a few monkey nuts, apples and, if we were very lucky, a few coins. It certainly wasn’t the smash and grab it is today. Afterwards, we’d go home to games and brack where there was huge competition as to who would get the ring or the money Mum had stashed in it. Good, old-fashioned, innocent fun.

These days, Halloween is very much associated with pumpkins, a relatively new addition to the Irish Halloween of my childhood. We’re in the season of pumpkins and squashes; the recent rain has helped fill them out nicely. Not all pumpkins are equal, though. The big orange ones used for lanterns can be bland, whereas Crown Prince are sweet, rich and nutty – they are my first choice every time. They are easy to peel with a potato peeler, while larger pumpkins have tough skin, so for those, I roast wedges first and peel afterwards. White miso adds a lovely depth of flavour and is readily available in shops. If your pumpkin looks pale, peel and finely chop a carrot and add it with the onions at the start. I’m growing squashes myself this year, they are doing really well. If you’ve never tried growing them, give them a go. They thrive on neglect.

My second dish is moussaka, a particular favourite of mine. You may notice in the photograph that I’ve lined the dish with parchment.

There’s method in my madness: once it’s cold, I can lift it out and slice it into portions.

For this first recipe, roasting the pumpkin first caramelises the flesh, and toasted, crushed cumin and coriander seeds add warmth and depth. I don’t use cream in this soup.

Instead, I finish each bowl with a drizzle of crème fraîche and a scattering of toasted pumpkin seeds.

Pumpkin Soup

recipe by:Eunice Power

The secret to a really good pumpkin soup is to roast the pumpkin wedges first. Pumpkin can be a little mild (or dare I say tasteless), so you need to build a nice bit of flavour into the base of the soup.

Servings

4

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 1kg pumpkin, deseeded and cut into wedges

• 1 tsp cumin seeds

• 1 tsp coriander seeds

• Olive oil

• 2 onions, finely chopped

• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

• 1 red chilli, finely chopped

• Thumb-sized piece of ginger, grated

• 700ml hot vegetable stock

• 1 tsp miso paste

• Salt and pepper

• 4 tbsp crème fraîche, to serve

• Handful of pumpkin seeds

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Toast the cumin and coriander seeds in a dry frying pan over a medium heat for a minute or two until fragrant, then crush them in a pestle and mortar.

2. Put the pumpkin wedges on a large baking tray, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle over the spices and season with salt and pepper.

3. Toss to coat and roast for 35-40 minutes, until soft and caramelised at the edges. When cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh away from the skin.

4. Meanwhile, heat a little olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat.

5. Add the onions and sweat for about 10 minutes until soft but not coloured.

6. Add the garlic, chilli and ginger and cook for a further couple of minutes.

7. Add the roasted pumpkin, the hot stock and the miso paste, stirring to dissolve the miso. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.

8. Blend the soup until smooth , adding a splash of stock or water if it is too thick. Season to taste.

9. Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry pan for a few minutes until they start to pop.

10. Ladle the soup into warmed bowls , spoon in a generousteaspoon of cream fraiche and scatter over the toastedpumpkin seeds.

This next recipe is all the more delicious with the introduction of feta cheese, which is undoubtedly one of the most famous Greek cheeses. The salty, tangy flavour of feta pairs beautifully with the rich lamb sauce and is crumbled over the béchamel sauce. This dish is best prepared and cooked the day before, to allow the flavours to infuse, and then reheated the next day.

Moussaka

recipe by:Eunice Power

This is all the more delicious with the introduction of feta cheese, which is undoubtedly one of the most famous Greek cheeses. The salty, tangy flavour of feta pairs beautifully with the rich lamb sauce and is crumbled over the béchamel sauce. This dish

Servings

4

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp olive oil

• 2 large aubergines, sliced

• 1 large onion, finely chopped

• 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1 tsp ground allspice

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 500g minced lamb

• 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes

• 1 tbsp tomato purée

• 150 ml red wine

• Small bunch of flat leaf parsley, chopped

• For the béchamel

• 500ml milk

• 60g butter

• 60g plain flour

• 100g feta cheese, crumbled

• 2 eggs, beaten

• Freshly grated nutmeg

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 5. Cut the aubergines width-ways into 0.5 cm slices and put them on to oiled baking sheets.

2. Brush with olive oil and season. Bake for about 25 minutes until soft, golden and floppy.

3. Meanwhile, put 2 tablespoons olive oil into a large frying pan over a medium-high heat and cook the onion until soft.

4. Add the garlic, cinnamon, allspice and oregano and cook for a further couple of minutes, then stir in the lamb. Turn up the heat slightly and brown the lamb well, cooking until the mixture is quite dry.

5. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, rinsing out the can with a little water (about a third of the can) tomato purée and wine, bring to a simmer, then turn the heat down low and cook for 30-40 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated. Season and stir in the parsley.

6. Meanwhile, make the béchamel. Bring the milk to just below boiling point, and melt the butter in another saucepan.

7. Stir the flour into the butter and cook for a couple of minutes, then gradually whisk in the hot milk.

8. Cook until you have a thick sauce. Take off the heat and allow to cool slightly, then beat in the eggs, salt to taste and slightly more nutmeg than you might think wise (it’s a strong flavour, but you need a heft of it in this dish, half a teaspoon at least).

9. Arrange a third of the aubergines in the base of an oven dish and top with half the meat.

10. Repeat these layers, then finish off with a layer of aubergine and top with the sauce. Sprinkle the crumbled feta on top.

11. Bake for about 45 minutes until well browned, then leave to cool and set for 15 minutes before serving.

12. Or, better still, bake for 30 minutes, allow to cool, then refrigerate, and reheat and serve the following day.