COMMENT:
Cushaw, the striped crooked neck pumpkin, is commonplace along the
highways of Louisiana. Although this pumpkin is normally peeled,
boiled and cooked casserole-style with brown sugar for the holiday
table, this simple recipe is good all year long.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 medium cushaw
- 5 cups sugar
- 1/2 pound butter
- 1/4 cup cane syrup
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp allspice
- pinch of cinnamon
- pinch of nutmeg
- candy corn for decoration
METHOD:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place 5 cups of sugar in a stockpot
with approximately 1 gallon water. Using a wire whisk, dissolve
the sugar and bring the water to a rolling boil. Using a very sharp
butcher knife, cut cushaw in half and remove the seeds and stringy
pulp. Cut each half into three inch squares, leaving the hard shell
intact. Place cushaw squares in boiling water and cook until tender
but not mushy, remembering that the pumpkin must still be baked.
Using a fork, test for tenderness. Once tender, remove and place
the squares on a large cookie sheet or pan. Set aside. In a heavy
bottom sauce pot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add syrup,
brown sugar and spices. Bring to a low boil, stirring constantly
until a bubbly syrup is achieved. Do not scorch. Top the cushaw
pieces with the sugar mixture. Bake until thoroughly heated. When
eating, scoop the sweetened meat from the shell as a snack or serve
as a starch accompaniment to any entree. The cushaw squares may
be further decorated with the candy corn once they have been removed
from the oven. |
