Hello all. I've seen a of low carb recipes that used canned pumpkin. Is there anywhere we can get hold of this in the UK? If not is it OK to just use pureed fresh pumpkin do you think?
Thanks!

Waitrose sometimes has it around Halloween/this time of year (US Thanksgiving). Shops that sell American foods (Partridge's, smaller chains) will have it at a premium.

You can boil pumpkin or use some other method of cooking, but it won't taste right. Here's instructions on how to make purée from fresh pumpkins:

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/...-pumpkin-puree/

The only thing I'd advise is to peel it first. It peels pretty easily with a vegetable peeler and it's worth it to get the entire surface roasted.

ETA: You can use a stick blender instead of a food processor. That's what I use with no problems. I just process it in small batches. As she says, it freezes well, and as it's hard to get pumpkin other than around Halloween here, it's a good option.

Thanks for that. I've 2 big pumpkins sitting in my kitchen and had no clue what to do with them so I think I will try to whip up a batch of puree this weekend for freezing!

It's sort of inspired me to roast the 3 small ones I've had sitting on my window ledge in the kitchen.

If you check my journal, you'll find my recipe for pumpkin soup.

Do let me know if you try it.

One thing: many of the pumpkins sold in the UK, especially around Halloween, are decorative rather than culinary. They grow quickly and large and are disease resistant, but they don't have the full pumpkin flavour of a pumpkin grown for the table. Usual story, avoid the supermarket and buy from the small guy whenever possible.

In my grocery shop they sold 4 different pumpkins/gourds this year. 1)Big huge jack-o-lantern carving type 2)smaller (but not tiny) pumpkin that looked in my experience to be what is called a "pie pumpkin" in the States 3)mini-pumpkins 4)totally decorative gourds (along with decorative corn)

I bought the pie pumpkins, which seem to be fairly good and not too soggy, which, in my experience, is what ruins the pumpkin flavour and is the problem with the large carving type pumpkins.

Mine are home grown - although its the first time I've grown them and the seed was free so no idea of the quality. not huge, but perhaps too large for decent flavour. only one way to find out though!!

I dried some seeds from my first batch of "pie" pumpkins. Hopefully I can grow some next year. This isn't too bad compared to what it normally is:

http://www.partridges.co.uk/index.p...7/productid/257

I am going to stop by our nearest Waitrose this weekend to see if we can pick some up. I've not found it anywhere else, although some people say they spot it in Tesco or Sainsbury's. I've not seen it in Costco, although we've not been in a couple of months. They might stock it this time of year.

MIght pop into waitrose tomorrow and have a look as well. At least if I stock up I'll be set for a while!

If you have a Whole Foods near you, you can buy tinned pumpkin year round. Or you can mail order it from Amazon, Lupe Pintos and other places.