Futsu pumpkin Bake

So these little fellas are my Futsu pumpkins. I bought the seeds from The Organic Catalogue, and in the photo the pumpkin looked a lovely shade of golden brown. But, as you can see, this is a far cry from what we have here. How did this mutation happen? – you might ask. This is what I asked myself when the fruits began to form. So I did some research online and found that the seeds are a Japanese Black Futsu that looks like this now but when it ripens in storage should look like this. It says on the site, “This scarce, black Japanese squash with a flattened top, and heavily ribbed, round shape turns a rich chestnut color while in storage.” They are certainly not scarce on mtp – I have around 10 still to harvest!

Recipe: Stuffed Futsu Pumpkin
2 Futsu pumpkins
1 small red onion
1 clove garlic
pinch of cumin
pinch of cinnamon
cous cous soaked in veg stock
tablespoon of dried cranberries
1 cooking apple
30g of pine nuts
herbs (your choice, I did Chives)
juice of one lemon

Cut off the top of the pumpkins, and scoop out seeds to create a deep bowl. Brush with oil and roast for 25 mins or until tender. Meanwhile, fry onion garlic, add cranberries, apple and pine nuts and cous cous. Add herbs and spices, and season with lemon, salt and pepper. Pile into pumpkin bowls, top with cheese (if you like), replace the lid and cook for 10 mins. Eat!