Pumpkin on the long table

1. The autumn table

When the leaves begin to yellow, pumpkin appears on our long table. Fragrant, warm, orange — like a little sun in the middle of the table. This is our autumn ritual: once a month we hold a pumpkin dinner.

2. Why pumpkin?

Pumpkin is sweet but not loud. Soft but not mushy. It can be prepared in many ways — baked, boiled, as purée, as soup, in cakes. Plus, it is nourishing: full of fiber and beta-carotene.

3. How we make it

Our favorite dish: roasted Hokkaido pumpkin. Just slice it, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt, pepper and a bit of rosemary, and roast at 200°C for about 30 minutes. Done. A little yogurt dressing on the side, and a long conversation.

• Roasted Hokkaido with rosemary
• Pumpkin cream soup with ginger
• Pumpkin quiche
• Pumpkin purée — base for bread and muffins

4. Storage

A whole pumpkin keeps for weeks in a cool, dry place. If you have already cut it, put it in the fridge, covered with foil, and use it within 3-4 days.

5. Little quiz