Pumpkin Coconut Cream
This Caribbean-inspired sauce is an unusual take on pumpkin — full and garlicky, with a good kick of heat. If you have some fresh pumpkin that doesn’t seem sweet enough for pie, it’s probably perfect to use here instead.
Servings: 6 cups
Ingredients
- ¼ cup raisins
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- Pinch of salt
- 1 chile (jalapeño or other), minced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
- 2 (12-ounce) cans coconut milk
- 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin purée or 2 cups homemade cooked pumpkin
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the bell pepper, onion, and salt, and sauté, stirring often, until the vegetables are soft and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Stir in the chile and garlic, and continue to cook, stirring, for 3 minutes longer. Add the coconut milk and pumpkin, stir to combine, reduce the heat to low, and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes.
- Cool the sauce in the refrigerator, then freeze in a sealed freezer bag. The sauce will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- To serve, defrost the night before in the fridge. Then simply pour the sauce from the bag into a saucepan and warm over medium heat until it is hot throughout. Enjoy it on your choice of base.
Notes
Pumpkin Coconut Cream Meals to Make:
Baked Potato (2/3 cup sauce per potato): Spoon sauce over potato. Serve with green salad.
Chicken (1 cup sauce per pound of chicken): My Family’s Favorite: Spoon sauce over sliced chicken. Serve with tortillas and spinach salad.
Pork (1 cup sauce per pound of pork): Spoon sauce over sliced pork. Serve with boiled potatoes and steamed broccoli.
Beef (1 cup sauce per pound of beef): Spoon sauce over sliced beef. Serve with white rice and roasted mixed bell peppers.
Soup (3½ cups sauce and 2½ cups chicken or vegetable broth per 4-serving pot): Garnish with chopped bell pepper.