The „Brewery Pub Hotel Aying" just outside Munich is known for its excellent beers. But there's also creative Bavarian seasonal cuisine, for example great ideas with pumpkin
Pumpkin variation with winter spiced pear
Always just pumpkin soup? Not with Tobias Franz! The chef at the „Brewery Pub Hotel Aying“ has come up with different variations for the popular autumn and winter vegetable that harmonise wonderfully with each other.
The highlight is the pickled spiced pear. With its sweetness and acidity, it provides a counterpoint to the pumpkin and tastes so good that it is best to prepare more of it in advance. To ensure that it is well-done, it should be cooked the day before. And a few days later it adds a spicy note to a dessert, for example with vanilla ice cream.
Ingredients for 4 people
Spiced pear
- 2-3 larger pears
- 200 ml white wine
- 200 g sugar
- 200 ml white balsamic vinegar
- 50 g salt
- 3 star anise
- 3 juniper berries
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 2 grains allspice
- 1-2 bay leaves
Caramelised pumpkin seeds
- 50 g sugar
- 50 ml water
- 50g pumpkin seeds
Pumpkin puree
- 1 medium Hokkaido pumpkin
- 1 tsp each coriander seed, mustard seed, salt and sugar
- 1 tbsp liquid honey
- 50 ml olive oil
- approx. 100 g butter
Pumpkin mayonnaise
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp medium hot mustard
- 1 tsp tarragon vinegar
- 1 tbsp vegetable stock
- 200 ml pumpkin seed oil
- salt and pepper
Baked pumpkin
- 1 medium-sized butternut squash
- 500 g coarse sea salt
- panko flour and wheat flour for breading
- 1–2 eggs
- 200 g clarified butter
Preparation
Step 1
The day before: For the spiced pears, make a spiced stock from 200 ml white wine, 200 g sugar, 200 ml white balsamic vinegar and 50 g salt, juniper berries, pepper, star anise, coriander seeds, allspice and bay leaf, bring to the boil.
Step 2
Leave the cored pears, cut into eighths, to infuse for a few minutes if necessary. Put the pears into boiled preserving jars and pour the stock over them, close the jars tightly.
Tip: The spiced pears are also excellent for desserts, for example with vanilla ice cream, and will keep for several weeks.
Step 3
For the caramelised pumpkin seeds, boil down 50 g sugar and 50 ml water, bubbling for 2 minutes. Infuse the seeds. Place flat on baking paper and bake in the oven at 160 degrees for 15 minutes.
Step 4
For the pumpkin mayonnaise, mix the egg yolks, mustard, vinegar, stock and sugar, pour in the pumpkin seed oil in a thin stream and make an emulsion. Season to taste with pepper and salt.
Step 5
For the baked pumpkin, cut the butternut squash lengthwise into 2 halves and place with the cut edges on a bed of salt, bake in the oven at 180 degrees for 45 minutes, then leave to cool.
Step 6
At the same time, for the pumpkin puree, core the Hokkaido pumpkin, cut it with the skin into medium-sized half moons and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Make a marinade of coriander and mustard seeds, honey, salt, sugar and olive oil and pour over the pumpkin. Cook together with the butternut squash in the oven at 180 degrees for 45 minutes, then leave to cool.
Step 7
Mix the baked Hokkaido pumpkin with butter (ratio: 3 parts pumpkin, one part butter).
Step 8
Prepare three bowls of panko flour, wheat flour and beaten egg. Heat clarified butter in a large frying pan. Peel the cooled butternut squash and cut into pieces. Roll the pieces in flour, egg and panko and fry like a cutlet.
Step 9
To serve, spread the puree on plates, place the spiced pears and baked pumpkin pieces on top. Add mayonnaise in small dots and sprinkle with caramelised pumpkin seeds. Garnish with some pickled lettuce or herbs as desired.
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