How to Prepare and Bake Pumpkin Seeds
October 3, 2011
•Le Cordon Bleu
•Las Vegas
• 0 Comments
How to Prepare and Bake Pumpkin Seeds
Halloween is the time for all things great and gruesome. Candy, candy and more candy nearly everywhere you look. While chocolate and other sugar saturated treats are staples of the season, it doesn’t mean that you can’t take a slightly healthier approach with your own culinary techniques.
Pumpkins are amazingly versatile. You can use nearly every part for so many different purposes. Pumpkins are wonderful in pies, side dishes and even as festive decorations. However, you may have been unknowingly throwing out one of the best parts of the pumpkin for years! All that gunk in the center of the pumpkin you typically discard when carving jack-o-lanterns actually can be turned in to a very tasty snack. While they may not be a staple of the Las Vegas culinary scene, just follow these simple steps for preparing and baking pumpkin seeds and you will find an entirely new reason to love autumn.
Step 1: Use a carving knife to prepare your pumpkin and loosen the seeds from the skin. Reach inside and break up the mixture as much as you can with your hand. Make sure to have a medium size bowl to place the seeds in.
Step 2: Start removing the seeds from the membrane by hand. If some are difficult to break loose, simply run them under water and they should begin to separate.
Step 3: Lay out paper towels and set the washed seeds down on them to allow excess water to absorb into the towels.
Step 4: Heat the oven to 350 degrees F and begin preparing a standard size cookie sheet. Use vegetable oil or cooking spray to create a thin layer on the pan to prevent sticking. Lay the seeds on the pan and toss slightly in the mixture so that the fronts and backs are coated with oil.
Step 5: Salt is optional but most find it gives the finished product a bit more flavor. If you are unsure, start with just a pinch of salt and then add some to the finished seeds to taste.
Step 6: Place the cookie sheet in the oven, making sure the seeds are spread out. Cooking time varies depending on the stove but they should remain in the oven until they begin to turn a light golden brown. Usually this takes somewhere between 10 to 20 minutes. Remove seeds from oven and allow to cool fully before storing.
This article is presented by Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Las Vegas. Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Las Vegas offers culinary arts and pâtisserie and baking training programs in Las Vegas, Nevada. To learn more about the class offerings, please visit Chefs.edu/Las-Vegas for more information.
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