Autumn is setting in and some amazing food is blossoming with the new season. It’s time for delicious soups, squash, and pumpkin. So many delicious vegetables prompt an endless list of recipes in my mind. One of the great flavors I enjoy using this time of year is Pumpkin Seed Oil.
Pumpkin seed oil is a staple in Austrian cooking, but it is just now making favor with chefs and foodies worldwide. At Oil & Vinegar we carry pumpkin seed oil from Styria, Austria which is considered the highest quality and is DOP protected.
Pumpkin seed oil has this wonderful, nutty flavor that blends so well with squash, pumpkin, potatoes, and other autumn vegetables, and an intense green color that comes from the husks of the seeds. Pumpkin seed, like many other oils, is cold pressed, and because of its delicate nature, it is used cold or as a finishing oil, so it won’t lose flavor or nutritional value. Pumpkin seed oil has valuable health benefits and is full of vitamins and minerals, but it is the culinary adventure you will experience that is truly a delight.
Pumpkin seed oil makes a simple dressing for a salad when mixes with muscat wine vinegar and a bit of fresh ground pepper. It is also amazing as a finishing oil in squash or pumpkin soup. You can even toss steamed vegetables in a bit of the oil. Though I haven’t tried it myself, I have even seen recipes for vanilla ice cream with pumpkin seed oil!
