Three delicious recipes for pumpkin leftovers from Mrs Crunch that are perfect for Halloween

WITH just over a week to go until Halloween, parents across the UK will be expected to carve out an impressive Jack O’Lantern.

But that means there will be a lot of pumpkin flesh left over – and it shouldn’t go to waste.

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Pumpkins are packed full of vitamins A, C and E and contain essential minerals.

You can even roast the seeds, sprinkle them with salt or sugar and enjoy them as a tasty snack.

Here are three recipes that are perfect for family meals. Enjoy.

Creamy pumpkin risotto with bacon and leeks – £3.68 per serving

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SERVES FIVE. Preparation time: Five minutes. Cooking time: 20 minutes. One serving contains 423 calories (21 per cent of the recommended daily intake); 14.7g fat (21 per cent); 3.1g sat fat (16 per cent); 2.6g sugar (three per cent) and 0.3g salt (12 per cent).

YOU NEED:

Leftover flesh from one pumpkin

50ml olive oil

1 leek, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

4 slices of bacon, chopped to 1cm pieces

210g arborio rice

950ml hot chicken broth

235ml white wine

Salt and pepper, to season

METHOD: First, make the pumpkin puree. Take the peeled flesh from one pumpkin and cut into chunks.

Place in a large saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil.

Cook for 20 minutes or until pumpkin is tender. Mash or puree with a hand mixer. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat.

Add the leeks and cook for about five minutes, or until soft. Add the garlic and cook for two more minutes.

Add the bacon and fry until it starts to get crispy.

Add the rice and cook, stirring for a few minutes until it is slightly toasted.

Add about 235ml of broth and cook, stirring until it has been absorbed into the rice.

Repeat this process with the remaining broth and the white wine.

Stir in the pumpkin puree and cook for a few more minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Any leftover pumpkin puree can be refrigerated for up to three days or frozen for three to six months.

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Pumpkin soup – 56p per serving

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SERVES SIX. Preparation time: Five minutes. Cooking time: 55 minutes. One serving contains 350 calories (18 per cent of the recommended daily intake); 28g fat (40 per cent); 14.4g sat fat (72 per cent); 7.9g sugar (nine per cent) and 1.5g salt (25 per cent).

YOU NEED:

750g pumpkin, peeled, seeded and cubed

2 carrots, coarsely chopped

2 onions, cut into wedges

2 1/2 tbsps vegetable oil

1 litre water

3 chicken stock cubes, crumbled

1 large potato, sliced

250ml double cream

1 1/4 tbsps ground nutmeg

1 tsp ground black pepper

Salt, to taste

METHOD: Preheat oven to 220C. Place the pumpkin, carrots and onions in a baking dish or roasting tin.

Drizzle with vegetable oil.

Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes until soft but not blackened.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring water and crumbled stock cubes to the boil.

Cook potato in simmering water until soft, about 20 minutes.

Combine potato and water with roasted vegetables and puree in a liquidiser or food processor until smooth.

Return to pan over low heat and stir in cream, nutmeg, pepper and salt. Heat gently, then serve.

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Pumpkin pie – 47p per person

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SERVES EIGHT. Preparation time: 30 minutes. Cooking time: 40 minutes. One serving contains 509 calories (25 per cent of the daily recommended intake); 38.9g fat (56 per cent); 18.4g sat fat (92 per cent); 7.4g sugar (eight per cent); 0.5g salt (eight per cent).

YOU NEED:

500g shortcrust pastry

350g pumpkin flesh, cut into pieces

3 tbsp golden caster sugar

250ml double cream

3 large eggs

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla essence

METHOD: Preheat oven to 200C. Lay pumpkin on a baking sheet, cover with foil and cook in oven for 15-20 minutes until soft.

Meanwhile, roll out pastry and use to line flan tin.

Line with baking paper and fill with baking beans and bake blind for 15 minutes until just cooked but not too brown.

When the pumpkin is cooked, place in a food processor with sugar, cream, eggs, cinnamon and vanilla and whizz together until well mixed.

Carefully pour filling into pre-baked pastry case, reduce oven to 180C and bake for approximately 40 minutes until set. Allow to cool.