Baby Butternuts, Black Carrots, and a Steamed Pudding

   The small butternut squash (Burpee's Butterbush) were picked September 18th.  They could have used a longer time on the plants to ripen, but a string of heavy frosts made it a safer bet the pick them.  They spent a month in the sunny plant room, curing, and then were put in a cool cabinet to store.  We haven't eaten any of them yet, but we did use one of the Galeux D'Eysines to make pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving.  Delicious!

 

   This year, in addition to the carrots I usually grow, I tried Pusa Asita black carrots.  I didn't expect them to do well, but they absolutely thrived in our hot, dry summer.  They are deep purple and bleed/stain like a beet when cut.  I braced myself for a very sweet taste and the same uncomfortable sugar rush that hits when eating beets.  To my surprise - and relief - they tasted just like regular home-grown carrots.  Whew!  I've snacked on them raw, as boiling or steaming them with other carrots results in everything being purple.  They would probably be wonderful roasted in the oven, too.

 

    This afternoon, R. used carrots and a potato from the garden to try his hand at a steamed carrot pudding.  This recipe is on the AllRecipes website and was submitted by Joyce Rehagen.  I'll include the recipe below.  R. added 1/4 cup of dried cranberries to the mix.  We skipped the buttery sauce and enjoyed the pudding plain.  These can also be made in large mason jars and given as gifts.  Neat!

   The best light in the house is in the plant room, thus...

 

Carrot Pudding

 

Ingredients

 

1 cup grated carrots
1 cup peeled and shredded potatoes
1 cup white sugar
1 cup raisins 

1 cup all-purpose flour 

1 teaspoon baking soda 

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

1 teaspoon ground allspice 

1 teaspoon ground cloves 

½ cup butter   

½ cup heavy whipping cream

1 cup white sugar 
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine carrots, potatoes, sugar, raisins, flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, all spice, and ground cloves. Transfer mixture to a clean 1 pound coffee can. Secure wax paper over the top and place the filled can in a large pot with 2 to 3 inches of water. Cover the pot and bring the water to a simmer.

2. Steam the cake for 2 hours. Serve warm.

3. Buttery sauce: In a medium-size pot, combine butter or margarine, cream, sugar, and vanilla. Heat until the mixture is liquid. Spoon mixture over the warm carrot pudding to serve.