I practise a style of cooking and way of life that I call root to fruit. It’s a sustainability philosophy designed to make the most of the ingredients I cook, and to waste nothing. It’s a step on from nose-to-tail eating (ie using the whole animal), and a lot easier to follow. By cooking this way, we get more from our food: more nutrients, more flavour and, perhaps most excitingly, more pleasure. This column is written in that spirit, not just about saving money, but about respecting ingredients and the resources that went into growing them.
Along the way, this approach has led me to discover new techniques, ingredients and recipes, including this pumpkin seed salt, an umami-rich condiment made from pumpkin innards, which are usually discarded. As strange as it may sound, I had been looking for a way to cook pumpkin guts for years, until I came across this traditional Mexican recipe. More recently, I found out that Amass, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Copenhagen renowned for its zero-waste approach, also makes pumpkin seed powder, though they ferment the mixture before roasting it for an extra umami hit.
Pumpkin seed salt
Pumpkin seed salt is an omega 3- and protein-rich condiment that can be used to season vegetables, soups and stews, or as a rub for meat. If you like, ferment the mixture with salt for four days before roasting, to boost the umami flavouring of the salt.
The innards of 1 pumpkin, including seeds, fibrous core and stringy bits of flesh
Salt to taste
Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas 4. Spread out the pumpkin innards on a baking tray, then roast for about 35-45 minutes, or completely dried out and beginning to brown. Leave to cool, then blend with salt to taste and store in a sealed jar.
