Isn’t it weird how when we were children we thought pumpkin’s only purpose was to symbolize our ghostly holiday? Is this just me? Did you haphazardly carve a wacky face into them that might or might not be vomiting seeds? Did your parents get you that super cool carving kit that let you go all-out with the decoration? They were scary jack-o-lanterns with a candle inside, illuminating their insides and faces with its familiar yellow glow, and suggesting trick or treaters or costumes. For a large portion of my life, that’s all I thought pumpkins were, a Halloween accessory.  I can’t believe I had been missing out on eating this lovely little literal creature. I have always seen canned pumpkin, as it’s everywhere in sight, but I guess I never thought about where that came from exactly….the word “pumpkin” on the can didn’t seem to give it away for me. I never knew you could take that lovely and perfectly wavy and ruffled hard skin of a pumpkin that I loved to feel and touch, peel it and carve it in an entirely different way, and eat it in a rotating wheel of assortments.

Like bake them into cakes or souffles or pies, boil them into soups in which you use the pumpkin as a bowl (so cool), puree them into pasta or stuff that puree into thin sheets of ravioli. Or roast them. Simply, preferably, with some olive oil, balsamic vinegar, over what is the prototype of my food dream: goat cheese cream. I would seriously gobble this stuff up like a turkey or use it as lotion if skin could taste or something to require forever permanence in my life. The pumpkin seeds are also utilized, they’re roasted with salt and pepper, another childhood halloween memory for me.

When you go get a pumpkin this year, buy two and enjoy both of them in different ways, because you don’t want to eat a rotting pumpkin. Have one with your family, in the form of carving and act as a simple spectator. Let it be that symbol. Make the other to open your world up to eat it entirely, the way nature intended it to be.

Roasted pumpkin & goat cheese salad

Adapted from Jeremy Sewall

Makes enough to serve 4 as a light lunch or dinner, 8 as a side

Notes: Don’t limit yourself to thinking pumpkin is the only squash you can use in this recipe. Feel free to use sugar pumpkin, butternut squash, acorn squash or delicata squash. Simply peel, halve, remove the seeds, and chop as you would a regular pumpkin.

Acorn squash and delicata squash skin is soft enough to eat, and not necessary to peel. I’d definitely peel the other varieties though.

When it comes to peeling, make sure you have a sharp knife. Duller varieties can make peeling squashes dangerous. I’ve detailed instructions below on the best way to cut your pumpkin.

For the goat cheese, use a fresh variety. This is the one that’s found in the grocery store in log form. Specialty stores sell it in tubs when it’s fresher.

1 large pumpkin or squash

Olive oil

4 sprigs thyme or rosemary

Salt and freshly ground pepper

8 ounces fresh goat cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup heavy cream, chilled

Balsamic vinegar

1 small bunch parsley or arugula

Peel & roast your pumpkin

Cut the top and bottom off of your pumpkin. Starting at the top, hold your knife closely, firmly, and deliberately to the skin and peel the skin from top to bottom, rotating around the pumpkin til it’s skinless. Halve the pumpkin lengthwise and remove the seeds, setting them aside. If you’re using a sugar pumpkin, the halves can be roasted whole. Rub the halves with 2-3 tablespoons olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste and place the thyme or rosemary sprigs on top. Arrange the pieces cut-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and roast until tender, about 45 minutes – 1 hour. Cool slightly and slice each half in half, and cut the pumpkin into 1/2-inch thick pieces crosswise.

(Alternatively, you can slice the pumpkins into pieces of your choosing and roast them flat on a baking sheet. The reason we roasted and then sliced is for the clean presentation of the dish.)

Meanwhile, rinse the seeds and remove all of the stringy stuff. Toss them with a glug of olive oil, salt, and pepper, and arrange them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Stick them right in your oven with your pumpkin, and roast them for about 45 minutes or until they’re crisp, tossing them around every 10 minutes or so. Cool and set aside.

Make the goat cheese cream

In a food processor or with an electric mixer, puree the goat cheese until smooth. Add in the heavy cream slowly, pureeing just until combined. We don’t want to puree it too much because it will whip, and although we want it light we also want it with a bit of substance.

Arrange your salad

Place a big dollop of cream in the center of the plate and spread it around. Arrange the pumpkin slices on top. Pour a bit of olive oil and balsamic vinegar on top, to taste. Sprinkle with the pumpkin seeds and some parsley or arugula.