Over time, I’ve learned that French cooking is built on a foundation of usefulness often masquerading as tradition. Pumpkins are a prime example; they appear when the weather turns cool and disappear when winter arrives. There's no forcing the season, no yearning for pumpkin in July. They simply are, and then they aren't, and French cooks have made peace with this rhythm.
However, learning to distinguish between French pumpkin varieties is less straightforward. Confusion arises with the names. Potiron and citrouille, the main French pumpkin types, are members of the courge family. But courges are squash, like courgettes or butternut squash. Put simply, a pumpkin is from the Cucurbita branch of the squash family.
Adding to this is the way in which French naming of citrouille or potiron varies by region rather than by botanical accuracy. A cucurbita pepo is a citrouille and a cucurbita maxima is a potiron, though knowing this may not always help when shopping.
Potiron, round with deep ridges and heft, is the classic. Its flesh is almost orange-red, with a mild taste and a faint hint of chestnuts; take this as a clue for successful pairing on the plate because not only do the flavours marry, the seasons coincide. Potiron is the workhorse of French pumpkin cooking, widely available, reliable and easy-going.
Then there is the citrouille, what we'd recognise as a classic Halloween pumpkin, round and bright orange. French cooks tend to be a bit snobbish about it, dismissing it as more decorative than culinary. But I've found that when it's young and fresh, its flesh can be surprisingly good in soups, though it does need a bit more help from herbs and seasoning than its more aristocratic cousins.
A potimarron (red kuri squash, in English) is often added to the mix but this vegetable is a squash. It’s teardrop-shaped with smoother skin that doesn’t require removal unless you want to, unlike pumpkins which need peeling.
You may come across a courge musquée de Provence, also sometimes called a citrouille rather than a courge. This is rounded, like a pumpkin, with flesh that is slightly sweet-tasting, which grows sweeter over time; therefore, these are better eaten later rather than sooner. Whatever it is, it appears when pumpkins do and it is definitely worth cooking and eating.
Cooking with French pumpkins
Like all regional French cuisine, each area has its own relationship with these seasonal orange vegetables. In Provence, pumpkins are often simply roasted with olive oil and herbs, while in the butter-loving north, they're more likely to be enriched with cream and cheese and transformed into something altogether more indulgent.
One thing which is consistent between regions is soupe de Potiron. The basic recipe hasn't changed in generations: gently caramelise some onions in a pot to which you add diced pumpkin, then simmer with stock and blend until smooth.
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But if you want to know where the cook is from, the clue may be in the soupe. In Alsace, they might add a splash of Riesling. In Normandy, cider replaces wine. In Provence, you will probably find a drizzle of good olive oil, the addition of garlic and a scatter of thyme.
There are many regional variations on pumpkin soup in Franceionauverdeano/Shutterstock
Gratin de potiron operates on similar principles. Layer pumpkin with béchamel and cheese, then bake until golden. In alpine areas, the cheese may be a Beaufort, while in the southwest, it may be a sheep's milk tome. The recipe sounds almost too simple to be worthwhile, yet when done properly, it achieves that peculiarly French balance of rustic and elegant.
Contemporary French chefs haven't abandoned these traditional preparations so much as refined them and sometimes even revived them. Pumpkin jam is a recent discovery I made of an age-old recipe and a good use for a Halloween pumpkin if you indulge in that sort of thing. The recipe is a straightforward mix of diced peeled pumpkin and sugar in equal measure, and you can play around with additions like vanilla or cinnamon, or try an orange or some apple. If you look, you will also find recipes for pumpkin gnocchi, pumpkin macarons and even pumpkin tarte tatin.
Tips for buying pumpkins
When buying pumpkin, as they are big, these are usually sold by the slice in markets and this is the best option. This vegetable keeps for some time when intact, but once it is sliced, the flesh deteriorates. A whole pumpkin, given its size, is too much for the average household.
Recipe: Simple gratin de potiron
1. To serve 4-6, you will need a 500g slice of pumpkin, peeled and diced and put in a large pot.
2. To this, add 250g of potatoes, also peeled and diced. Add a large knob of butter and cook until it begins to smell lovely. Season, add a bay leaf and water to cover and simmer until tender.
3. Drain, mash and mix with a big spoonful of crème fraîche, two eggs, 250ml milk, and season.
4. Transfer to a well buttered gratin dish and top with a generous layer of grated cheese: Gruyère, Beaufort, Tome, whatever you like and bake until browned and bubbling.
