It’s an icon of autumn: earthy, comforting, substantial after a summer of fragile, leafy vegetables. But if your culinary use of the great pumpkin has been limited to pies, it’s time to expand your repertoire. From savory curries and creamy soups to colorful stir-fries, the rich, earthy flavor and buttery texture of pumpkins lend themselves to an enormous variety of dishes.

A member of the Cucurbita family, as are squash, pumpkins are thought to have originated in Central America as early as 5500 B.C. The name originated from the Greek pepon, meaning “large melon;” the French called it “pompon” and the English named it “pumpion.” American colonists changed the name to its current spelling and pronunciation. The pumpkin was a staple in the diet of Native Americans, who roasted the flesh and wove the shells into mats. Colonists also used pumpkins in a variety of recipes, and concocted the first (gluten-free) pumpkin pie, when they filled the hollowed-out shells with milk, honey and spices, and baked the whole pumpkin in hot ashes.

Pumpkin pie has since become a reigning star at every Thanksgiving table. But to limit pumpkin to pies and breads is a culinary tragedy. It’s so nutritious, it deserves to be used more than a few times a year. Pumpkins are one of the best sources of cartenoids, antioxidants that reduce the risk of cancer and other diseases. Like sweet potatoes, carrots and other orange vegetables, pumpkins are rich in beta-carotene, and they’re one of the highest sources of alpha carotene, a powerful antioxidant that also reduces the risk of age-related eye disease and boosts immunity.

While all varieties are edible, the best pumpkin for cooking and eating is the Sugar Pie pumpkin (also called New England Pie). Its flesh is smoother and sweeter, with a more intense flavor and color. The flesh of the traditional Jack O’ Lantern and other large pumpkins tends to be watery and coarse, with a bland flavor and color. Choose pumpkins that are small and heavy for their size, free of soft spots and still have the stem intact. They’ll keep for about a month at room temperature.

The best way to prepare pumpkin is to roast it, which concentrates its flavors and brings out the natural sweetness. To roast pumpkin, cut or break off the stem, then cut the pumpkin in half. Scoop out the seeds and stringy material, and discard. Place pumpkin, cut side up, in a shallow baking pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes to an hour, or until soft. Let cool and scoop out flesh. Or peel a halved and cleaned pumpkin with a sharp knife, cut into cubes and use as you would butternut squash.

And don’t forget the seeds–they’re high in fiber, B vitamins and vitamin E. Rinse seeds thoroughly in hot water, removing as much pulp as possible. Dry them thoroughly, then toss them with olive oil, ground cumin, sea salt and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Spread them out in a single layer on a baking sheet, and roast in a 400 degree F oven for about 20 minutes, stirring once or twice.

Pumpkin works best in combination with other earthy, autumn harvest foods, like parsnips, turnips and potatoes; its brilliant orange hue also contrasts nicely with greens, like broccoli rabe, spinach and chard. Roasted hazelnuts and wild rice are good companions, and earthy spices like curry, cumin and ginger bring out the rich flavor of pumpkin. And try the recipes below. You’ll never think of pumpkin just for pie again.

Spicy Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Mash
Serves 6
1 pumpkin (about 2 1/2 pounds), halved and cleaned
2 small sweet potatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 large green bell pepper, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely minced
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Tightly cover both halves of pumpkin with foil, place cut side up on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes. Wrap sweet potatoes in foil, add to oven and continue baking for another 45 minutes, until both pumpkin and sweet potato are tender. Remove and cool briefly, until cool enough to handle.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil and sauté onion and green pepper for about 5 minutes, until onion is just tender. Add garlic and jalapeño, and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes longer, until onions are golden. Scoop pumpkin flesh and sweet potato flesh into a large bowl and mash with a fork. Mix well. Add pumpkin, sweet potato and parsley to skillet and stir to combine. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until flavors are blended. Season with salt and pepper, and serve hot.

Pumpkin and Eggplant Red Curry
Serves 4 to 6
1 can coconut milk (or light coconut milk)
2 tablespoons red Thai curry paste
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon honey
3 lime leaves
3 lemongrass stalks, cut into thirds and crushed with a knife
3 1/4-inch slices galangal (Thai ginger)
1 pumpkin (about 2 pounds), peeled and cut into chunks
1 medium green pepper, cut into large chunks
1 small eggplant, cubed
1 small yellow onion, cut into chunks
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh Thai or sweet basil
Additional basil for garnish

In a large saucepan, whisk together coconut milk and curry paste. Whisk in chicken stock, fish sauce and honey. Add lime leaves, lemongrass and ginger. Bring to a boil. Add pumpkin, green pepper, eggplant and onion, and cook over medium heat until pumpkin is tender (about 10 to 15 minutes). Remove lemongrass, lime leaves and ginger slices. Stir in basil. Serve hot over basmati rice with additional whole basil leaves as garnish.

Lisa Turner is a food writer, nutrition consultant and private chef. For more details, call 303-588-8523, e-mail Lisa at InspiredEating@aol.com or visit her website at www.InspiredEating.com.