Christmas

Pumpkin Mush

by:
January 16, 2014
2.5
2 Ratings
Pumpkin Mush
  • Makes 3 cups
Author Notes

Yup, mush. Cozy, comforting, soul-warming mush. This is basically a breakfast porridge made from polenta and pumpkin puree. I've adapted the recipe from Marion Cunningham's The Breakfast Book. As with most things that originate with Marion Cunningham, it's lovely. —fiveandspice

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 2 cups milk (non-dairy milk substitutes like almond or coconut milk also work well)
  • 1 cup pureed pumpkin
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2/3 cup coarse ground cornmeal (grits)
  • 1/3 cup cold water
  • For serving: butter, maple syrup, honey, or brown sugar, toasted nuts, dried or fresh fruit (you can also take this in a savory direction with Parmesan and eggs)
Directions
  1. In a heavy bottomed pot, combine the milk, pumpkin, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg and stir until smooth. Cover and heat over medium heat until it reaches a bare simmer.
  2. Meanwhile, stir together the cornmeal and cold water in a smallish bowl (this will help prevent cornmeal lumps). When the milk-pumpkin mixture is warm, stir in the wet cornmeal.
  3. Cook uncovered over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture has thickened and is making big spluttery bubbles, about 15-25 minutes. Serve hot topped with butter, maple syrup, and nuts, or whatever other fixings you fancy.
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  • Auntie Allyn
    Auntie Allyn
  • AntoniaJames
    AntoniaJames
  • fiveandspice
    fiveandspice
  • Hemz7781
    Hemz7781

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10 Reviews

Hemz7781
Hemz7781 March 17, 2014
Could this be made ahead of time or would it solidify like regular polenta?
 
fiveandspice
fiveandspice March 17, 2014
It solidifies (though not totally), but you can add some extra milk when you want to reheat it and gently rewarm it with a few good stirs and it does loosen back up.
 
CoffeeAndBaconYum
CoffeeAndBaconYum February 10, 2014
Hi Emily and Auntie Allyn, thanks for the replies! I'll be picking up pumpkin today. I also have a few sweet potatoes in the cupboard that I might try in this recipe as well.
 
Auntie A.
Auntie A. February 9, 2014
I used "old fashioned, stone ground, yellow cornmeal" when I made it. I think it's probably finer ground (not "coarse ground") than the recipe calls for, but it turned out just fine. Try the recipe with what you have on hand (I bet you won't be disappointed).
 
CoffeeAndBaconYum
CoffeeAndBaconYum February 9, 2014
Would using regular cornmeal instead of coarse cornmeal work in this recipe? I have most of a 5-lb bag of cornmeal to use up and recently started cooking it for breakfast like creamed wheat. It comes out very fine and smooth, if stirred while cooking.
 
fiveandspice
fiveandspice February 9, 2014
I think it would work, though it may take less cooking time. I'd say make the recipe as written and use your judgment on cooking time, since you've been cooking it.
 
Auntie A.
Auntie A. January 25, 2014
Made this for breakfast this morning, using almond milk (first time), golden raisins, slivered almonds and Balinese coconut sugar . . . it was a wonderful and warm breakfast on this freezing cold day!!
 
fiveandspice
fiveandspice January 28, 2014
Yay! Glad you liked it. I sure wish I had Balinese coconut sugar around to put on mine!
 
AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames January 23, 2014
I'm thinking olive oil + toasted pecans + toasted coconut + maple syrup + Maldon salt here, riffing on Nekisia Davis' genius granola. This looks fantastic! ;o)
 
fiveandspice
fiveandspice January 24, 2014
Oh my, that sounds brilliant! I'm going to give that a try myself!