This recipe is a great one to make, as an alternative to pumpkin pie, when you are faced with a pile of scooped-out pumpkin innards after making jack-o’-lanterns. The natural sweetness of the pumpkin flesh is just perfect for making into jam.

Makes about 6 cups

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds pumpkin or butternut squash flesh
• 1 vanilla bean
• 4¾ cups sugar
• juice of 2 lemons

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place the pumpkin in a pan with just enough water to stop it from catching, and cook over a moderate heat for 10–15 minutes until it is cooked through but still retains its shape. Drain off any excess juices, and when the pumpkin is cool enough to handle, chop it into finer pieces.
2. Slice the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with the blade of a knife. Place the pumpkin, sugar, and lemon juice in a bowl, tuck the vanilla bean pieces in among the pumpkin, and add the seeds. Cover with a piece of waxed paper pushed down onto the surface and leave overnight.
3. The next day, pour the contents of the bowl into a preserving pan and stir over a low heat until all the sugar has dissolved, then turn up the heat and boil rapidly to reach setting point. Skim if necessary.
4. Pour the jam into hot, sterilized jars and seal.