Crispy pumpkin Burger

Sometimes inspiration strikes in the most unexpected ways. One moment, you could be pacing in your living room, staring down the blank page, cursing every failed attempt. And in the next, a sudden clang from an open window jolts you into clarity and new ideas are born. That is the thing about food. The greatest ideas come unexpectedly.

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When most people think of pumpkin, they picture soups, pies, or maybe a spiced latte, but rarely a burger. That’s exactly why this recipe works so well. It takes a humble autumn ingredient and gives it a whole new stage to shine. Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, these breaded pumpkin slices become the star of a hearty burger that balances savoury, sweet, and tangy flavours all in one bite.

Disclaimer: This is not for the weak-hearted. If you're sensitive to violence and blood, please skip this section: skip.

She only had two more days left until she had to finish the story for the competition – and she hadn’t even started yet. Well, technically she had, but everything she’s written so far had landed directly in the trash can. The words crossed out, the papers crunched together. Nothing she’d written so far was nearly good enough to win – and anything but winning was acceptable. She was pacing up and down her living room, music on her ears, waiting for Calliope to strike. The hours flew by – and together with them her patience disappeared. She was nervously biting her fingernails, when she heard a loud clang coming from the office room. Had she forgotten to close the window again? And indeed, when she arrived in the small room next to the bedroom, the window stood wide open – the curtain rod lying on the floor, pushed out of its mount by the wind.

She closed the window in a swift movement, before she picked up the curtain and mounted it back up on the joist.

And when her fingers brushed over the cold metal an idea hit her. She let go of the curtain rod and hurried back into the living room, where her notebook was still lying on the couch table, the pages flipped to her latest draft. Her hands picked up the pen lying next to it and she started writing.

“She didn’t hear him when he entered through the open window. Neither did she notice when the curtain was pushed out of its mount. The loud clang of the metal rod hitting the ground didn’t reach her ears either. When he found her sitting by the dining table, her back faced towards him, her ears covered by the big, heavy headphones, his lips curled into a sinister smirk. This was too good to be true – seemed suspiciously easy. How she was sitting there, deprived of her senses, like on a silver platter waiting to be served to him. And he was ready to dig in – enjoy the feast. He took one step forward – his hands clutching the rope he had brought with him, excitement swelling up his chest. The closer he got, the harder his heart pounded - pumping adrenaline through his body with every beat. When he found himself standing right behind her – his stomach almost touching her head – he stopped. He took a deep breath and lifted up his arms…”

“I didn’t bring a rope”, a voice broke the silence. “But I’m sure we'll have fun anyway!”

Pumpkin has long been celebrated as a symbol of fall harvests, making its way from peasant stews in Europe to festive holiday tables around the world. In this recipe, we pair it with caramelised onions in maple syrup, fresh greens, and a Scandinavian-inspired twist- lingonberry spread. The combination may sound surprising, but like any great story, it’s built on contrast — crunchy and soft, sweet and savoury, traditional and unexpected.

So close the window, quiet the noise, and let this recipe speak for itself.

Ingredients

One Pumpkin of your choice

Two large eggs

1 Cup Breadcrumbs

1Cup Oil (For frying)

1tbsp Maple syrup

1 Cup Flour

½ tsp Salt

½ tsp Pepper 

½ Seasoning of your choice

Toppings of your choice:

Burger Buns

Aioli

Lettuce

One Onion

Lingonberry spread 

Method

1. Clean and cut the pumpkin into slices about 1cm wide.

2. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large skillet.

3. Prepare a shallow bowl or deep plate with the flour.

4. In another shallow bowl or deep plate, whisk the 2 eggs.

5. And in another shallow bowl or deep plate, mix the bread crumbs with the seasoning of your choice.

6. When oil is heated, dip pumpkin slices in the flour, then egg, and then dip/dredge in the bread crumb blend until thoroughly coated. Repeat it a second time without dipping it in flour.

7. Fry in the hot oil for approximately 3 minutes on each side, or until cooked through.

8. Meanwhile, heat another pan with a teaspoon of oil and sauté the onion slices for 2-3 minutes or until they become translucent. Add maple syrup and sauté for another minute. Set aside.

9. When the pumpkin and onions are ready, prepare the buns by lightly roasting them in the oven or toaster.

10. Serve on top of burger buns with Aioli, lettuce, breaded pumpkin, onions and cranberry jam. You can add any additional topping of your choice! 

Enjoy!