Pumpkin Seed Butter, Raw

Last week, I tried a corner of a friend’s pumpkin seed butter-n-honey sandwich. It was good!

I have never thought to make pumpkin seed butter before. But after tasting it, I was determined to try!

I have to say that while making it there was a distinct smell and it reminded me of baby food puree — specifically green peas. Or maybe it was green beans. I don’t wish to scare anyone away from giving this a try by saying that. But I think it is important to prepare you for that particular aroma.

Mikah and I devoured a good bit of today’s pumpkin seed butter spread on whole spelt bread and drizzled with local, raw blackberry honey.

Raw Pumpkin Seed Butter

yields about 2 cups

• 3 cups raw pumpkin seeds, preferably organic
• 1/2 teaspoon plus 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 to 3 tablespoons grapeseed oil

Place pumpkin seeds and salt in the bowl of a heavy-duty food processor. Use regular blade. Put the lid on and turn on the food processor.

Let the machine run. The pumpkin seeds will get ground into a meal. Soon you’ll begin to see pumpkin seed butter as a bottom layer. Let it run longer, even 5 minutes, until the pumpkin seeds begin to hang together in a clump. It may form a ball that bounces around on the blade.

If the seeds seem not to be wet enough to clump together, add 1 tablespoon of oil at a time until it does hang together and achieves a spreadable consistency.

If necessary, stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Then turn it on again. When the pumpkin seed butter is circulating freely, it is done.

Refrigerate in a glass jar.

© Copyright 2008 by Wardeh Harmon.