Portuguese Pumpkin and Walnut Preserve

Also known as: Portuguese Pumpkin and Walnut Preserve · Pumpkin Jam with Walnuts

Pumpkin slowly cooked with sugar, lemon and cinnamon, studded with walnut pieces.

Origin: Portugal · nationwide autumn preserve
Region: Nationwide
Season: Year-round · traditionally prepared in autumn

Sweetness

Richness

Difficulty

Doce de Abóbora com Noz is a thick Portuguese preserve with an amber-orange colour and a soft yet gently fibrous texture. Pumpkin cooks slowly with sugar, lemon peel and juice, and a cinnamon stick; broken walnuts are added at the end, contrasting with the preserve through texture and toasted flavour.

It is eaten on bread and toast, but its most recognisable pairing is fresh cheese, requeijão or aged cheese. It should not be confused with doce de chila: the latter uses fig-leaf gourd and retains long pale strands, while ordinary pumpkin preserve is orange and spoonable.

Ingredients

Pumpkin
Sugar
Walnuts
Lemon
Cinnamon

Taste & texture

Sweet, earthy and citrus-bright, with cinnamon aroma and crisp walnut pieces.

Variations

It may be smooth or retain small pieces and fibres; versions without walnut, with almonds or scented with orange also exist. Plain pumpkin preserve belongs to the same family.

Where to try it

At markets, fairs, regional-product shops and family homes throughout Portugal, often accompanied by cheese.

Pairs well with

Requeijão, fresh or aged cheese, rustic bread or cornbread.

History

The preparation belongs to Portugal's tradition of preserving seasonal abundance with sugar. Pumpkins, plentiful in autumn, become a lasting preserve, while walnuts from the same season enrich it.

No single region owns the recipe. Pairing it with cheese and requeijão became especially stable on Portuguese tables and menus, making this both a preserve and a dessert.

Sources: teleculinaria.pt

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