It’s pawpaw time in the Ozarks! What’s a pawpaw? Well, think of it as a nontropical region papaya – with a mild taste similar to a banana. It is a source of vitamin C and fiber and touted as higher in protein than other fruits. While true, remember that overall, fruits are a very poor source of protein. Technically, it is the largest edible fruit native to North America and is related to the papaya. With a custardy texture and color and a mild flavor like a banana, it grows wild in the temperate Ozarks, although it can be cultivated. The fruit is smooth and pulpy with big black seeds that we think should be used in jewelry making! Don’t eat the seeds – they are poisonous! The peel should also be removed and not used as it has been associated with stomach upset and allergic reactions, possibly because of the latex in the peel. Papain, sometimes used as a meat tenderizer, is also found in the peel and in greater quantities in the unripe fruit.

Thanks to the Missouri State Fruit Experiment Station who provided our dietetics program with plenty of pawpaws to experiment with this fall, and experiment we did. In our fall canning class, students dried and froze pawpaws as well as made pawpaw preserves, chutney, relish, muffins, cookies and bread. Yum! We even had two original recipes – spiced pawpaw preserves and vegan pawpaw muffins. We found out that pawpaws dry and freeze well, work great as a low-fat substitute in baked goods and can make tasty preserves, relish and chutneys. Fruit leather? Well, ours didn’t turn out real well. Dietetic faculty Sarah Murray and Natalie Allen created pretty and delicious spiced pawpaw preserves and dietetic majors Renee Gunn and Tessa Eldridge created a vegan pawpaw muffin recipe that was also quite tasty! In our quest to go local, eat local, buy local don’t forget to try those pawpaws!

Here are our original recipes…enjoy!

Spiced Pawpaw Preserves

12 pawpaws (about 5 pounds)
2 c. water
3/4 c. sugar
1 lemon
1 orange
1/2 c. red hot cinnamon candies

Peel pawpaws. Put in kettle with water, without removing seeds. Boil until soft, then put through a sieve, separating seeds from the pulp. Add sugar and juice of orange and lemon to the pulp. Stir in candies until dissolved. Boil until thick. Grated rind of orange or lemon may be added. Put in sterilized jars and seal in boiling water bath 5-10 minutes. Makes 4 half-pint jars.

Vegan Pawpaw Muffins

1 lb. very ripe pawpaws (enough for 1 cup of pulp)
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup white corn meal
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 Tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 Tbsp of water
1/3 cup 100% pure sweet dorghum
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup of soy milk or other non-dairy milk
1 cup of nuts of choice
1 cup of raisins

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and spray muffin pans with nonstick spray. Wash and peel pawpaws, then press through a food mill to get 1 cup of pulp. Whisk together ground flaxseed and 3 tablespoons of water until gummy in texture. In a separate bowl, mix flour, cornmeal, and baking powder.
Add the flaxseed and water mixture to the dry ingredients and combine with sorghum, oil, and milk until well blended. Stir in raisins and nuts. Fill each muffin cup 2/3 full and bake 15-20 minutes or until tooth pick comes out clean.

Note: feel free to add dates, dried cranberries, or anything else for a flavorful breakfast muffin!