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Entrees
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Man, I love pumpkins. I love to use them as decorations, I love to carve them, and I love to cook with them. This is the perfect time of year for pumpkins, so I thought I'd share some great recipes with you. When you purchase a pumpkin to cook, make sure you buy one suited for that purpose. You will often find them listed as "pie pumpkins" or "Sugar Pumpkins" in your store. They are small to medium in size, are bright orange and generally have a straight stem. You should pick ones that are fully ripe, without any bruises or blemishes. You can store these whole pumpkins for several months in a cool place, if you wish. I caution against using the Jack O' Lantern-type pumpkins, as they typically are tough, stringy and tasteless, though the white Lumina pumpkins and the grayish Jarradale varieties make for good eating. They're becoming increasingly popular as decorations, so they're fairly easy to find these days. My preferred method of cooking pumpkins is to roast them. I find that the flesh cooks nicely that way, without getting the pumpkin soggy with water, as you might with boiling or steaming. I like to cut the pumpkin in half, remove the seeds, the place, cut-side down in a baking pan and roast in a 350 F. oven for 30 minutes to 1 1/2 hours, depending on the size of the pumpkin. The flesh should be tender when pierced with a fork. You can also microwave your pumpkin halves if you don't want to heat up the kitchen. Just put them on a paper plate, wrap with plastic wrap, then microwave on high for 5-10 minutes PER pound, checking periodically to avoid burning. Once the pumpkin is tender, remove the rind and puree until smooth.Of course, if you don't have a fresh pumpkin and want to use canned pumpkin, I promise that no one will be mad.Yeesh~ enough of this. On to the recipes!First is a very interesting and delicious idea for hors d'oeuvres or as a snack while your guests are waiting for Thanksgiving dinner. It's amazingly simple and quick to prepare and will have your guests asking for the recipe. Serve this with cheese, such as Camembert, sharp Cheddar or Asiago, along with some crackers or thin toasts. This recipe originally came from Better Homes and Gardens.Pumpkin Marmalade2 cups cooked fresh pumpkin puree or one 15-oz. can pumpkin1 cup orange marmalade1 tsp. grated fresh ginger2 Tbsp. lemon juiceDirectionsIn a medium saucepan combine pumpkin, marmalade, and ginger. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice. Transfer to a serving dish.Cover and cool. Serve with cheese and bread. Makes about 3 cups.
Here's a wonderful change of pace, (or addition to), your usual Thanksgiving dessert. This can be baked a day in advance and reheated before serving, although it's darned tasty cold, too. This is one comes from my recipe file.Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Carmel Sauce
BREAD PUDDING~2 eggs2 cups whole milk2 cups fresh pumpkin puree, (or 15 ounces canned )1½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice1½ teaspoons cinnamon1½ teaspoons vanilla10 cups ½ inch cubes of sturdy, fresh bread, such as French, crusts removed.½ cup golden raisins (optional)½ cup pecans (optional)Caramel sauce, (below) In a large bowl, whisk eggs, then whisk in all remaining pudding ingredients except bread, raisins, and nuts. Fold in bread and raisins. Pour into to greased two-quart baking dish, sprinkle pecans on top, and let stand 15 minutes. Bake at 350F for about 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Serve with caramel sauce.CARAMEL SAUCE½ cup dark brown sugar¼ cup unsalted butter¼ cup whipping creamWhisk brown sugar and butter in heavy saucepan over medium heat until butter is melted. Whisk in cream and continue whisking until sugar dissolves and sauce is smooth, which should take just a few minutes.Serves about 8 people
I believe this is an authentic Indian dish, given to me by my friend, Sukh. It's possible that he simplified or modified this for the American kitchen.Pumpkin Soup, Indian-style1 Tablespoon olive oil2 medium onions, diced1 tsp. ground cumin1 tsp. ground coriander1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon4 C. fresh, cooked pumpkin puree, (or two 15 oz. cans)4 C. vegetable stock (chicken stock is good, too)1/2 C. cream Salt & ground black pepper, to tasteHeat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and saute 4 minutes, until softened. Turn up heat to medium-high, then add spices cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Add pumpkin stir well. Pour in the stock and bring to boil. Reduce heat to med-low. Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Stir in cream, then add salt and pepper to taste. This should easily serve 6 people, maybe more.
Posted at 03:31 pm by ChefGrace
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