Pumpkin Curry Soup

This Pumpkin Curry Soup has been a winter favorite of ours and went great with lighter red wines at our most recent Holiday Open House & wine tasting at The Boulevard Market!! 30 minutes is all you need to make this soup! It can also easily be vegan by replacing the heavy cream with coconut milk (sold in cans at the grocery store, unsweetened)and olive oil. I garnish it with crushed amaretti cookies or crumbled Maytag Blue depending on if you're feeling sweet or salty! Enjoy!

PUMPKIN CURRY SOUP

1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon fresh Madras Curry powder
1/2 cup onions, chopped
2 cups pumpkin or squash puree
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup heavy cream or coconut milk

In a large pot over medium-low heat, combine butter and olive oil and saute onions until soft but not browned. When onions are soft, add curry powder and saute 1 minute to release spices. Add stock & pumpkin puree and bring to a simmer. Cover pot and simmer 15 minutes. Add heavy cream and simmer until soup has thickened. (You may add more or less stock depending upon desired thickness of soup) Garnish with crumbled blue cheese or crushed amaretti cookies; a lightly sweet, crunchy Italian cookie that has a distinct toasted almond flavor)

Pumpkin Soup Concentrate for freezing

It's fall y'all!
Every year about this time, our rural roads are full of pumpkins sitting on wagons and in wooden crates for mere pennies. I coerce John into pulling over and picking up at least 15 pie pumpkins that leave our hands dirty and filled with those weird little slivers that pumpkin stems give you. Maybe a little sticky thrown in.
But they're homegrown and only $5. I proceed to put them in the garage and slowly use them until it freezes here permanently and they are ruined....until a couple years ago. I now process the buggers right away. Procrastination is never my friend.
I thought you might like an easy freezer recipe to deal with pumpkins and winter squash in a creative and useable way!
I begin by cutting my PIE pumpkins (or any winter squash) in half and roasting them until tender. I then scoop flesh into a suspended jelly bag or cheesecloth and allow to drain at least 6 hours. This keeps the puree drier and less likely to hold water during freezing. Once drained I mash and make this recipe:

Pumpkin Soup Concentrate

2 cups pumpkin or squash puree
4 ounces blue cheese (I used Maytag)
4 ounces Mascarpone cheese
1 cup chopped onions
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
Salt & Pepper

Saute onions in olive oil until softened but not browned. Stir in remaining ingredients and pack into freezer containers.

For soup add: 2 cups heavy cream, coconut milk (unsweetened) + 1 cup stock of choice or 3 cups stock

For flatbreads: Using already baked flatbreads: top with pumpkin and bake 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Top with prosciutto crumbles and greens that have been lightly dressed with balsamic vinegar

I have been working on a souffle recipe as well and will update when the exact proportions are complete!

posted from Bloggeroid

Blue Cheese Spring Nests

A few months ago I came across a box of "kataifi" at my favorite Mediterranean grocery store. It's basically phyllo dough made in long strands, much like angel hair pasta. As the possibilities swirled in my head and around shrimps for dinner, this recipe was my first thought and I've been waiting to make them for Easter brunch!

I made a variation of this for a cooking class at The Market, but the flavor was very mild and for Easter I wanted more punch! Originally, I used an aged goat cheese from Four Corners Creamery, a few bits of onion and a sprinkle of parsley. On my trial run last night, I used a hunk of blue cheese and was much happier since it's more flavorful. So feel free to use either cheese depending upon your preferences (maybe both together would be great too?)!

The kataifi does dry out quickly, so you'll only want to thaw what you plan on using, and cover it with a damp paper towel while you're working.



BLUE CHEESE SPRING NESTS

1/3 box of Kataifi
1 Tablespoon melted butter
1/4 lb blue cheese cut into slices

1 cup fruity red wine-Gamay, Cabernet Sauvignon (young), Syrah/Shiraz
3 Tablespoons Agave Syrup or honey

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Wrap several strands of kataifi into a nest shape on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Using a pastry brush, brush melted butter gently onto nest. Top with a slice of blue cheese.
Bake 12-15 minutes (watch carefully, they can get a little TOO brown) until golden brown.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine agave and wine over medium heat and allow to reduce to about 1/2 cup of thickened syrup. Use immediately or refrigerate up to 3 days. Drizzle over slightly cooled nests and serve.

Sorry, about the lack of photos, apparently the Easter Bunny brought me the flu. I was struggling to get this posted before Easter and nothing turned out well finished photo wise!

Gorgonzola and new potatoes

There are not many foods that Italian Gorgonzola doesn't complement!  From fruits to steaks and every kind of vegetable, Gorgonzola is my staple blue cheese.

I ran to the farm last night to see what was available for supper and much to my surprise were crates full of beautiful red skin potatoes! 

Still a bit gritty and rosy red, I picked the smallest of them and headed home! 



A quick wash and quartering and 15 minutes of boiling gave me enough time to get some steaks going and make the decision to add Gorgonzola!  After draining the potatoes, I added about 3 tablespoons of butter, the same amount of Dolce Latta Gorgonzola and a teaspoon or so of fresh rosemary.  A quick stir and it was on the table! 

The blue cheese complemented the beef well and the potatoes were creamy and comforting, all in 20 minutes or less! 

Gnocchi & a twist on Alfredo!

After a busy day selling cheese at the farmers market, all I could think about was a steaming plate of gnocchi.  It helped that the guy across the market had homemade gnocchi for sale.  I bought 2 lbs. and a pound of pumpkin ravioli, all frozen.  I am not Italian, so please forgive my recipes, but I know what I love and I hope you love it too!

I created this alfredo recipe because I don't always have heavy cream, but I ALWAYS have cheese.

1/4 cup butter
8 ounces of mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
3 tablespoons prepared basil pesto

Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat.  Add mascarpone and Parmigiano cheeses and stir until melted and smooth.  Stir in pesto and serve.  I love basil pesto, but you can add more or less to taste.

I boiled up the gnocchi and sauteed a red bell pepper in olive oil, plated the  pasta and covered with alfredo.  Bella! 

A 2011 goal of mine, is to SUCCESSFULLY make pasta and this gnocchi is my new gold standard!  Fresh and light and tasty...made with real potatoes.  Even the fork marks were fabulous! 

Eating local in January...

Living in Michigan, eating locally grown vegetables can be a challenge in winter.  Thankfully, our area has some ingenious growers and life is tasty even in the snowing months!  I've stock piled a few veggies and fruits myself (root cellar) as well as a freezer full of vegetables, jams and herbs.  I've been contemplating throwing some lettuce leaves into an old copper fish poacher on my windowsill...5 day micro greens!

It's a good thing our family loves root vegetables!  Any which way is fine with us, but roasting is the preference.

 

This is a combination of Hubbard squash, red potatoes, parsnips, carrots, turnips, onions and thyme.  All local.

ROASTED VEGETABLES

Root vegetables, cleaned and cut into 1 inch pieces

Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper

Thyme, ground coriander 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place vegetables in a shallow pan and drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper.  I love ground coriander and add about a teaspoon to a 9X13 size pan and stir together.  I throw in a few sprigs of thyme, but you can feel free to use rosemary or oregano.  I always add a few extra veggies so on a weekday night I can make this:

Winter Vegetable Soup

3 Tablespoons Butter
1 ½ cups thinly sliced onions
1 cup diced carrot
1 cup diced parsnip
1 cup diced turnips
½ cup diced celery-preferably with leaves
1 cup thinly sliced cabbage (I used brussel sprouts)
1 Tablespoon fresh, minced ginger root
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
1 clove minced garlic
13-14 ounce can Coconut Milk
2 cups chicken broth-more as needed
3 cups diced Butternut squash (about 2 lbs.)
Salt & Pepper to taste

Over medium heat, melt butter and add onions, carrot, parsnip, turnips and celery, stir occasionally until soft, about 8 minutes.  Stir in cabbage, ginger, thyme, garlic, salt & pepper and sauté until cabbage softens.

If you would like to garnish your soup with coconut cream, do not shake can and reserve ¼ cup when opening.  Add coconut milk, broth and squash, scraping up any brown bits.  Reduce heat to low, cover and let barely simmer for 20 minutes until squash is tender.

Puree with immersion blender or traditional blender, adding more broth until desired consistency.  For a smoother soup, pour thru mesh strainer.  Season to taste.  Garnish with reserved cream and croutons.

BLUE CHEESE CROUTONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Oil baking sheet with EVOO.  Spread about a tablespoon blue cheese of choice on a ¼ inch slice of good quality bread.  Bake 10-15 minutes or until browned on bottom and cheese is bubbly.  Let cool and cut into ½ inch pieces.

I simply replace all the root vegetables it calls for and add the cabbage!  It's an awesome soup with the coconut milk but does need a bit of bite, therefore the blue cheese croutons!   

Enjoy!

   

Cherry Tomato Jam

After the holiday food conundrum...we have so much food and nothing to eat!!!  All kidding aside, we needed a really delicious, quick, no fuss, grease laden meal at home.  Back in the summer, I was intrigued by the idea of cherry tomato jam and didn't have a chance to try my hand at it.  So tonight is the night.  I had 3/4 of a quart of less-than-stellar orange cherry tomatoes, fresh ground chuck, blue cheese and some time.

CHERRY TOMATO JAM

2 cups cherry tomatoes
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3 Tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne


Put all ingredient in a small sauce pan and heat over medium high heat.  Boil briskly about 15 minutes until thick and tomatoes have cooked down by a third.

I topped my burger with the tomato jam, about 2 Tablespoons of St Agur blue cheese and a couple thin slices of red onion.....

I chose a really robust blue cheese to offset the sweetness of the jam.  If you shy away from blue cheese, this would also taste great with goat cheese.

I absolutely love Sweet Potato French Fries with a glob of mayo mixed with bottled chili sauce and a bit of garlic to dip!!!  This supper is just what I was thinking for tonight.  A taste of summer the day after Christmas.

Savory Squash Pie with Bacon Lattice Top

I am up early today to prepare a few dishes for the festivities and thought I would share a new recipe with you.  I cannot make this for Thanksgiving, as my family has had it about 4 times while I was fine tuning the recipe for my cooking class!  They have refused to eat it again this calendar year!  It all sounds a bit complicated, but goes together quite easily!  I saw a pie much like this in the Wall Street Journal, but I think mine tastes much better, a little less sweet!

We wish you a Happy Thanksgiving!

SQUASH PIE WITH BACON LATTICE

1  9 inch pie pastry crust

1/3 cup Butter, soft
½ cup Sugar
2 Large Eggs
5 Oz. Evaporated Milk or Heavy Cream
1 teaspoon Vanilla
2 cups Mashed Squash (A blend of Acorn and Butternut is my favorite)

¼ pound Blue Cheese, crumbled (I used Bleu Affine)

8 slices Bacon
½ cup Brown Sugar
4 Teaspoons Balsamic Vinegar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place pie crust into pie dish and flute edges.
In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar, add eggs and vanilla, mix well.  Add milk or cream and squash, mix until combined then pour into pastry crust.  Bake 50-55 minutes until center is set.  Sprinkle with cheese and cool on a wire rack.

Increase oven temp to 425 degrees.  Foil line the bottom of a broiler pan for easy clean up.  Basketweave your 8 slices of bacon together on the grid portion of the broiler pan.  In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar and balsamic vinegar and brush evenly over the bacon slices.  Bake about 15 minutes with a piece of foil over the bacon, remove foil and bake an additional 5 minutes.  Trim edges to fit your pie dish and place on top of squash.  Serve cold or at room temp!

Salad tonight...

It was a long day. I had to cook. I grilled peaches and made my favorite salad for supper. It was e-a-s-y, just what I needed. Still warm peaches, cool zesty blue cheese and nutty, barely sweet-sorta-tart dressing.

GRILLED PEACH SALAD

1 Red Haven peach, cut in half
1 head Romaine Lettuce, chopped
1/4 pound Good quality blue cheese (I used Oregon River Blue from Rogue Creamery)
A few very thin slices of Red Onion

1/4 cup Extra Virgin olive oil
1/4 cup Hazelnut Oil
3 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Honey OR Maple Syrup (the real thing)
Salt & Pepper to taste

On a hot grill, place peaches cut side down on highest rack above burner. Grill for about 6 minutes until softened. Remove and slice.

I just placed lettuce in a large bowl, topped with sliced peaches and sprinkled with the blue cheese. Drizzle with dressing and ENJOY!