Pumpkin Done Right
I just got home from a Pumpkin Recipe Contest at work. OMG! I am stuffed - but more than stuffed, I am impressed! What an unbelievable collection of foods in one place! Each employee came up with their own recipes and without prior consultation, we had no duplicates. Each item was totally unique with its own distinct style and flavor. I didn't even think to bring a camera. I guess I just wasn't expecting to have my socks knocked off - but knocked off, they were!
We had:
Pumpkin Ravioli with a Brown Sage Butter
Pumpkin Apple Almond Potstickers with a Ginger Honey Scallion Sauce
Pumpkin Cheese Cannelloni with a Cranberry Sage Butter Sauce
Pumpkin Soup
Pumpkin Lasagne
Puff Pastry filled with Fresh Pumpkin Chunks and Sour Cream topped with India Relish
Pumpkin Bars
Pumpkin Muffins topped with a Cream Cheese and Pumpkin Icing
Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Toffee Sauce
Pumpkin Pancakes
Pumpkin Smoothies, and
Pumpkin Crème Brûlée
I'll start at the top with my own observations...
The Pumpkin Ravioli were something you would find at a fine-dining establishment. A pumpkin dough filled with a delicate pumpkin and cheese mixture. Light, yet substantial. And the browned butter sage sauce was the perfect accompaniment. You could actually make a meal of them adding nothing more than a glass of wine (and bread to sop up the sauce, of course!). Just divine.
The Pumpkin Potstickers were an OMG! surprise. Totally unexpected and totally delicious. I had more than one and could see a tray of them disappearing quickly. The flavors in the filling were perfectly matched, and the dipping sauce worked great with them.
Pumpkin Cheese Cannelloni was yet another fantastic taste sensation. Very similar to a blintz in texture, it's another item that could be found at an upscale eatery. Also light and delicate - yet substantial. Two of these on a plate with a salad would be a perfect meal.
The Pumpkin Soup was a vegan entry (full disclosure here - I made it!) that took its cue from the Caribbean. Pumpkin, coconut milk, rum, hot peppers - plus tomatoes, hominy, black beans and black rice. Sweet with just enough kick to be interesting. It was hearty and thick. Definitely a full meal during the cold months.
The Pumpkin Lasagne was layers and layers of tantilizing pumpkin, cheeses, greens, and pasta. It was the type of dish that if set on a table would be empty in minutes with people clamoring for more. Warm crusty bread, a mixed green salad, a bottle (or two) of a good red wine. Heaven.
The Puff Pastry was the only entry that used fresh pumpkin! The sweetness of the pumpkin worked perfectly with the spiciness of the India Relish. It also made a great presentation - and would be a great addition to any appetizer table. Come to think of it, they could also make a great plated first course.
The Pumpkin Bars were another (last minute) entry of mine. A fairly traditional pumpkin pie filling topped with a basic cake mixture and walnuts. It would be better served cold with whipped cream, but I took them out of the oven minutes before heading off to work, so they were served warm. They were pretty darn good warm, too!
The Pumpkin Muffins were good enough for dessert! They were a perfect balance of moist and sweet and the icing was another perfect balance of flavor. These were any-time-of-the-day muffins, for sure!
Bread pudding is one of my all-time favorite desserts, and the Pumpkin Bread Pudding exceeded every one of my expectations. It was just perfect. The texture of the bread, the lightness of the custard, the wonderful sauce... Just perfect. I ate lots.
The Pumpkin Pancakes were light as a feather! They were perfectly puffed up and airy - unusual for a pancake with something as dense as pumpkin added to it. (The secret is the yogurt!) And they were really decadent with some of the Toffee Sauce poured on top!
Pumpkin Smoothies - who wouldda thunk?!? But what a great taste sensation. I could definitely see these with a float of dark rum and a little paper umbrella. Too good just for breakfast!
And Pumpkin Crème Brûlée. Yes - Crème Brûlée! Talk about another show-stopper! Light, creamy, rich, flavorful - all at the same time! The sugar topping was perfectly crisp and crunchy, contrasting superbly with the silken pumpkin custard beneath. One would not be enough.
Everything was superb in its own right. The tastes and textures were as varied as the individuals who brought them in. Everything was over the top. There wasn't a single "ordinary" item in the bunch. I can't even imagine trying to actually judge them. It's a 12-way tie for first place in my not-so-humble opinion!
And the variety of items really illustrates just how versatile the humble pumpkin is. From sweet to savory and everything in between.
And another great benefit of today is that I now have some great ideas for Thanksgiving! I did a ham and gorgonzola won ton one year, but I'm thinking potstickers might work this time around, I could do a large creme brulee instead of individuals... Ravioli as a first course?!?
It's gonna be fun - thanks to some great people today!
Turkey Soup
It was cold today - at least this west coast blood thought it was cold today - and cold means soup at my house!
I had cooked a small turkey breast on Thursday, and with plenty of meat and a carcass, I set to work.
Soups are generally 'clean out the refrigerator' meals, and today's soup was no exception. Into the pot went the stripped carcass, broth, an onion, some questionable celery, a slightly dried half-head of garlic and a bit of S&P. I boiled and then simmered the stock for a couple of hours and then drained it all. I salvaged whatever turkey meat I could, and then the broth went back into the pot.
Into the pot went the leftover gravy from Thursday night, along with the elbow macaroni and gravy Victor concocted Friday when I was at work. I chopped up the rest of the celery, carrots, and then added a melange of partial bags of frozen vegetables that were just taking up space in the freezer - and not enough of any one of them for a meal.
A half a loaf of a crusty whole wheat batard finished off the meal - and finished me off, as well!
Start-to-finish a couple of hours. Actual work time was less than 15 minutes. AND we not only had a great dinner, we now have a clean 'fridge, to boot!
Leftovers
I think I mentioned I cooked a LOT of food this past weekend. A lot. Granted, we ate a lot, but there have been a few leftovers...
I can handle leftovers as well as the next guy, but after a while, I just don't want to see them anymore - at least not in their original state.
Tonight I took leftover sausage with peppers and onions and the leftover beef and put them in a pot with some beef broth. I had a couple of really ripe tomatoes, so they were chopped up, as well. And a bit of celery and a can of black-eyed peas. Stir in some hot chile pepper, and dinner was born.
I also made my own version of Rice-A-Roni to go along with it. I used some orzo and white rice, sauteed in butter with a bit of minced onion and garlic. Then added vegetable broth and let it simmer for about 20 minutes.
Who says leftovers have to be boring?!?
Pass the Bromo Seltzer!
Everyone's gone. The house is eerily quiet after three days of non-stop eating, drinking, laughter, and fun. Did I mention eating, drinking, laughter, and fun?
It was a late Friday arrival from San Francisco (thank you, Delta and the baggage crew at PHL...) but as the arrivee's were on Pacific time, we ended up staying up until three ayem eating, drinking, laughing, and having fun. We were up ridiculously early Saturday and started off eating right away... Bagels and cream cheese and stuff like that, and then a light lunch of sandwiches and chips and stuff because we were saving ourselves for a bit of a BBQ with Victor's family. (Thin-sliced real German Bologna from the Farmer's Market on kaiser rolls... YUM!)
I figured an absolute maximum of 20 people, so I cooked for about 40. I kid you not. I cooked for three or four armies. Victor's brother walked in, looked at the table, rolled his eyes a bit and said "I see you've done it, again." We have a bit of a reputation when it comes to having people over and quantities of food being served. And we definitely didn't let anyone down. We had food.
Wednesday I had picked up 2 chickens at the Farmer's Market, cut them each into 10 pieces, and soaked them for 2 days in buttermilk, garlic, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and probably a few other spices from the cabinet. On Friday afternoon, I mixed pretty much the same spices with flour and a bit of cornmeal. I dredged the chicken in the flour mixture and set on racks to dry a bit. Then I deep-fried it in peanut oil... Cooled, and then refrigerated.
I made my mom's potato salad - potatoes, green onions, pickles, hard cooked eggs, celery, mayo, catsup, mustard, a splash of worcestershire, garlic, S&P... And a pasta salad - tortellini, onions, sundried tomatoes, roasted peppers, diced celery, carrots, currants, and a dressing of olive oil and raspberry balsamic vinegar.
I grilled a ton of homemade chipotle chicken sausages I had made a couple of weeks ago and then mixed them with Italian peppers and onions...
Plus a couple of London broils I marinated in the now-infamous Pumpkin Butter and Organic Steak Sauce. And Phoebe's Chipotle Baked Beans. Plus salami and cheese and crackers and chips and dips and guacamole and breads and rolls and... and...
Oh. And four (yes, four...) Pineapple Cream Pies. I can't imagine why Steve rolled his eyes.....
We proceeded to eat all day, all night, and into the wee hours of the morning.
Bright and early Sunday morning was just your typical light breakfast... Sausage, bacon, fried potatoes, eggs, and more toasted bagels. One of the great Mysteries of Life is the amount of pots and pans one can dirty making breakfast, and I did my best to uphold the mystery.
We did a quick trip into the city to show Eileen the Liberty bell, took a stroll down South Street, and grabbed a Philly Cheesesteak. (Eileen had never had one IN Philly!) then back home to the Italian Sunday Dinner Victor was preparing...
He made a great sauce (Italians call it 'gravy') with homemade Italian sausages, homemade meatballs and hunks of pork, and served it on a couple of pounds of spaghetti. Plus garlic bread and a great savory bread ring that Marie picked up in Manayunk.... And more pie.
All I know is there's no way I could cntinue eating like this! I am soooooo out of practice!
But what a great time it was! And Eileen reminded me that when we hit San Francisco in February for my father's birthday that it will be the begining of Dungeness Crab season...
If I start dieting now, I may be ready for it.
French Country Bread
It's cold outside. in fact, not only is it cold outside, but ice has been falling from the sky since yesterday. Welcome to the mid-Atlantic states. It's a mess out there. Not as bad as upstate New York - or Cleveland - but a mess all the same.
Last night, knowing that today was going to be spent indoors, I decided I needed to warm up the house by baking bread. Searching through recipes, I found one for a French Country Bread. It calls for making a sponge the night before baking, so last night I did just that...
Once upon a time I had a sourdough starter that had to have been older than me. It was an original wild yeast starter. I carried it around for years, feeding it, using it. It was great because I could really make bread whenever I wanted, and back in my youth I did bake a lot more bread than I do today. Part of it was the times, part of it was financial. Baking bread is cheap. I have no idea where it finally ended up, but it really made a great loaf of bread. The one I made last night calls for packaged yeast and would shock the purists, but heck - it's still a homemade loaf of bread, not squishy-white from the grocery store!
This particular bread is made with both whole wheat and white flour and has no oil or fat, so it's basically a use-the-day-you-bake-it bread.
The basic recipe is:
French Country Bread
Sponge:
• 1/2 cup wheat flour
• 1/2 cup bread flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup water
• 1-1/2 teaspoons dark corn syrupCombine the two flours and the yeast in a mixing bowl. Add the water and corn syrup and stir until well blended. Cover with a kitchen towel and allow to stand at room temperature overnight.
To prepare the dough:
• 3/4 cup water
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
• 3/4 cup wheat flour
• l-1/2 cups bread flourAdd the water, salt and wheat flour to the sponge. Stir in the bread flour, adding an extra tablespoon or two if the dough seems sticky. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour and 45 minutes.
When the first rise is complete, punch the dough down. Shape into a ball or an oval. Flatten slightly. Place on a greased baking sheet that has been sprinkled with cornmeal. Cover with a kitchen towel and let triple in size - 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
Place an empty pie plate on the bottom oven shelf. Preheat the oven and the pan to 425 degrees. Five minutes before adding the bread, carefully pour 1 cup hot water into the pan. Careful here! This causes a big burst of steam!
Sprinkle the loaf with flour, and Using a sharp knife, cut 3 diagonal slashes across the surface of the loaf. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the pan and cool.
The bread is on its first rise right now... More details to follow.....
What a great bread! It has an extremely delicate crumb. Soft and moist, with a great chewy, crusty crust! Perfect for dipping into soup or stew, slathering butter, or making hefty sandwiches. it was incredibly easy to make, too.
I shall be making this, again. And again.
Hominy and Chipotle Stew
It's frikkin' freezing outside. This west coast boy just can't seem to get warm this week. Granted, It's January 31st and it's supposed to be cold 3 miles from Valley Forge, PA, but that doesn't make it any easier. Hot food does, though!
On one of my many treks to the store a while back, I picked up a bag of hominy. I can definitely be an impulse buyer when it comes to groceries, at times. I do the weekly shopping on Wednesday, and can either do the in-and-out because I have other things to do, or I can meander the aisles and see what jumps off the shelf and into the cart.
The hominy jumped off the shelf during one of my meanderings but it's been sitting on OUR shelf for a few months, now... I like hominy, but I had no plan for it - I just wanted it in the cabinet just in case... I figured I would find something to do with it, eventually.
Last night, I decided to soak a cup or so of it, and do something with it today. I was looking to make something hot and spicy. Stew-like, definitely. Boy, am I glad I did! As I said, it's cold outside. A quick look through the cabinets and the chipotles caught my eye. The rest, as they say, is history...
Tim's Hominy and Chipotle Stew
- 1 pound beef cubes
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tsp cumin
- 4 tomatillos, chopped
- 1 can diced tomatoes in juice
- 2 quarts beef broth
- about 3 cups hominy (1 1/2 cups before soaking)
- 3 carrots, chopped
- 2 chipotle chilies in adobo, chopped
- 2 tbsp adobo sauce
I started off by browning the beef and onions in a bit of oil. Added the cumin, then the chipotles and adobo. Added the tomatoes, tomatillos, and broth, and let simmer for a couple of hours. (I was in no hurry...)
I then added the hominy and simmered for another hour or so. Added the carrots, simmered about another 30 minutes, and it was dinner time!
The stew got just thick enough from simmering and the hominy. It was definitely spicy.
I have found that there can be vast differences in canned chipotles - even from the same brand. Some are hotter than hell, others merely smoky. They're just like their fresh counterparts - some are hot, some are not.
We each had a huge bowl, topped with oyster crackers. There's creamy rice pudding in the 'fridge from last nigh, and tomorrow morning we get to fly to San Francisco.
Life is good.
Pumpkin Soup
Two weeks ago, when our friend Paige was visiting, I bought a sugar pumpkin. I thought I'd cook it up somehow. I didn't have anything particular in mind, but I thought a fresh pumpkin something would be nice...
We all ate nonstop for two days, and I never cooked the pumpkin. It's been sitting on the kitchen counter ever since. A nice fall decoration for sure, but this is an eating pumpkin, not a carving pumpkin or decoration.
Today, with our glorious 70 degree weather, I decided to make soup!
I sliced and seeded the pumpkin and set in in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes. In the meantime, I cut up:
- 3 carrots
- 3 celery stalks
- 1 medium onion
- 1 sweet potato and
- 2 pears
and placed them all in a pot with a bit of olive oil. I cooked everything until it was all mushy and gooey and starting to stick to the bottom of the pan. I added some cinnamon, fresh nutmeg, a pinch of cardamom, and a pinch of sage, salt & pepper and then added 2 quarts of chicken stock. (I'm not a vegetarian. Substitute veg broth, if desired...)
I cooked the vegetables a bit more, and then added the pumpkin and let it all simmer about 30 minutes.
While the soup was simmering, I cooked a large handful of barley in another pot.
I used my immersion blender and pureed the whole pot of soup to a rich, creamy consistency. Then, I added about 2 cups of heavy cream and blended it some more. I did a taste-test and added a bit more of all the spices. I then stirred in the barley, and added a handful of dried cranberries!
It was really good!
Dinner at Wegmans?!?
When our friends Ann and Julie invited us up to their Rochester, NY home for a long weekend, we knew it was going to be a fun food weekend. We all like to eat, we all like to have fun, and we all like to have fun while we eat. Perfect friends!
Friday afternoon was simple hor d'oeuvres while we chatted away and caught up on gossip. It's actually quite easy to talk with your mouth full - and I proved it! Bruschetta with fresh tomatoes and cheese, and a huge wedge of Saint Andre started of the fun...
Ann prepared Thanksgiving Dinner for us all Friday night! Turkey and all the trimmings! It was tres fabu! Naturally, I had to be a proper guest and eat everything on my plate - and refill it several times, too. I mean, it is the polite thing to do, right?!? Mom would have been proud of me. Turkey and stuffing, mashed potatoes, baked squash, asparagus, cranberry relish... I think there should be a rule that we have to have Thanksgiving dinner at least every three months. It's a reasonable rule and one I would gladly follow - especially if they were all this good!
We rolled back into the living room, and soon it was time for dessert. Fresh apple pie, or homemade pumpkin pie with whipped cream?!? I couldn't very well choose one over the other, could I?!? Of course not! I had both. They were delicious! We laughed and joked until the wee hours, and then crawled off to bed.
Saturday morning dawned and so did breakfast. Fresh-baked banana bread on the table, along with bacon, eggs, two types of delicious toast, fresh-from-the-garden tomatoes, orange juice, and piping hot coffee. I was beginning to get used to this!
Barely able to move, we headed out to the car for Julie's Famous Tour of Rochester. Driving up and down streets, marveling at the homes - and prices - and generally having a great time. I hadn't been to Rochester since about 1984 when I was living in Buffalo after opening the Hyatt Regency there. A lot had changed!
Naturally, we had to stop for lunch!
Funny, but while I remember that I enjoyed it thoroughly, I can't recall exactly what it was I had! I was having much too much fun with fabulous company!
We returned home to rest and relax for a bit, because we had reservations for dinner at Wegmans.
Wegmans?!?
Yes. Wegmans.
It seems that the Wegmans Mother Ship in Rochester has a restaurant attached. A little place called "Tastings." What a surprise! What a delight! They have a prix fixe 5 course dinner we just had to have! Five courses, with a choice of two items for each one. Naturally, we all had to get different things so we could share. We tried everything on the menu!
I started off with heirloom tomatoes, micro greens, and cherry tomatoes rolled in goat cheese and pecans. Oh. My. Gawd. A simple balsamic dressing topped it off. The presentations were unbelievable. Fun Food, indeed!
Next was the fish course. I opted for a fresh Boston Cod on a bed of green and yellow beans. Victor had the Shrimp with a Sweet and Sour Slaw with hints of coconut. Both were knock-outs!
Julie opted for the Beef with spinach and waffled potatoes, while the rest of us went for the duck breast with purees of carrot and squash. Perfectly cooked, medium rare duck breast topped with fried orange rind. To die for!
Next came a Trio of Cheeses... Each was paired with its own sauce. I'll be damned if I can remember their names, but boy were they good. Simple, yet elegant. Perfect combinations. Perfectly complimentary.
Dessert arrived. A Valrhona Chocolate Gateau with Rum Raisin Ice Cream. I was in heaven. Ann chose the Creme Brulee with Biscotti. Creme Brulee is good and all, but... Chocolate was needed after this meal. Yep. Heaven.
After dinner, we strolled through the Wegmans Mother Ship. Big doesn't begin to describe it. We perused the aisles looking at the Waterford crystal and Italian platters and bowls. I had to keep reminding myself we were in a grocery store! I saw about a dozen things I loved. As we don't have room for the bowls and platters we currently own, I resisted buying more. It wasn't easy.
Another late night.
The following afternoon we headed home, laden with Turkey sandwiches with dressing and cranberry sauce Ann packed up for us. We pulled into a rest stop and devoured half of them.
A few hours later, we were home - with the rest of the turkey sandwiches for dinner.
Did I mention what a wonderful time we had?!?
Easter Pie
It ain't Easter without Uncle Rudy's Easter Pie! While I was slaving away at work today, Victor was busy making these! They are the best!!!
Here's the recipe.
Uncle Rudy's Easter Pie
Rudy Rinaldi
This makes 2 pies.
- 3 Lb Ricotta
- 8 eggs
- 1/2 c. grated cheese - whatever your favorite is.
- Note: All meat should be DICED/CUBED - small
- 1/2 lb Ham - sliced about 1/4 inch thick
- 1/4 lb prosciutto - sliced thin
- 1/4 lb pepperoni - sliced thin
To Taste:
- Garlic Powder
- Pepper
- Italian Seasoning
- Parsley
Place pie crust in plate - fill with the mixture and cover with second crust
Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour - the crust should be nice and golden.
Spring Cleaning
I cleaned the grill today. It's not as if it really needed it, or anything. I mean, we only bought it 4 years ago... I always clean the grills, but I haven't ventured inside since I put it together. It was pretty skanky in there. Out came the shop vac, which captured most of the crud. I soaked the grills and the briquettes, cleaned the burners... Put it all back together and it's almost like brand-new! I then got industrious and washed the truck. It had probably been a year since that was cleaned, too. Something about a beautiful Spring day that had me yearning to be outdoors, instead of in front of the computer where I can usually be found...
Before starting my cleaning chores, though, I started marinating tonight's dinner. Another salad, of course. This time, with grilled chicken and grilled vegetables.
I cut up 2 chicken breasts, and put them in a ziplock with chopped lemongrass, basil, cilantro, rice wine, soy sauce, garlic, green onion, a splash of grapeseed oil, chili paste (sambal oelek) and black pepper. Into the 'fridge it went. I turned it a couple of times - whenever I went to get a seltzer water. (No coca-cola for this kid!)
With a clean grill awaitin' me, I chopped up some celery, carrots, broccoli, red pepper, mushrooms, cilantro, and basil and did a quick marinade of rice wine, soy sauce, grapeseed oil, and garlic.
What a difference cooking with a cleaned out grill! If I had half a brain, I'd clean that thing a bit more often! (Don't anyone hold their breath...)
Everything cooked up great. The sun was shining... The smoke and smells were wafting through the neighborhood... A picture-perfect 78 degree day. Everything came off the grill, and back inside to put it all together...
Mixed greens, the aforementioned veggies, a sprinkling of raspberries and blackberries - because I had them - the chicken, and a simple dressing of olive oil, rice wine vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, S&P.
It just doesn't get any better than this.....
Ferry Plaza Farmer's Market
It's a great place to spend the day - and a lot of money - but the quality... oh...my...goodness... The quality is unbelievable. Fresh. Organic. Wonderful.
The Ferry Building opened in 1898 as the main departure/arrival point for the billions of ferries that plied the bay before the Bay and Golden Gate Bridges were built. In 1957, the Embarcadero Freeway went up in front of it, and sealed its fate for the next 42 years - until the 1989 earthquake. The freeway was supposed to circle the city and connect the bay and Golden Gate bridges, but when the folks saw what it had done to the waterfront, they said NFW! and it became a long offramp to Broadway Street. I have vague recollections of it being built. the plan was also to make 19th Avenue a freeway from the peninsula to the GG Bridge. (We lived on 19th Avenue at the time!) Anyway... The freeway came down, the Ferry Building went through a multi-million dollar renovation, and the Ferry Plaza Marketplace was born!
The shops are all high-end inside, with an organic farmer's market outside 4 days a week. Everything from Stonehouse Olive Oil (I LOVE their Blood Orange Olive Oil!!) to Caviar, and Cowgirl Creamery to Peets Coffe and other great foods. A fun side note.. I used to work for Tsar Nicholai! Well - I worked for California Sunshile Fine Foods - which is the umbrella company for all the different ventures. I was the shipping manager, shipping gourmet foods all over the world, as well as purchasing all of the specialty produce at the produce terminals in SF and at thr airport every morning at 4:00am. I also ate a LOT of really, really, really good caviar!!! It was a fun job!
But I digress - again...
The Farmer's Market itself is just plain awesome. There are scores of booths set up selling everything from Watermelon Radishes to Brussell's Sprouts still on their stalk. Every imaginable (and a few unimaginable!) fruit and vegetable all lovingly grown in Northern California.
It's a must-stop and must-see if you're ever in San Francisco!