Curried Beet and Pumpkin

We are getting pretty much everything we need to make this in our shares right now. The only trick is to get your hands on the spices - once you do this, you can easily make this dish over and over again. The recipe is from Nimita Dhirajlal.

Ingredients

¼ teaspoon of coconut oil
¼ teaspoon of vegetable oil
½ teaspoon of ghee
½ teaspoon of asofeteida (hing)
1 teaspoon of panch puran (Indian Five Spice)
1 medium sized seasonal pumpkin
2 bunches of beets
2 teaspoons of turmeric
2 teaspoons dhana jeera (coriander/cumin powder)
2 teaspoons of cayenne
salt to taste
1 teaspoon of garam masala
cilantro for garnish

Method

• Cube the pumpkins into 2 inch pieces (leave skins on) Remove seeds.
• Wash the beets thoroughly and cube these into 2 inch pieces
• In a medium sized pot, heat the oils and the ghee
• Add hing and panach puran
• When seeds start popping, add the beets and the squash (toss to coat)
• Add ¼ cup of water and cook at very low heat
• When beets and pumpkin are cooked ¾ of the way, add salt and spices.
• Add very little water if vegetable start to stock to the pot.
• Cook until vegetable are well done (not mushy)
• Garish with chopped cilantro

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

I was looking through pumpkin recipes when I spotted this. It has the highest review rate of any recipe I have ever seen, so I figured I had to post it here. This certainly couldn't be any easier or faster, and it returns excellent results. Remember, any squash will do. Just grab a scale to be sure you are using the correct amount.

From the Wildfire Restaurant in Oak Brook, IL.

Bread pudding

• 2 cups half and half
• 1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin
• 1 cup (packed) plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 10 cups 1/2-inch cubes egg bread (about 10-ounces)
• 1/2 cup golden raisins

Caramel sauce

• 1 1/4 cups (packed) dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup whipping cream

• 
  

  For bread pudding:
  Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk half and half, pumpkin, dark brown sugar, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and vanilla extract in large bowl to blend. Fold in bread cubes. Stir in golden raisins. Transfer mixture to 11x7-inch glass baking dish. Let stand 15 minutes. Bake pumpkin bread pudding until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.

  
  

  Meanwhile, prepare caramel sauce:
  Whisk brown sugar and butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until butter melts. Whisk in cream and stir until sugar dissolves and sauce is smooth, about 3 minutes.

  Sift powdered sugar over bread pudding. Serve warm with caramel sauce.

  
  

Winter Squash

I haven't confirmed, but I believe that the squash we got last and this week were tiny kabouchas. These guys are Japanese pumpkins, highly prized by many for their rich flavor. They are also more hearty than the butternut, with a firmer flesh that tends toward dryness. So what to do with these little gems?

Don't be fooled, any winter squash, once roasted and mashed, can pretty well be substituted for any other. So no need to look for kaboucha-specific recipes. They will work plenty well in breads, cakes, and muffins as is.

But let's not be limited by the usual. Here's a great recipe for pumpkin pancakes, perfect for warming up a brisk weekend morning. Where it says canned pumpkin, just use your nicely roasted and mashed kaboucha, and enjoy the results! If you don't have buttermilk on hand, a quick version can be accomplished with regular milk 1 Tbs of lemon juice and about five minutes.

This is from the Mirror Lake Inn in Lake Placid.

• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
• 3/4 cup canned pure pumpkin
• 4 large eggs, separated, room temperature
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/3 cups cake flour
• 1 3/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Whisk buttermilk, pumpkin, egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla in medium bowl to blend; whisk in melted butter. Whisk flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in large bowl to blend. Add dry ingredients to buttermilk mixture and whisk to combine.

Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Fold whites into batter.

Lightly oil or butter heavy large skillet set over medium heat. Working in batches, pour batter by 1/3 cupfuls onto skillet; cook until bubbles form on top, about 1 1/2 minutes. Turn flapjacks over and cook until second sides brown, about 1 minute. Transfer flapjacks to plates. Sprinkle with nuts, if desired. Serve with syrup.

Pumpkin Season

Nothing announces the approach of fall quite like a good pumpkin. In our house, pumpkin goes into lots of things - soups, pasta sauces, pies, and of course, bread. The kids love a little pumpkin bread for breakfast. You can substitute in some whole wheat flour for a portion of the white (up to half is a safe bet) if you want a healthier loaf.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups AP flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 whole eggs
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. allspice
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Sift together the flour, salt, sugar, and baking soda. Mix the pumpkin, oil, eggs, 1/4 cup of water, and spices together. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix. Fold in the nuts. Pour the batter into a buttered 9x5x3 inch loaf pan. Bake 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick poked in the very center of the loaf comes out clean. Let rest for two or three minutes, then turn out of the pan onto a cooling rack.