Ode to the Pumpkin

In honor of Charlie Brown’s Great Pumpkin, I’ve gathered some dazzling recipes  that  express the poetry of one of my favorite fall ingredients.

SPICY PUMPKIN BISQUE

1-1/2 teaspoons dried ground small red chiles such as Piquins               1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped              1 Tablespoon butter or margarine    1 16 ounce can pumpkin puree

4 cups chicken or veggie stock           1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice   1/2 teaspoon sugar        1 cup half-and-half or light cream

1/4 cup dry sherry         Grated nutmeg

• Saute the onion and garlic in the butter until they are soft and transparent.
• Add the pumpkin, stock, chile pepper, ground pepper, allspice, sugar, and sherry. Bring to a boil and cover.
• Simmer the soup for 30 minutes.
• Place the mixture in a blender and puree until smooth.
• Return the soup to the pot, add the half-and-half, and simmer until heated. Garnish with the nutmeg and serve.

PUMPKIN & BOURBON BEIGNETS with VANILLA BEAN SUGAR

(makes about 30 beignets)

1/2 cup canned pumpkin           2 tablespoons Bourbon             1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger    1/2 teaspoon ground cloves      1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3 tablespoons light brown sugar    Pinch salt        6 tablespoons water    1 stick butter   1 cup flour

3 eggs          Vegetable oil for frying(enough for two inches in the pan)

• Combine the pumpkin, Bourbon, spices, brown sugar, salt, water, and butter in a medium saucepot.

• Cover, and sit over medium high heat until the butter is just melted and the mixture is bubbling.
  Take the pan off the heat, & add  flour.
• Using a wooden spoon, stir rapidly  until all the flour is absorbed. Place the pan back on the heat over medium-low heat for 30-45 seconds, until the dough comes away from the sides of the pan.
• Remove hot dough & put in a large bowl.
• Stir the dough around to cool it off, and then add the eggs one at a time, stirring after each addition.
• The choux pastry should be smooth, thick, and sticky.
• Heat a deep pan half full of vegetable oil until it registers between 310 and 325 degrees on a candy thermometer.
• Drop in teaspoon-sized amounts of dough in batches, careful not to overcrowd the pan. The dough will puff up as it cooks.
• Fry the beignets for 6 to 9 minutes.
• Remove with a spider or slotted spoon to drain on paper towels. Toss with the vanilla sugar (recipe follows).

 

VANILLA BEAN SUGAR

1/2 c sugar      1 used vanilla pod

• Use your fingers, and get some of the sugar into the crack in the split vanilla bean; then scrub with the sugar as though you were scouring a pan with salt.

• If you don’t have a used pod, add a 1/2 ts of vanilla to the sugar, being careful not to wet it too much. You may add a drop at a time for more. If you use this method, stir sugar with a fork, making sure to break up the lumps and combine all vanilla.

 

PUMPKIN BROWNIES

3/4 c  flour     1/2 ts baking powder     1/2 ts salt

3/4 c butter, melted      1 1/2 c  sugar   2 ts vanilla     3 eggs        1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/2 c 60% cacao chocolate chips   1/2 c pumpkin puree       1/2 c chopped walnuts    3/4 ts ground cinnamon

1/2 ts ground cloves   1/2 ts ground nutmeg

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8×8 inch baking pan.
• Stir the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl.
• In another bowl, stir together the melted butter, sugar, and vanilla extract; beat in the eggs one at a time with a spoon.
• Gradually add the flour mixture, and stir the batter until it’s evenly moistened.
• Divide the batter in half in two separate bowls
• Into one bowl of batter, blend the cocoa powder and chocolate chips.
• In the second bowl of batter, stir in the pumpkin puree, walnuts, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.
• Spread 1/2 of the chocolate batter into the bottom of the prepared baking pan, and follow with 1/2 of the pumpkin batter.
• Repeat the layers, ending with a pumpkin layer, and drag a kitchen knife or small spatula gently through the layers in a swirling motion, to create a marbled appearance.
• Bake until the brownies begin to pull away from the sides of the pan, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes.
• Cool in the pan, cut into squares, and serve.

 

PUMPKIN LASAGNE

1 c pumpkin puree            1 1/2 Tab olive oil            1 medium onion, chopped

4 to 6 cloves garlic, sliced         1 pound spicy Italian sausage, casings removed

1/2 cup red wine         1 28-ounce can tomato sauce         1/4 c chopped fresh basil

1/4 c chopped fresh parsley           1/2 ts dried oregano          Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1 16-ounce box lasagna noodles       1 large egg           2 1/2 c ricotta cheese

2 c shredded mozzarella cheese         1/2 c shredded romano          1 large zucchini, very thinly sliced

 

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the pumpkin puree in a fine sieve over a bowl; set aside to drain while you make the sauce.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until translucent, 6 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 2 more minutes.
• Add the sausage and cook until brown, breaking it up with a wooden spoon.
• Pour in the wine and cook until reduced by half. Stir in the tomato sauce and herbs and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat.
• Season with salt and pepper, cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the lasagna noodles and cook as the label directs.
• Drain and toss with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil.
• Mix the strained pumpkin puree with the egg in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.
• In a separate bowl, mix the ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella and the romano.
• Build your lasagna in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish: Start with a layer of sauce, then top with a layer of noodles.
• Evenly spread half of the pumpkin filling, then half of the zucchini, over the noodles.
• Top with half of the cheese mixture and cover with some of the sauce.
• Repeat the layers, finishing with noodles and sauce; sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella.
• Bake, uncovered, 35 to 40 minutes, or until bubbly.
• Let cool 15 minutes before slicing.