Portobello Mushrooms in Curried Coconut Milk Sauce over Pumpkin Puree

A little history about pumpkins from "the Frugal Gourmet Cooks American"

"We received the gift of the yellow gourd from the Indians, of course. When European explorers hit the New World they found the Native Americans eating all kinds of squashes, but pumpkin was a favorite. The white men thought the pumpkin to be a form of giant melon. They were partly right, as the pumpkin belongs to the family Cucurbitaceae, which also includes cucumbers, gherkins, and melons. The wild ancestor of the grate orange vegetable goes back to the Aztecs, Incas, and Mayan peoples, who enjoyed eating the rich seeds. The pumpkin spread north and was common by the time of European exploration, and the seekers of New World took the squash back to Europe with them. But it remains an American vegetable, absolutely American.

The uses that we found for pumpkin in the old days where wonderfully varied and formed a basic part of our diet. The pumpkin was among the most common foods of the settlements and an old verse proves their indispensability:

For portage, and puddings, and custards, and pies,
Our pumpkins and parsnips are common supplies. 
We have pumpkins at morning and pumpkins at noon;
If it were not for pumpkins, we should be undoon."



There is something exciting about food cooked in coconut milk. Typically, the effect comes from the edition of several assertive spices - such as coriander, cumin, and cardamom - in conjunction with this rich liquid. Ginger and hot peppers are added to give zest and dimension.



Hint: Save the pumpkin seeds for the kids! Wash the seeds and dry them. Place them in a large heated frying pan along with some olive oil, and toast until they begin to show a few very tiny brown spots on the husk. Add a bit of salt and cool. These are great snacks and they are good on salads or in soups.

Ingredients:

For the mushroom sauce:

• 1 can of unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 Tbsp. minced garlic
• 1 tsp ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 jalapeños or any hot chiles of your choice 
• 1/2 tsp curry powder
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cardamom 
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 pound baby portobello mushrooms (or any other variety)
• sea salt
• 3 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, finely chopped

For the pumpkin puree:

• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2 Tbsp. butter (optional)
• salt and freshly ground pepper

For the roasted pumpkin:

• 1 cup butternut squash, peeled and diced
• salt and freshly ground pepper

Direction: 

For the mushroom sauce:
Place the oil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add the onions and sauté until they begin to brown, about 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, and chiles, and sauté for another minute. Add the curry, coriander, cardamom, and cumin and stir for another minute. Add the mushrooms and the coconut milk and stir well. Simmer for 15 minutes.Remove from the heat when thickened. Season to taste and add the cilantro.

For the pumpkin puree:
Bring about 3 quarts (or more if need it to cover the pumpkin) of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the butternut squash, cover, and cook until the squash is soft when pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes. Drain the squash , place in a food processor, and proceed until well pureed. Add the milk and blend until the mixture is smooth. Place the puree in a saucepan and reheat, stirring. Add salt and pepper to taste and keep it warm.

For the roasted pumpkin:
Preheat an oven to 400°F.
Spread the diced pumpkin out on a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Roast until all the cubes are cooked through and golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Evenly divide the warm butternut puree among plates. Arrange the coconut mushrooms sauce in the middle, top with roasted cubes of pumpkin. Serve immediately.

Spicy Cream of Pumpkin (Red Hubbard) Soup with Crispy Prosciutto

"September is like no other
It's days change color and weather
No other month can say quite the same
For every day, I can feel the change

It's cool breezes start out warm, 
Changing to cold throughout every storm
The leaves change and fall 
As the Summer leaves and Autumn kisses us all

September maidens feel the change
Like the blue of the sky
Yet the color so deep
Unbelievable beauty..."

by Jessica Millsaps



Red Hubbard, Orange Hokkaido or Uchiki Kuri. A great sized mini Hubbard weighing 4-5 pounds. Deep orange colored skin and sweet, smooth, dry flesh. Originally from Japan.  Last year I posted Blue Hubbard Jam with Raisins and Vanilla Bean recipe, take a look. This year I have cream of pumpkin soup with crispy prosciutto from Hubbard family. I hope you will enjoy my photos and the recipe!



Ingredients:

• 6-8 slices of prosciutto
• 1/2 medium Red Hubbard pumpkin, about 2 lb ( Big thank's to Styer Orchard Farm)
• 3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1 yellow onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 4-5 cups chicken broth, plus more if needed
• 1 tsp curry
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp orange zest or valencia orange peel
• sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• fat free Greek yogurt for serving (optional)
• dry dill for garnish

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 350°F.

Arrange the prosciutto slices in a single layer on baking sheet and bake until crisp, about 20 minutes. Transfer the baking sheets to wire racks and let the prosciutto cool completely.

Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat add the Red Hubbard, carrots, onions and the broth. Add the spices. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 -20 minutes.

Using a blender, puree the soup in batches until smooth. Return the soup to the pot and add more broth if needed to reach the desired consistency, adjust the seasonings. Ladle the soup into bowls. Serve with Greek yogurt and the prosciutto. Garnish with dry dill and spices.

Sizzling Smashed Potatoes with Garlic, Dill, Curry and Smoked Paprika - Great Appetizer!

Inspired by White on Rice Couple

Note: To preserve the nutritional value of potatoes, they should be cooked in their skins, or scrubbed rather than peeled. When choosing potatoes, make sure they are firm and well-shaped with smooth tight skin, preferably organic.

Ingredients:

• 2 lb. small white potatoes (Baby Yukons or other fingerling potatoes), washed and scrubbed 
• 1 tsp salt for boiling potatoes 
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp curry powder 
• 2-3 shallots, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 2 tsp dry dill or 2 Tbs. chopped fresh dill
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup yogurt or sour cream, for serving
• fresh mint for garnish

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine together curry powder, dill, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Set aside.

Put the potatoes and salt in a medium pot, add water to cover the potatoes by 3 inches and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and gently cook the potatoes until they are tender when pierced with a fork, 15 minutes. Drain well and let it cool.

After potatoes have cooled enough to handle, smash them with the flat side of a chef knife. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, add the olive oil. Add the shallots and garlic and sauté about 3 minutes. Gently arrange potatoes in hot pan, season well with curry-dill mixture and sear each side of the smashed potatoes for about 2-3 minutes, or until they are golden and crispy. 

Serve immediately with fresh mint leaves and sour cream or yogurt.

Curried Fried Eggplant and Bob's Red Mill's Spar for the Spurtle Oatmeal Recipe Contest + GIVEAWAY

Bob’s Red Mill kicked off its second annual Spar for the Spurtle 2 Oatmeal Recipe Contest which invites home cooks and professional chefs alike to submit videos demonstrating a unique recipe that makes use of Bob’s Red Mill’s Steel Cut Oats – the World’s Best Oatmeal.

The complete rules can be found here, but basically you submit a 3 minute video featuring your unique recipe using Bob’s Red Mill Steel Cut Oats. Last year’s winner was Merry Graham, whose winning entry was Black Bean Porridge Patties.

Three finalists will be flown to Portland, Oregon to compete in a live cook-off. The winner of the cook-off will then be sent on an all-expense-paid trip for 2 to Scotland to represent Bob’s Red Mill in the 19th annual Golden Spurtle World Porridge Making Championship!

The grand prize, includes the following:

• Round-trip airfare for two to Scotland to represent Bob's Red Mill at the 19th annual Golden Spurtle World Porridge Making Championship in October 2012
• Two nights' accommodations in Edinburg, three nights' accommodations in Carrbridge (for two)
• Rail transportation between Edinburgh and Carrbridge (for two)
• $2500 cash!

How cool is it?

The deadline to submit your videos is July 20th, which is less than a week away.  To help spark your creativity, the folks at Bob’s Red Mill have generously offered to do a giveaway! The first five readers who enter a video and then let me know, then you’re getting a prize pack filled with goodies from Bob's.

The prize pack from Bob’s Red Mill would include the following :

• Honey Oat Granola
• Cinnamon Raisin Granola
• Scottish Oats
• 7 Grain Pancake Mix

The rules are simple:

• Submit a video entry for the Spar for the Spurtle 2 Contest 
• Leave a comment here to let me know you entered

The deadline to submit a video entry is July 20, 2012, this giveaway will end on July 19, 11:59 pm

Good luck!



Today I have a very simple eggplant recipe for Curried Fried Eggplant, eaten as the side dish for a healthy salad.

Ingredients:

• 2-3 small eggplants, cut into slices about 7-10 mm thick, no need to peel
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• salt and fresh ground pepper
• 3 Tbsp. breadcrumbs
• 1/2 tsp curry powder

Directions:

In the small bowl mix together breadcrumbs, salt, pepper and curry powered. Heat a little olive oil in a heavy pan. Dip the eggplant slices into the beaten egg mixture. Then cover slices thoroughly in a breadcrumbs mixture. Fry them till golden brown.

I served them with the white peach chutney (I will post the recipe for chutney later). Quick, easy and delicious!

Cream of Rice Soup with Curry, Mushrooms, and Roasted Red Pepper Puree

You may substitute any fresh herb for a Parsley Sauce. Other dried mushrooms can also be used, but none will give the intensity of porcini. You will simply have a milder flavored soup.

When buying mushrooms leveled "cepes" or "porcini", let your nose lead you. The mushrooms should have a rich, woodsy character with overtones of leather. Dried ceps or porcini are very easy to use. Just pop them into a long-cooking stew and let them cast their magic. Or cover the mushrooms with water, bring to boil, simmer them, and watch the liquid become black with richness. Use that liquid as the base of a soup or sauce. This will  make the liquid much more flavorful. Remember, the magic is in the liquid, not the reconstituted mushroom.

The recipe from A Cook's Book of Mushrooms



Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

• 1 cup basmati rice, rinsed well
• 1/2 ounce dried porcini or any other mushrooms you prefer
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 cups milk
• 3 Tbsp Red Pepper Puree

For the Red Pepper Puree:

• 1 large red bell pepper
• 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp sugar
• salt to taste

For the Parsley Sauce:

• 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 1/2 tsp vinegar
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• Vietnamese fish sauce (available in Asian markets) to taste

Directions:

Bring 5 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Add the rice while stirring, bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes.

While the rice is cooking, place 2 cups of water in a small saucepan. Add mushrooms, salt, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, onion, curry powder, and paprika. Bring to boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

To make the Pepper Puree: preheat the broiler. Place the pepper in a pan and put in broiler. Broil for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the skin shrivel and begin to blacken. Place in a paper bag and let cool. Peel the skin entirely from the pepper, then slit it open and remove the stem, seeds, and veins. Place the roaster pepper in a food processor and add the lemon juice, sugar, and salt. Blend to a smooth puree. Set aside.

To make the Parsley Sauce: in a food processor, combine the parsley, 2 tablespoons water, and the vinegar until pureed. Pour into a medium saucepan and add the cream. Bring to a simmer and add fish sauce to taste. Keep warm.

Combine the cooked rice with its liquid, the mushroom mixture with its liquid, and the milk in a blender. Blend until smooth, adding more milk if necessary and adjusting for salt. Stir in the red pepper puree.

Put into bowls and swirl a teaspoon of herb sauce in each.

Sautéed Zucchini, Mushrooms and Tomatoes with Curry Sauce

In this recipe Sautéed Zucchini, Mushrooms and Tomatoes with Curry Sauce the vegetables are cooked separately and then combined just before serving. This helps them to cook evenly and retain their color and texture. Serve this flavorful dish with curry sauce for a meatless entrée or as a side dish with roasted meats or poultry.



Serving: 2-4

Ingredients:

• 1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
• 3 plum  tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
• 1/2 lb mushrooms of your chose, brushed clean
• 2 garlic cloves, halved crosswise
• 6 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 2 Tbs. minced fresh cilantro

For curry sauce:

• 14 oz coconut milk
• 3 T curry powder
• 3 T honey
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. chili garlic sauce

Directions:

Make curry sauce. Combine coconut milk, 3 T curry powder, honey, and chili garlic sauce in a medium saucepan. Simmer over low heat for 20 minutes or until it thickens to a gravy-like consistency.

In a large saute pan over medium heat warm 2 Tbsp. olive oil.  Add the zucchini and cook until the zucchini rounds are tender, 3 to 4 minutes per side. During the last minute of cooking season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a platter.

Return the saute pan to medium heat and warm 2 Tbsp. of the oil. Add the tomatoes and repeat the cooking process. Transfer the tomatoes to the platter with the zucchini rounds.

Return the pot to medium heat and warm 2 pof the oil. Add the mushrooms and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to caramelize, 7 to 8 minutes. During the last minute of cooking, add minced fresh cilantro and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the mushrooms and garlic to the plate with the other vegetables.  Serve with curry sauce immediately.

Curried Turkey Stew with Mushrooms and Carrots and Green Bean Salad

Ingredients for turkey stew:

• 6 cups homemade turkey broth
• 2 turkey legs, deboned, skinned and diced (about 4 cups meat)
• 1 Tbs. peanut oil
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3/4 lb. fresh cremini mushrooms, halved if large
• 2 cups carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 Tbs. curry powder
• 3 tsp. minced fresh dill  
• Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions for turkey stew:
In a large, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, warm the peanut oil. Add the onion and carrots and sauté until almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and curry powder and cook, stirring, until the onion is brown, about 4 minutes. Add the broth and turkey. Cover, increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Uncover, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the turkey are almost tender, about 30 minutes.
Add the mushrooms to the pan and simmer more, about 12 minutes. Season the stew with salt and pepper. Stir in the minced fresh dill. Ladle the stew into warmed bowls and serve immediately.

Ingredients for green bean salad: 

• 1 lb. slender green beans, trimmed
• 3 tbsp. hemp seeds
• 2 Tbs. chopped fresh dill
• 2 Tbs. avocado oil
• 1 Tbs. lemon juice
• 1 Tbs. lemon zest 
• coarse kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions for green bean salad:
Bring a large pot three-fourths full of water to a boil. Add the green beans to the boiling water and cook until tender, 5 to 7 minutes; the timing will depend on their size. Drain.
In a large serving bowl, combine the hot beans, dill, avocado oil and salt and toss to mix. Set aside to cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
Use a peeler and make long broad strokes from pole to pole of the lemon. Avoid digging into the pith. Chop the zest into thin strips .
Just before serving, add the hemp seeds, lemon strips, lemon juice and a grind of pepper to the bean mixture and toss to mix. Serve the salad at room temperature. Serves 4.

Cashew, Coconut and Butternut Squash Curry Stew and Basmati Rice

From Sunset October 2011

I love pumpkin, so October’s festivities always provide me with an excellent reason to make as many dishes from it as possible! Cream of Butternut Squash Soup, Roasted Pumpkin with honey, Pumpkin Jam--you name it. Butternut Squash Curry Stew and Basmati Rice are the best recipes ever for the month of Hallows Eve. Creamy Coconut Sauce mixed with a variety of different spices, cashew nuts, and squash melts on the tongue, delighting it with sublime flavor. Here you will find the original version. When I make it, however, I add dry curry instead of the curry leaves--an innovation that has worked fine for me.  I also added cilantro as a garnish for color and extra flavor. Happy Autumn everyone!

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ qts. peeled, 1 ½ in. chunks pumpkin or other orange-fleshed squash (from a 3-lb. squash)
• About 1 tsp. kosher salt, divided
• 3 tbsp. vegetable oil, divided
• 1 onion halved and cut into half moons
• 1or2 red or green Serrano chiles, minced
• 1 cinnamon stick (2 ½ in. long)
• 20 fresh curry leaves or 6 dried bay leaves
• 1 tsp. each turmeric and cumin seeds
• 1 cup salted roasted cashews
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• Steamed basmati rice

Directions:
Sprinkle pumpkin with ½ tsp. salt. Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Brown half the pumpkin in oil, turning once, 6to8 minutes; reduce heat if pumpkin starts to get dark. Transfer into bowl and repeat with1 tbsp. oil and remaining pumpkin.



Heat remaining 1 tbsp. oil meanwhile in another large frying pan over medium heat. Cook onions, stirring occasionally, until deep golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer half to the nonstick frying pan and reserve other half to bowl.



Add chiles , cinnamon, and curry leaves to onion in pan. Cook, stirring often, until curry leaves are very fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add turmeric, cumin, and remaining ½ tsp. salt and cook, stirring until spices are fragrant, about 1 minute.



Return pumpkin to nonstick frying pan (with onion) and add coconut milk. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover, reduce heat, then simmer until pumpkin is tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in cashews and lemon juice, and add more salt to taste. Top curry with reserved onion and serve with rice.