Pumpkin Recipes

When I traveled to Japan I was served a Pumpkin Soup that was outstanding and I have tried to find a recipe to match it ever since. Well, this past week I found it! I did use some Chicken Stock that I had prepared before and frozen and also some Japanese Pumpkin that I had purchased from Pauline Nile but I do plan on trying to substitute regular pumpkin or squash and purchased chicken stock to see if it still tastes as good.

Pumpkin Soup

6 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 cups pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
5 whole black peppercorns
Bring chicken stock, pumpkin, onion, thyme, garlic and peppercorns to a boil, stirring well.
Reduce heat and allow to simmer for 30 minutes.
Puree using food processor or your blender, easier if you work in small batches.
Put back on the stove and bring the pureed soup to a boil again.
Reduce heat and allow to simmer for 30 minutes.  Slowly stir in heavy cream.
Serve garnished with your choice of garnish, fresh parsley works nicely.

While we are on the subject of pumpkins…  here are a few more pumpkin recipes:

Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins

2 1/2 c flour
2 c sugar
1 T pumpkin pie spice
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
2 eggs - slightly beaten
1 c pumpkin
1/2 c corn oil
2 c apples - peeled, finely chopped
In large bowl combine flour, sugar, spice, soda and salt. Set aside. In medium bowl, combine eggs, pumpkin and oil. Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients; stir just until moistened. Stir in apples. Spoon batter into greased or paper lined muffin cups, filling 3/4 full. Sprinkle with streusel topping and bake at 450 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Streusel Topping

Combine:
2 T flour
1/4 c sugar
1/2 t. cinnamon
Cut in:
4 t. butter
until mixture is crumble, sprinkle on top of muffins before baking.

Jack-O-Lantern Cheesecakes

8 (1/2 pound) mini pumpkins
1 1/2 pounds cream cheese at room temperature
6 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons   granulated sugar
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon   cornstarch
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
3/4 teaspoons ground cloves
4 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup pumpkin puree - (canned is just fine)
(Optional mint leaves for garnish)
Before you start, set your cream cheese and butter out for several hours, so it can warm up to room temperature. Set rack in middle of oven and preheat to 300 degrees. Cut the tops off the pumpkins and set aside, With a teaspoon or grapefruit knife, scrape the fibrous pulp and seeds out of the pumpkins. Scrape some of the meat off the inner walls so they are no more than 3/8-inch thick. Put the cream cheese, butter, sugars, cornstarch, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in a large mixing bowl and beat at medium speed until blended. Take care not to mix too much air into the batter. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, until each is incorporated. Reduce the speed and beat in the sour cream, vanilla and pumpkin puree. Fill the pumpkin shells with the batter and bake, on a cookie sheet for 15 minutes. Turn the pan and place the tops next to the pumpkins. Bake for 10 more minutes, until barely set and firm. If, at any time, the cakes start to puff up, turn the oven down or remove them. Let cool, in the pan, then refrigerate.

Cranberry Topping:

3/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 pound fresh or frozen cranberries
Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan and simmer for 10 minutes until the berries have popped and form a thick sauce. Let cool. To serve, spoon cranberry sauce on top of filling. Place the pumpkin lid on a jaunty angle. Stick mint sprig into the top. Print this post