Bibbidy Bobbidy Boo

(I’m sorry it’s been so long since I’ve made a substantive post—I had about 12 hours more work this week, the spaces between which were filled with a crippling acute post- election depression. I’m sure many of you can sympathize. Anyway, I’m baaaaaack!)

My parents were very wise when they were house-hunting in the Washington, DC area. They wanted good schools, and they INSISTED on access to public transportation. So we ended up in lovely Bethesda, which boasts some of the best high schools in the nation—and our house ended up on a beautifully verdant street between three bus routes. As a result, my brother and I grew up happily and independently using public transportation into DC, to the mall, etc.

Unfortunately, convenient public transportation entails proximity to major roads— a real obstacle for trick-or-treaters. So Halloween chez nous was very quiet, bringing in a grand total of four trick-or-treaters over the course of three hours. Despite that letdown, we enjoyed a very festive, pumpkin-themed dinner in front of our active fireplace (in the living room, in case any trick-or-treaters did come knocking).

I didn't think this pumpkin that cool looking, but I wanted you to know
what to look for. So I embellished it with a dog.

 Main course was a smoky, spicy and very hefty pumpkin soup—my first venture into cooking with non-canned pumpkin. The pumpkin in question is a Long Island cheese pumpkin, a member of the species Cucurbita moschata, prized for its smooth—rather than stringy—bright orange flesh. The pumpkin is so named because it looks (allegedly) like a wheel of cheddar cheese—squat and round, with a light tan exterior. Others have described it as a “bit like a fairytale pumpkin, flattened and "squashed," with light ribbing and a buff-chamois-color.” (I don’t know what fairytales these people were reading, but as far as I’m concerned, fairytale pumpkins are perfectly round and bright orange, with tangles of vines, such that they can be easily turned into perfectly round and ornate carriages. Also, what the hell does buff-chamois mean?)

Anyway, despite the fact that the pumpkin was a royal pain in the bum to peel, the results were worth it—it made for a wonderful viscous, chewy soup—especially when thickened with the beans. It also didn’t take too terribly long to cook—although I would suggest, if you have the time, perhaps roasting pumpkin quarters and making a puree to use in the soup, rather than cooking peeled chunks in broth. I suspect you’ll have a deeper pumpkin flavor—and you’ll avoid the annoying peeling part to boot! All you’ll need to do is roast the pumpkin quarters and scoop out the flesh. 

Dessert was a pumpkin bread pudding only very slightly adapted from Deb’s recipe over at Smitten Kitchen. (If you haven’t read her blog, you should leave this sorry bastard stepchild version and check it out.) I used leftover challah (see post 1) that had been frozen, during which process it tends to dry out a bit and therefore become absolutely perfect for soaking up pudding, rather than the suggested french bread. I also accidentally omitted the ginger (if I were you, I might reintroduce that 1/2 tsp).

Anywho, these treats distracted me and my parents from the fact that we were giving very few away—which means that we are currently experiencing an overabundance of treats. Which was just fine, given the results of Tuesday night. Happy Friday!

Smoky, Spicy Pumpkin Soup
Loosely adapted from several blogs

6-7 c. seeded, peeled, and roughly chopped LI cheese pumpkin (~1 8 lb. pumpkin)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp grated ginger
2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp curry powder
salt
pepper
4 c. chicken stock
15 oz. cooked black beans, drained (one can)
2 c. tomatoes, chopped (one can)
1 chipotle pepper, with some of its sauce
1 c. smoked chicken (or pork), diced
½ tsp garam masala
1 tsp smoked paprika
dash of cayenne

Heat oil over medium heat in a large soup pot. When hot, add onion and sprinkle with salt. Cook until translucent, stirring occasionally (~5 mins). Add garlic, celery, ginger, cumin, curry powder, and pepper. Cook until celery is soft and translucent, giving spices time to ‘bloom’ (~5 mins). Add chopped pumpkin, stirring to coat every piece in oil and spices. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add stock, and bring to a boil over high heat. Once soup is boiling, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15-20 mins, until pumpkin is fork-tender. Add black beans and tomatoes (with their juices) to the pot.

(Now for the fun part!) Using an immersion blender or a food processor (in batches! And be prepared to wear some of the soup!), coarsely process the soup. If using a food processor, return to soup pot and warm gently—add pepper, chicken and remaining spices, adjusting to taste (bearing in mind that the heat will grow as the soup sits, for example, in the fridge). Serve alongside a crispy salad and garnished with toasted pumpkin seeds. Throw a Southern Tier Pumking in the mix, if you’re feeling especially festive.

Pumpkin Bread Pudding
From Bon Appetit via Smitten Kitchen

1 ½ c whole milk
¾ c pumpkin puree
½ c sugar
2 large eggs + 1 yolk
½ tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground allspice
pinch of ground cloves
2 tbsp bourbon (optional but OH so good)
5 c. cubed (1 in.) day old bread (I used challah)
6 tbsp (3/4 stick) unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place cubed bread in 8”x8” baking dish. Whisk together milk, pumpkin, sugar, eggs and yold, salt, spices, butter and bourbon. Pour over bread. Bake 25-30 minutes, or until custard has set. Serve warm, mit schlag.