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Chef2Chef Recipe Club - Volume 3 Issue 078 - October 16, 2002 Chef2Chef Recipe Club Member Forum: http://forums.chef2chef.net Un/Subscribe: http://chef2chef.net/news/subscribe.htm -------------------------------------------------- Hello Recipe Club, Today Terri Pischoff Wuerthner, CCP will tell us all about pumpkins. I never cared for the taste of pumpkins when I was younger. Pumpkins were for carving Jack-O-Lanterns and then smashing them the day after Halloween! They had a funny name, not really a "Food" name, but a name worthy of the silly faces that were carved into them. That all changed when I grew up and went to work in the professional kitchen. Pumpkin was no longer a thing, but an ingredient, who would have known! A number of years back at a family reunion, I was treated to a fun dessert that was carefully transported by car in a cooler full of dry ice. Pumpkin Ice Cream Freeze they called it. The family has roots in Iowa and this recipe was a family tradition! I wasn't too sure if I'd enjoy that, but I went back for seconds. It's simple to make and I've even served it in restaurants for Thanksgiving dessert. You can see the recipe at the bottom of these pages. Get out your pumpkin carving tools and dive in! It'll be fun. -------------------------------------------------- WEDNESDAY: PUMPKINS That most decorative time of year has arrived, when a few minutes travel in any direction treats us to green fields flecked with bright orange pumpkins. We pick out the perfect pumpkin for carving and then stop at the market on the way home for canned pumpkin to make a pie. Why? Because we're unfamiliar with the use of fresh pumpkins. The pumpkin is such an accommodating vegetable: the mini Jack-o-lanterns make wonderful vessels for dips and patés, the 1 pound size are ideal individual serving containers for soups, stews or casseroles, with the inside of the baked pumpkin being consumed along with the entrée, and a 6-8 pound pumpkin makes the perfect soup tureen. In addition to coming in its own bake-and-serve container, the pumpkin lends itself to both savory and sweet dishes. Pumpkin Facts Sizes of pumpkin available to us range from a few ounces to 827 pounds (the World Record set in 1992 by Joel Holland for growing the World's largest pumpkin) The mini pumpkins known as "Jack-o-lanterns" average 8 ounces and are heavily relied on for decoration this time of year. Hopefully, the recipe for Cambazola-Basil-Walnut Paté will inspire you to also think of these small orange gems as food. Any pumpkin will make a pie, but sugar pumpkins are the usual choice. Cook, purée and drain very, very well to end up with a thick purée. Pumpkin Tips: Select thick-shelled, firm pumpkins that feel solid and heavy Smaller pumpkins are better than large for eating, partly because they are much easier to handle and cook. For individual casseroles, soup, or stew containers, choose pumpkins weighing about 1 pound A 2-3 pound pumpkin is just right for a vegetable or side dish for 6 people. Store pumpkins, unwrapped, in a cool, dry place with good air circulation. Cut pieces should be wrapped and refrigerated. To prepare: wipe or wash pumpkin and cut in half lengthwise. For a large pumpkin, cut off the top, then cut pumpkin in quarters or pieces. Remove and discard fibers (a scissors makes this easy), separating seeds if you intend to use them. To cook: place quartered pumpkin (seeds and fibers removed) on a baking pan with 1/2 inch water in bottom of pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 1/2 hours, or until tender. Mini pumpkins should be baked at 350 degrees for about 60 minutes, or until tender. Cubes of peeled pumpkin may be steamed until tender (about 10-15 minutes) and dressed with butter, nutmeg and cinnamon for a sweet flavor, butter, chives and salt and pepper for savory flavor. To toast pumpkin seeds, separate fibers from seeds, but do not wash seeds. Toss with salt and melted butter in a large bowl (4 cups seeds, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons melted butter). Spread on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 30-40 minutes in a 350 degree oven, stirring every 10 minutes. -------------------------------------------------- Jerky of the Month Club The perfect gift for the hunter or fisherman in your family. Enjoy a healthy lean treat while watching your favorite football team. Gourmet handcrafted beef jerky in your favorite flavors, like Teriyaki or Barbecue delivered to your door for six months. REGISTER TO WIN, Jerky-of-the-month.com is giving away three six-month memberships to lucky Chef2Chef visitors this month! Everyone loves great beef jerky! Register for a chance to win gourmet beef jerky or give your winnings to the jerky lover in your family. http://html.chef2chef.net/goto.php?id=229 -------------------------------------------------- Mini Pumpkins with Cambozola-Basil-Walnut Paté Serves 8 These beautiful cheese filled pumpkins are rich, but make a very special entrée for lunch or brunch, accompanied by simple vegetables or salad. They also make a good hors d'oeuvres, with the dip spread on crackers, baguette slices, or crudités. 8 mini pumpkins, about 8 ounces each* 8 ounces cream cheese 8 ounces cambazola cheese 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts 2 egg whites, lightly beaten 3 garlic cloves, minced 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil leaves 1 teaspoon lemon zest 1/4 teaspoon pepper 8 small whole fresh basil leaves for garnish baguette slices, crackers and/or crudités Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place pumpkins in a baking dish with just enough water to barely cover bottom of pan. Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes. Remove and cool. Slice off the top quarter, leaving stem intact and reserving tops. Carefully remove seeds, fibers and center of pumpkin. Mix remaining ingredients, except whole basil leaves and baguette slices, until smooth and well blended. Divide mixture among pumpkins, placing a basil leaf on top of filling. Return pumpkins to pan, again adding enough water to barely cover bottom of pan, and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Place pumpkins, topped with lids, on individual plates or serving platter, surrounded by baguette slices, crackers or crudités on which to spread the paté. *These 8-ounce pumpkins are know as Jack-o-Lantern or Jack-be-Little. -------------------------------------------------- Recipe Club, looking for unique, one-of-a-kind salsa, sauce and marinade recipes to wow your family and friends? Try "Banditos Quick Treat", a package of cream cheese softened, a 16 oz. Jar of medium or habanero salsa and whip together until fluffy. Delicious! You can find this recipe and many more at Bandana Bandito: http://www.bandito.com Check out their new recipe ebook "Appetizers - Recipes from the Bandit's Wife." http://www.bandito.com/moreinfo.cfm?Product_ID=230 The bandit's wife offers 23 great Bandana Bandito appetizer recipes that are unique, secret and tasty. Order it now for only $5.95 http://www.bandito.com/moreinfo.cfm?Product_ID=230. As you read this, the bandit's wife is in the kitchen secretly preparing other e-recipe-books, filled with great twists to old favorites and unique recipes only the bandit's wife knows about! She'd love to hear your ideas too! Recipe Club, REGISTER TO WIN a Chip and Dip Bowl and an exciting selection of gourmet salsas by clicking here: http://html.chef2chef.net/goto.php?id=238 -------------------------------------------------- Pumpkin-Smoked Duck Ravioli With Sundried Tomato- Oil Serves 8 as appetizer/ 4 as entrée 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 cups sliced leeks, white only 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 pound smoked duck legs, finely chopped (meat & skin)* 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree (canned is fine) 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon white pepper 1 12-oz. package wonton squares (apx. 50 per package) 2 tablespoons olive oil, additional 1 tablespoon butter 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, cut in thin strips (oil from jar of sun-dried tomatoes will be used for brushing serving dish and cooked ravioli) 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley Add olive oil to a large skillet set over medium heat. Sauté leeks and garlic until vegetables are softened and moisture has evaporated. Cool and combine with chopped duck, pumpkin purée, salt and pepper. Place 1 tablespoon pumpkin filling in center of each wonton square. Brush edges of squares with water and place second square over first, pressing out air and sealing edges. Repeat until all are filled, placing filled ravioli on a rack as they are completed. Heat a large pot of water (add a bit of oil to water to prevent sticking) to a gentle boil. Add a few ravioli, bring water back to gentle boil and cook for 2 minutes, or until they rise to the top. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a serving dish brushed with some oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes. Cover and keep warm as remaining ravioli are cooking, brushing each layer with a bit of the sun-dried tomato oil. Combine the additional olive oil, butter, sun-dried tomatoes and parsley and pour over ravioli, gently tossing to combine. *Smoked chicken may be substituted. -------------------------------------------------- Lost Yankee Winter Morels. Why wait till spring when you can enjoy Morels any month of the year? Winter Morels: frozen, bite sized wild Morel caps (no stems), in a low salt, no MSG, chicken, vegetable or beef stock. Recipe developed over five years with advice from two very fine restaurants. Designed to be a versatile Morel product allowing a chef to explore the world of Morel recipes. http://html.chef2chef.net/goto.php?id=237 NOTE: I've had these delicious morels recently and they are every bit as good as this company claims them to be. All the aroma, flavor, texture of fresh picked wild Morels can now be had year round. -------------------------------------------------- Pumpkin Apple Bake With Double-Ginger Pecan Crust Serves 6 The tart apples and ginger keep this dish from being too sweet. It is a welcome change from the ubiquitous sweet potato casserole for the holidays. And it is a wonderful complement to poultry, pork or lamb. 1 3-pound pumpkin, peeled and cut in 1-inch cubes 3 medium-sized tart apples, cored and coarsely chopped 2 tablespoons sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt Oil for baking pan 2 tablespoons cold butter, cut in small pieces 1 cup chopped pecans 1/4 cup candied ginger, chopped 1 teaspoon ground ginger Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Steam pumpkin cubes just until fork-tender. Combine 6 cups pumpkin cubes and apples in a bowl. Toss with sugar and salt and transfer to baking pan that has been lightly oiled. Dot with the butter. Combine pecans, candied ginger and ground ginger. Sprinkle pecan mixture on top of pumpkin in baking dish and bake for 15 minutes, uncovered, in preheated oven. -------------------------------------------------- Pumpkin Ice Cream Freeze Serves 8 1 1/4 cups ginger snap cookies, crushed, about 25 cookies 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup butter, melted 1 quart vanilla ice cream 1 cup canned pumpkin 1 cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 teaspoon nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger Mix the first 3 ingredients, holding back 1/4 cup of the crumbs, in a bowl. Press the mixture into a 8x5 inch baking dish and set aside. Combine the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and pour over the crust. Freeze overnight. Serve with the reserved crumbs on top and maybe add some chopped nuts. -------------------------------------------------- Shopping Lists: 8 mini pumpkins, about 8 ounces each 8 ounces cream cheese 8 ounces cambazola cheese Walnuts 2 eggs 3 garlic cloves Fresh basil leaves Lemon zest Pepper Fresh basil leaves Baguette slices, crackers and/or crudités Olive oil Leeks, white only 2 cloves garlic 1 pound smoked duck legs 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree (canned is fine) Salt White pepper 1 12-oz. package wonton squares (apx. 50 per package) Butter 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil Fresh parsley 1 3-pound pumpkin 3 medium-sized tart apples Sugar Salt Oil Butter Pecans Candied ginger, chopped Ground ginger 1 1/4 cups ginger snap cookies, crushed, about 25 cookies Sugar Butter 1 quart vanilla ice cream Canned pumpkin Brown sugar Vanilla Nutmeg Ground ginger -------------------------------------------------- QUESTIONS, Comments, Technical Support: http://forums.chef2chef.net -------------------------------------------------- ARCHIVE: All Club e-mails are archived each Friday at: http://chef2chef.net/news/club/ -------------------------------------------------- |