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SLICE OF LIFE   By Eileen Goltz

The month long shul fest called the high holidays is not usually a time where those of us who prepare the meals have a lot of "extra" time to potchkie around. While I'll save time by buying my challah and perhaps a honey cake or two I always take the time to prepare the fresh pumpkin puree I use in so many of my holiday dishes. In my not so humble opinion, fresh pumpkin is infinitely better tasting than the stuff that comes out of cans. Readily available and affordable this time of year pumpkin is rich in Vitamin A and potassium, has no cholesterol and is high in fiber. Pumpkins are available in all shapes, colors and sizes all equally delicious. Choose pumpkins that free of bruises and blemishes, still have their stems intact, and which feel heavy for their size. Store in a cool, dry place for up to a month, or refrigerate for up to three months. If you don't feel like taking the time to make your own pumpkin puree the pre-cooked canned variety can be purchased in cans to use for most recipes with not too much of a difference in taste. Fresh pumpkin can be pared and cooked in the manner of most any squash, either by cutting into chunks and simmering for 20-40 minutes, depending on size and age, draining it and when cool enough to handle, removing the skin and purée. You can also roast the pumpkin in half crosswise and scoop out the seeds and stringy material. Place the halves, cut sides up, on a foil lined baking sheet. Cover and seal each half with foil Bake in a preheated 350 oven until the flesh is very tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Cool until able to handle. Scoop out the flesh and mash with a potato masher, puree in a blender or processor. If the puree is too watery drain it in a fine sieve. The puree will keep up to 5 days in the refrigerator and up to 6 months in the freezer. Miniature pumpkins make impressive individual baking and serving dishes for the holiday table. Cut a circle out around the stem and scrape out the seeds and pulp. Scrape out some of the flesh from the sides of the pumpkin as well, in order to make room for your stuffing. Keep the lids in tact. Place the mini pumpkins and lids in a baking dish and add about an inch of water. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. You want the pumpkins to be somewhat cooked, but still firm. Carefully stuff the pumpkins with rice, vegetables or even stuffing. Return stuffed pumpkins to the oven and bake until the filling is cooked. Serve each guest their own stuffed mini-pumpkin.  

SPICY PUMPKIN POUND CAKE

  • 2 1/2 cups cake flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 4 eggs, at room temperature, separated
  • 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1 cup butter or margarine, at room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon whiskey or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups lightly packed brown sugar
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree, fresh or canned
  • Powder sugar for dusting the cake

Preheat oven to 350. Position rack in lower third of oven. Spray a 10-inch tube pan or 12-cup Bundt cake pan with vegetable spray and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cardamom. Set aside. Separate the eggs. Place the yolks in a small bowl and whites in a large mixing bowl. In another large bowl, beat the butter until smooth. Add the brown sugar a half a cup at a time beating well after each addition. Beat in the whiskey or vanilla and continue beating for about 3 minutes. Beat the yolks with a fork then add them to the sugar mixture, one-third at a time. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down sides of bowl as you mix.
Add pumpkin puree and beat until smooth. With a wooden spoon, stir in 1/3 of the flour mixture. Beat just until dry ingredients are incorporated. Continue adding remaining flour in two batches. Set aside. Add cream of tartar to egg whites and beat until soft peaks form. Gently fold whites into pumpkin batter. Spoon the batter into prepared pan. Gently spread the batter evenly around pan. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a cake plate. Allow to completely cool. Dust with powdered sugar. Serves 12 to 16.
 

PUMPKIN DIP

  • 2 cups pumpkin puree
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

In a bowl of an electric mixer or food processor cream together the pumpkin, brown sugar and cream cheese. Add in cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg until well blended. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Serve with gingersnaps and graham crackers.

PUMPKIN PECAN BARS

Cookie Crust:

  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecan
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1/4 cup melted butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Filling:
  • 1 cup pureed pumpkin
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Topping:

  • 1 small package (3 ounces) cream cheese
  • 1 cup confectioners' sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 24 pecan halves

Grease an 8-inch square baking pan. Preheat oven to 350. In a bowl combine the 1/2 cup flour, rolled oats, 1/2 cup chopped pecans, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Mix well and press the mixture into the prepared baking pan. Bake crust for 10 minutes and then let cool completely.
In a bowl combine the pureed pumpkin, 2 eggs, milk, 1/2 cup brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger. Mix well. Pour the mixture over the cooled cookie base; Bake for about 40 minutes, or until set. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
Beat cream cheese at medium speed until creamy. Add the confectioners' sugar and vanilla to the cream cheese and beat until smooth. Spread the topping over the cooled filling. Cut into 12 bars and decorate with pecan halves. Serves 12.
 

ITALIAN SAUSAGE AND PUMPKIN PASTA 

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 pound kosher Italian sausage
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
  • 4 to 6 sprigs sage leaves, cut into thin strips, about 2 tablespoons
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup cooked pumpkin
  • 1/2 cup rice milk
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, ground or freshly grated
  • Coarse salt and black pepper
  • 1 pound penne pasta, cooked al dente
  • pine nuts for garnish

In a large skillet heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and brown the sausage in it. Transfer sausage to paper towel lined plate. Drain fat from skillet and return pan to the stove. Add the remaining tablespoon oil, and then the garlic and onion. Saute 3 to 5 minutes until the onions are tender. Add bay leaf, sage, and wine to the pan. Reduce wine by half, about 2 minutes. Add stock and pumpkin and stir to combine, stirring sauce until it comes to a bubble. Return sausage to pan, reduce heat, and stir in the rice milk. Season the sauce with the cinnamon and nutmeg, and salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer mixture 5 to 10 minutes to thicken sauce. Return drained pasta to the pot you cooked it in. Remove the bay leaf from sauce and pour the sausage pumpkin sauce over pasta. Combine sauce and pasta and toss over low heat for 1 minute. Garnish the pasta with pine nuts. Serves 4 to 6.
 

ROAST CHICKEN WITH CURRIED PUMPKIN PASTA

  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon margarine
  • 2 cup cooked pumpkin
  • 1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
  • 1/3 to 1/2 cup rice milk
  • 1 to 2 tablespoon curry powder
  • fresh black pepper
  • 1 pound cooked angle hair pasta
  • 6 roasted chicken breasts or leg and thigh combination

Melt the margarine over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Saute the garlic until just slightly brown. Add the pumpkin and tomato sauce. Thin the sauce to desired consistency with the rice milk. Stir in curry powder to taste (at least 1 tablespoon.) and sprinkle with fresh black pepper. Simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes to blend flavors. Divide the cooked pasta between 6 plates and place a piece of roasted chicken on top. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve. You can also omit the chicken and toss the sauce with the noodles for a lite vegetarian dish. Serves 6.
 

PUMPKIN SOUP  

  • 1 large onion, diced medium
  • 3 stalks celery, diced medium
  • 2 carrots, diced medium
  • 1 large leek, diced medium
  • 2 cups pumpkin, fresh, cooked or canned
  • 6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • pinch of clove
  • pinch of nutmeg
  • salt to taste
  • 1cup soy milk, rice milk, or half and half

Place all the ingredients in a stock pot. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce it to a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes and remove from heat. Let cool for 15 minutes and then serve. Serves 6 to 8.
 

PUMPKIN WILD RICE SOUP

  • 1/2 cup wild rice, uncooked
  • 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
  • 1 cup onion, chopped
  • 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • 2 cups cooked fresh or 16 ounce can pumpkin
  • 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
  • 1 cup cream or non dairy substitute
  • chives, parsley or roasted pumpkin seeds for garnish

Cook the wild rice according to package directions, drain. Melt the butter or margarine in large saucepan and add the onion and cook until light brown. Stir in broth and pumpkin and cook 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the wild rice and pepper and bring to a boil. Add the cream and bring the soup back to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Serves 6 to 8. This recipe can be doubled or tripled

Tip: Once you add the cream, the longer it simmers the thicker it will get. Garnish with fresh chives, parsley or roasted pumpkin seeds.
 

PUMPKIN WITH CHICKEN AND ZUCCHINI

  • 4 pounds of cut up chicken
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/3 cup onion (finely chopped)
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 2 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" cubes
  • 2 cup fresh pumpkin peeled and cut into 1" cube
  • 2/3 cup dry white wine
  • 2 teaspoons dried rosemary
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 zucchini cut into 1/4" slices
  • lemon wedges, optional

Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the chicken and cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until lightly brown, turning to brown evenly and adding onion and garlic during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Add the potatoes and pumpkin. In a bowl combine the wine, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Pour the sauce over the chicken and vegetables. Bring mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat. Cover and simmer for 25 minutes. Add zucchini. Cover and cook about 5 minutes more or until chicken and vegetables are tender and chicken is no longer pink. Using a slotted spoon, transfer chicken and vegetables to a serving platter. Serve with the pan juices as sauce. If desired, garnish with lemon wedges. Serves 6.

© Eileen Goltz

 
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