| Pumpkin Recipes for a 3-Course Meal |
| Written by Courtney McBroom | |
 More to pumpkin than pumpkin pie.Pumpkin pie has been around since the first pilgrims invited their Native American neighbors over for dinner. But back then, they threw dinner parties differently, with a more relaxed theme. Martha Stewart would have been appalled by the absence of Raynaud china and Waterford crystal, but she would have raved about the creative ways the colonists used their pumpkins. They sliced off the tops and removed the seeds, and then proceeded to fill the cavities with milk, honey and sugar, and bake them whole in hot ashes. Even then, the new Americans knew something it seems that we have forgotten. They had caught on to the many wonderful possibilities of the pumpkin. To wit: there’s more to pumpkin than pie. So don’t fall into the trap as you plan your Thanksgiving feast. You can use the fancy china and crystal, but keep those old pie tins in the cupboard, because we are about to reveal to you a few new recipes that will leave even Martha Stewart smiling proudly. Be it Thanksgiving day, or another autumn day as pumpkins are in season, your guests will give thanks to the fact that they didn’t have to force down another boring piece of pumpkin pie. Pumpkin and Lobster Soup Serves 6-8This soup recipe, from Jeffrey’s restaurant, is sure to please any pumpkin aficionado. Although not currently on the menu at Jeffrey’s, executive chef Alma Alcocer-Thomas loves making it for special occasions. The addition of lobster makes this dish vanish without a trace as soon as it is placed on the dinner table.  2 medium pumpkins, halved and seeded1 onion, roughly chopped 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped 1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped 1 ancho chili, seeded and roughly chopped 2 Tbsp. butter or olive oil ¼ cup cream sherry 6 cups lobster stock 2 cups heavy cream 2 cups lobster, cooked and diced Preheat oven to 350°. Place seeded pumpkins meat side down in a large baking dish, add ½ inch of water and bake in oven for approximately one hour, or until soft and cooked completely through. Let cool slightly, then, using a large spoon, scoop the cooked meat from the pumpkin and reserve. Discard the outer skin. Meanwhile, in a medium stockpot over medium high heat, melt butter. Add onion, celery, carrot and ancho pepper to stock pot, and sauté until veggies are translucent, stirring occasionally, about 4-6 minutes. Add the sherry to the pot. Add lobster stock, then roasted pumpkin. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 30 to 40 minutes. Add cream, and return to a boil. Remove from heat and blend, in batches, until smooth. (Be careful when blending hot liquids). Strain blended soup through a fine mesh strainer. Just before serving, return soup to a pot and re-heat over low heat. Add cooked lobster and enjoy! Pumpkin and Sausage Lasagna Serves 8Instead of marinara, this lasagna uses pumpkin sauce to create a wickedly good pasta dish. Get creative with the type of sausage you use; this is your chance to show everyone that, like Dr. Frankenstein, you aren’t afraid to experiment. For a vegetarian option, omit sausage and use vegetable stock. 1 medium pie pumpkin, halved 2 Tbsp. olive oil 1 medium onion, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp. fresh ginger, minced  1 ¼ pounds Italian (or lamb) sausage, casings removed, meat crumbled4 cups chicken stock ¼ cup maple syrup 1 ½ tsp. balsamic vinegar 1 ½ Tbsp. fresh herb, such as marjoram, thyme or sage, chopped ½ tsp. cumin ¼ tsp. turmeric ½ tsp. cinnamon Pinch fresh grated nutmeg 1 bay leaf 1 pound whole milk ricotta cheese 1 large egg Sea salt or kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 pound fresh mozzarella, grated 5 oz. fontina, grated 5 oz. parmesan cheese, grated 2 packages lasagna noodles, cooked Preheat oven to 350°. Place seeded pumpkins, meat side down in a large baking dish, add ½ inch of water and bake in oven for approximately one hour, or until soft and cooked completely through. Let cool slightly, then, using a large spoon, scoop the cooked meat from the pumpkin and reserve. Discard the outer skin, and increase oven temperature to 375°. In a large pot, over medium heat, cook olive oil until it becomes shiny. Add garlic, ginger and onions and sauté, stirring occasionally, until onions start to become translucent, about 2 minutes. Add sausage and cook on medium-high heat, stirring, until browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add chicken stock, maple syrup, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, nutmeg, bay leaves and herbs. Squeeze excess water out of pumpkins and add to pot. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes, until sauce has thickened. Season generously with salt and pepper. Set pumpkin sauce aside. Combine ricotta, egg, ¾ tsp. of salt, pepper and half of the mozzarella in a medium bowl. Spread 2 ½ cups of pumpkin sauce in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Place a layer of the cooked noodles over the sauce. Spread 1/3 of the ricotta mixture over the noodles, and sprinkle with 1/3 of the parmesan and 1/3 of the fontina. Place another layer of noodles over the cheese layer. Repeat layering (sauce, noodles, cheese, noodles) two more times, but omit the top noodle layer. Spread 2 ½ cups of sauce over the final cheese layer and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Refrigerate any leftover sauce for another use. Place baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until cheese is golden brown and sauce is bubbling, 45 to 50 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes before slicing and serving. Pumpkin Crème Brulee Serves 6Crème brulee is a classic French dessert that means “burnt cream.” In order to get the perfect sugar caramelization, it’s best to use a small crème brulee torch, but a similar effect can be achieved by putting the custard under the broiler for a few minutes.  2 ¼ cups heavy cream¾ cup milk ½ tsp. cinnamon ¼ tsp. ginger 1/8 tsp. clove ¼ tsp. curry powder 1/8 tsp. cardamom 7 large egg yolks ¾ cup sugar, divided 1/3 cup pumpkin puree 1 Tbsp. brandy Sugar Preheat oven to 325°. In a medium saucepan, bring cream, milk, ½ of the sugar and all of the spices to a boil. Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, wisk together the egg yolks, remaining sugar and pumpkin puree. When the cream mixture boils, remove from heat and pour it into the yolk mixture in a slow stream while constantly wisking the yolks. Add the brandy. Strain the custard base through a fine mesh strainer into six 6-ounce ramekins. (Any remaining base can be covered and stored in the refrigerator to be baked another time.) Place the ramekins in a large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water in the pan to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover the pan with foil and place it in the preheated oven, being careful not to let any of the water spill into the custard. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, until the custard has set. Let custard cool to room temperature and refrigerate for at least three hours before serving. When ready to serve, sprinkle tops of custards with about 2 Tbsp. of sugar, each. Using a crème brulee torch, torch the sugar until it has melted and caramelized. The custards will last in the refrigerator (without the caramelized sugar on top) for about 4 days. |