Number two pumpkin day . Our three pumpkins for $10 that we bought near Millers Flat on the drive through to start our Isolation and lockdown have been the cheapest vegetable for us and we still have one to go.
Philip offered to cut the pumpkin into slices and peel it for me, while I was left with the dicing when he went back to his computer. . Its best not to layer up the pumpkin in your roasting dish . otherwise you will get steamed pumpkin and it won’t be golden and crispy. I added a whole bulb of garlic that I will use in my planned Risotto and Soup. Toss all the pumpkin with olive oil, Season with flaky salt and ground black pepper. Bake at 200 C for 30 min or until looking crispy.
Pumpkin, Tomato and Lentil Soup
2/3 rds of your diced, roasted pumpkin, 1 onion- diced, 2/3rds of your baked garlic, 6 large tomatoes, blanched, peeled and diced, (or can of diced tomatoes) 1 litre chicken stock , 1 cup red lentils .
In a large saucepan sauté the diced onion in a little olive oil until softened, add pumpkin, diced tomatoes, softened garlic cloves, chicken stock and red lentils. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes or so. It maybe very thick so add hot water to thin down. Season with salt and pepper.
Roast Pumpkin and Bacon Risotto
250 grams arborio rice, 1 red onion – diced, 1/3 rd softened baked garlic, 4 rashers bacon – diced, 1/2 cup white wine 600 mls chicken stock (hot) , 1/3 of a roasted diced pumpkin, 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup dhopped parsley
In a medium sized saucepan saute onion, softened garlic and diced bacon. Add rice and cook until starting to toast. Add white wine and stir until absorbed. Ladle hot stock into the rice, while stirring all the time. The stock will be absorbed and the rice will be wanting more stock (my Italian friend Allesio used to tell me the rice was talking and wanting more stock). Continue adding the stock until all is absorbed. Season with salt and pepper. Fold through the diced pumpkin and heat. You may need a little boiling water. Your Risotto should be soft and slide off a spoon. Add grated parmesan and chopped parsley – Serve immediately . It is so delicious.
Please note the large bowl of Risotto in the front wasn’t mine!!!
I have picked a bowl of pears from one of the vineyard fruit trees. My favourite recipe has stem ginger and supermarkets in Cromwell didn’t stock this item. I had some root ginger and bought more after going on line and finding a recipe for Stem Ginger. It was actually very easy. So here is my stem ginger recipe and the pear chutney will follow.
Making your own Sweet Stem Ginger
600 grams root ginger, 600 grams sugar, 600 mls water.
Peel root ginger and cut into cubes about 2cm square. Place in saucepan, cover with water. Bring to the boil and simmer for about an hour until tender. Remove the ginger from the water. Measure 300 mls ginger water add sugar . Bring to the boil slowly to dissolve the sugar. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add ginger back into the syrup, simmer for 20 minutes. Spoon into clean, dry, hot jar.
Stay Safe XXX
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