Dayrecipe Food Community

“The Watermark restaurant here in Cleveland is my favorite place to take out-of-town guests—and I find other excuses to go, too,” writes Bob Charleton of Cleveland, Ohio. ” Last time I went there, I had lunch in the Garden Room, a glassed-in space overlooking the Cuyahoga River. The highlight of the meal was an unusual pumpkin soup topped with cheddar cheese.”

Surprisingly easy to make, this soup is flavored with cumin and chili powder.

Makes 4 (first-course) servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 3cups chicken stock or canned
  low-salt chicken broth
• 1cup whipping cream
• 115-ounce can pure pumpkin3tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar
• 1teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/8teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3/4cup (packed) grated sharp cheddar cheese
• chopped fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS Bring chicken stock and whipping cream to boil in heavy medium pot. Whisk in canned pumpkin, brown sugar, cumin, chili powder, coriander and nutmeg. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until soup thickens slightly and flavors blend, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Soup can be prepared up to 1 day ahead. Cool. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium-low heat, whisking occasionally.) Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish each serving with cheddar cheese and cilantro and serve.

Here is a colorful dressing that is baked
alongside—rather than inside—the turkey.

Makes 10 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 2cups shelled pumpkin seeds* (about 10 ounces)3/4cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 4cups finely chopped onions
• 2cups finely chopped celery
• 1teaspoon dried thyme
• 1teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1teaspoon crumbled dried sage leavesgreen onion corn bread, cooled, cut into 3/4-inch pieces (about 12 cups)
• 115-ounce loaf white country-style bread, crusts trimmed, cut into3/4-inch pieces (about 6 cups)
• 1pound dried apricots,quartered
• 1/2cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 1/2teaspoons ground black pepper5large eggs
• 4 3/4cups canned low-salt chicken broth
• 2teaspoons salt

DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 325°F. Stir 2 cups shelled pumpkin seeds in heavy medium skillet over medium heat until seeds are golden and beginning to pop, about 8 minutes. Set aside.
Butter 15×10x2-inch glass baking dish. Melt 3/4 cup butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onions, chopped celery, dried thyme, dried marjoram and crumbled dried sage. Sauté until vegetables are almost tender, about 12 minutes. Remove onion mixture from heat; cool.

Combine corn bread pieces, white bread pieces, quartered apricots and pumpkin seeds in very large bowl. Add onion mixture, 1/2 cup chopped parsley and pepper and stir to blend well. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring bread-onion mixture to room temperature before continuing.)

Whisk eggs, broth and 2 teaspoons salt in medium bowl to blend. Stir into bread-onion mixture. Spoon dressing into prepared baking dish. Cover tightly with foil. Bake dressing 40 minutes. Uncover and bake until dressing is cooked through and top is golden brown, about 50 minutes longer.

*Pumpkin seeds are also known as pepitas. They are available at Latin American markets, natural foods stores and many supermarkets nationwide.

“I have never been a bread-pudding fan,” writes Marie Hernandez of Chicago. “But after trying the pumpkin bread pudding at Wildfire restaurant in Oak Brook, Illinois, I think I’ve changed my mind. Had I know that this dessert could be so good, I would have started eating it long ago.”

Do as the restaurant does, and serve this with sweetened whipped cream.

Makes 6 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• bread pudding
• 2cups half and half
• 115-ounce can pure pumpkin
• 1cup (packed) plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 2large eggs
• 1 1/2teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 1/2teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2teaspoons vanilla extract
• 10cups 1/2-inch cubes egg bread (about 10-ounces)
• 1/2cup golden raisinscaramel sauce
• 1 1/4cups (packed) dark brown sugar
• 1/2cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/2cup whipping creampowdered sugar

DIRECTIONS For bread pudding: Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk half and half, pumpkin, dark brown sugar, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and vanilla extract in large bowl to blend. Fold in bread cubes. Stir in golden raisins. Transfer mixture to 11×7-inch glass baking dish. Let stand 15 minutes. Bake pumpkin bread pudding until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare caramel sauce: Whisk brown sugar and butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until butter melts. Whisk in cream and stir until sugar dissolves and sauce is smooth, about 3 minutes.

Sift powdered sugar over bread pudding. Serve warm with caramel sauce.

This needs to chill overnight, so plan accordingly.

Makes 12 to 16 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• crust
• 9whole graham crackers (about4 ounces), broken
• 1/4cup sugar
• 1teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4cup (1/2 stick) butter, meltedfilling
• 48-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 1/2cups sugar
• 3large eggs
• 115-ounce can pure pumpkin
• 1cup whipping cream
• 2teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4teaspoon ground cloves

DIRECTIONS For crust:Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Wrap double layer of heavy-duty foil around outside of 10-inch-diameter springform pan. Combine graham crackers, sugar, and cinnamon in processor. Blend until graham crackers are very finely ground. Drizzle butter over. Using on/off turns, blend until crumbs begin to stick together. Press crumbs onto bottom (not sides) of springform pan. Bake until crust is slightly golden, about 10 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool while preparing filling. Maintain oven temperature.

For filling:Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until smooth and fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Add pumpkin and remaining 7 ingredients. Beat just until blended. Pour filling into prepared crust. Place springform pan in large roasting pan. Add enough water to come halfway up sides of springform pan.

Bake cheesecake until slightly puffed and softly set and top is golden, about 1 1/2 hours. Transfer springform pan to rack and cool. Cover and refrigerate cake overnight.

Using knife, cut around sides of pan to loosen cake. Release pan sides. Cut cheesecake into wedges and serve.

Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 1 hr

Makes 4 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 4miniature pumpkins (preferably jack-be-little; 3 1/2 to 4 inches in diameter) for risotto
• 1 1/4cups diced (1/4 inch) peeled seeded fresh pumpkin (preferably from sugar or cheese pumpkins)
• 2cups chicken stock
• 2cups water
• 1small onion, finely chopped
• 1tablespoon olive oil
• 3/4cup arborio rice
• 1oz grated parmigiano-reggiano(1/3 cup)
• 1tablespoon unsalted butterfor scallops
• 20large sea scallops(1 1/2 lb), tough muscle removed from side of each if necessary
• 1 1/2tablespoons olive oil
• 3tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2tablespoons thinly sliced fresh sage
• 2tablespoons white truffleoil

DIRECTIONS Roast miniature pumpkins:
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Roast whole miniature pumpkins in a small roasting pan with 1/2 inch water, tightly covered with foil, until very tender, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool slightly. Cut out tops and reserve, then scoop out seeds. Discard water from roasting pan, then return pumpkin shells to pan and keep warm, covered with foil.

Make risotto while pumpkins roast:
Cook diced pumpkin in a medium saucepan two-thirds full of simmering water until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain in a colander.

Bring stock and 2 cups water to a simmer in a small saucepan and keep at a bare simmer. Cook onion in oil in a 2- to 2 1/2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add 1 cup simmering stock and cook at a strong simmer, stirring constantly, until stock is absorbed. Continue simmering, adding stock 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and letting each addition be absorbed before adding the next, until rice is tender and creamy-looking but still al dente, about 18 minutes total. (There may be broth left over.)

Remove from heat and stir in diced pumpkin, cheese, and butter, stirring until butter is melted. Season with salt and pepper and cover to keep warm.

Prepare scallops:
Pat scallops dry and season with salt. Heat oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté scallops, turning once, until golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. If scallops are not cooked through, reduce heat to moderate and cook about 2 minutes more. Transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon and discard any oil remaining in skillet (do not clean skillet).

Cook butter in same skillet over moderate heat until it foams and turns light brown. Add sage and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in truffle oil. Season with salt.

To serve:Put each pumpkin shell on a plate, fill with risotto, and cover with reserved tops. Arrange scallops around pumpkin and drizzle with sage butter.