Pumpkin soup is a popular dish in Jamaica, often prepared rustically, with chunks of pumpkin, chayote and okra, spicy with scotch bonnet peppers, and perhaps even a chicken foot or two! But the pumpkin soup we fell in love with was smooth, creamy and scented with thyme. It was such a favorite of my husband’s that I experimented at home so we could have it at any time.

The last few Thanksgivings have been a bit different for us, as they have been for many others. Since we aren’t accommodating the schedules of children or out of state guests, the meal has evolved into a day long eat-a-thon! We always start with “snacks”, as the charcuterie board has come to be known, accompanied by kir royale cocktails. Without anyone in a rush to get somewhere else, we have added a pumpkin course before the main event. This is usually either pumpkin ricotta gnocchi or pumpkin soup.

It makes a perfect Fall meal with the addition of good, crusty bread and some cheese, or an excellent first course for Thanksgiving dinner!

Pumpkin Soup Photo Tutorial

The ingredients for pumpkin soup are simple and natural. This recipe is gluten free and vegetarian. Not shown is the optional hot pepper. (Or the bay leaves. Oops!)

The pumpkins are cut in half and all of the seeds and stringy innards scooped out.

Once the pumpkins are cleaned, it is time to roast them. Roasting intensified the flavors–and saves the cook from the unpleasant task of peeling the pumpkins! The skins will simply peel away from the flesh after the pumpkins are fully cooked. The roasted pumpkins are darker in color, soft throughout and the skin begins to shrivel.

While the pumpkins are roasting, chop onions and celery and grate fresh ginger.

After sautéing the vegetables, peel the skin away from the roasted pumpkin and add the pumpkin to the pot, along with the ginger, bay leaves, fresh thyme, optional jalapeno or scotch bonnet pepper and water.

Then everything simmers until the vegetables are soft and you are ready to puree the soup.

The soup is returned to the pan, adjusted to taste with salt and pepper and gently warmed.

Ladle into bowls, garnish and enjoy!

Garnish each bowl with crumbled goat cheese and a sprinkle of fresh thyme and Aleppo pepper:

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Pumpkin Soup

A smooth, Jamaican inspired pumpkin soup

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Soup

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours

Servings 4

Equipment

• Blender: regular or immersion
• Stock pot

Ingredients

• 5 lb sugar pumpkins
• 1 onion chopped
• 2 stalks celery chopped
• 2 T olive oil
• 2 tsp ginger grated
• 1 jalapeno or scotch bonnet pepper seeds removed and chopped. *Optional*
• 2 bay leaves
• 5 sprigs thyme plus more for garnish
• 4 C water
• salt
• pepper
• 2 ounces goat cheese
• Aleppo pepper

Instructions

For the roasted pumpkin:

• Cut the pumpkins in half and scoop out all of the seeds and fibers in the center. Place face down on a foil lined, rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 350 F for 45-50 minutes, until a fork easily pierces the flesh. Remove from the oven and cool.

For the soup:

• Heat the olive oil in a stock pot until shimmering. Add the onions and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the ginger and hot pepper (if using) and stir briefly. Add bay leaves, thyme and water.
• Peel the skin from the cooked pumpkin and add the pumpkin to the pot with the rest of the ingredients.
• Bring the soup to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes, until everything is softened.
• Remove from the heat and puree with an immersion blender, or carefully transfer to a blender container and process in batches.

  Return the soup to the pan and gently reheat. Add more water if your soup seems too thick. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serving

• Ladle the soup into bowls and top with crumbled goat cheese, more fresh thyme and a sprinkle of Aleppo pepper.

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It’s Pumpkin Season!  Ok, honestly, I could take or leave a lot of the crazy pumpkin flavored products that flood the market this time of year…but I have always loved Fall. I love the cooler days and the gorgeous foliage here in New England; I especially love feeling inspired to spend Sundays in the kitchen with the range running and delicious smells filling the house.  And one thing that says “It’s Fall!” to me is pumpkin ricotta gnocchi (with a healthy dose of sage brown butter, of course!).

Gnocchi are small Italian dumplings and they may be flavored with cheese, potato, herbs or even chocolate or prunes. I typically find that gnocchi dough made from potatoes is easier to handle, but may produce a heavy finished product. Conversely, dough made from ricotta is more difficult to work with, but the gnocchi are light and tender. The answer? A combination of both, with pumpkin standing in for potato in this Autumn version.

This is a dish that can be made in advance (see notes for freezing at the end) and is both festive enough to serve as a first course for Thanksgiving and elegant enough for a dinner party. 

Edit: Thanks to a wonderful reader, I have been made aware that this recipe works well with gluten free flour! She used Cup for Cup. I also like Authentic Foods GF Classical Blend.

Recipe and Ingredient notes for Pumpkin Ricotta Gnocchi

Pumpkin: Either canned or fresh pumpkin work well here, but the secret is to remove excess water. Cooking the pumpkin puree briefly on the stovetop drives off excess water and intensifies the pumpkin flavor.

Flour: Either all-purpose or the Italian type 00 flour work well.

Technique: The flour is given as a range, because how much you will need to use will depend on the moisture content of your pumpkin and ricotta. The key to tender gnocchi is a) add only the minimum amount of flour needed to prevent sticking and b) do not overwork the dough, as this will develop gluten.

Add just enough flour to the dough so that you can shape it. Your work surface and your hands should be lightly floured.  

After the dough rests, divide it into eight pieces. Cover the ones that you aren’t using with a towel. Roll each piece out to about 15″ long and cut into 3/4″ pieces. Transfer the pieces to a parchment lined baking sheet. Optionally, you can use the tines of a fork to create ridges on the gnocchi.

Cover your gnocchi until they are ready to be cooked.

Or… freeze them on the baking sheet. When they are completely solid, transfer to a ziplock bag and store in the freezer until you are ready to use them. The gnocchi can go directly from the freezer to boiling water.

Cooking:

Everything comes together quickly at the end, so while the salted water is boiling, set up a colander inside a bowl and start browning the butter in a skillet.

The sage is cut very finely and added to the brown butter.

The gnocchi will sink to the bottom of the pan of water. When they float to the surface, they are done and can be removed to the colander with a slotted spoon.

Carefully transfer the drained gnocchi to the brown butter and sage mixture. The gnocchi can be cooked briefly in the brown butter, to just transfer the flavors or they can be cooked a little longer until the outside is golden and crispy. Your call! They are both delicious.

Serve with freshly ground pepper and grated Parmesan cheese.

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Pumpkin Ricotta Gnocchi

A recipe for pumpkin and ricotta gnocchi, served with a brown butter and sage sauce

Ingredients

• 1 15oz can pumpkin puree
• 1 C ricotta cheese whole milk
• 1 Egg
• 1 Egg yolk
• 3/4 C grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 2 1/4-2 1/2 C flour
• 1 stick butter
• 4-5 leaves sage slivered

Instructions

• Cook pumpkin puree over very low heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring often. The pumpkin will darken in color and become dryer.
• Combine pumpkin, ricotta, egg, yolk, Parmesan, salt and lemon zest in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on medium low speed until smooth. Add about 2C of flour and mix until just combined.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Continue working additional flour into the dough until it is smooth and you can just work it without excessive sticking.  Cover with a towel and let it rest for 20 minutes.
• Divide the dough into eight pieces. Working with one piece at a time (keep the rest covered), roll it out into a 15″ rope. Cut the rope into 3/4″ pieces and transfer them to a parchment lined baking sheet. Keep the gnocchi covered until you are ready to cook them, or freeze immediately.
• To cook: Bring a large pan of well salted water to a boil. Drop the gnocchi into the water. They will sink. When the gnocchi rise to the surface, remove with a slotted spoon.
• For brown butter and sage sauce: Place a stick of butter in a skillet. Heat over medium low until the butter foams and then the solids become golden brown. Watch it carefully to avoid burning. Add the slivered sage.
• Carefully transfer the drained gnocchi to the skillet with the brown butter sauce. Beware of spattering! Mix to combine and serve with grated Parmesan cheese. Alternatively, the gnocchi can be cooked for a few minutes in the butter until they are golden and crispy.

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If hummus is year round comfort food, tzatziki positively sings of summer! This Greek dip is cool and creamy, tangy and herbal. It has reached condiment status in our house and it would be as unthinkable to run out of tzatziki as it would  ketchup! Here is a little Greek inspiration, where it seems to show up alongside every plate:

Tzatziki makes a great dip for veggies; it elevates any simple grilled meat or fish. Mediterranean diet? Tzatziki is the natural complement for most meals. It is also a simple and delicious way to add dairy and calcium to your diet.

Ingredient Notes

Greek Yogurt: If you don’t have Greek yogurt, you can substitute regular plain yogurt, although it needs to be drained through cheesecloth or coffee filters overnight first. Full fat yogurt will be more luxurious, although 2% still makes a very nice tzatziki.

Dill: I have written this recipe for dried dill, but fresh is even better. Finely chop the leaves (discard the stems) and use 3x as much.

Garlic: I usually use garlic powder, but you may substitute 2-3 cloves of fresh garlic, very finely minced.

Vinegar: I usually use white vinegar, but red wine vinegar may be substituted.

Proportions: The beauty of tzatziki is that you can easily adapt it to suit your tastes. Add more or less garlic or dill. 

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Tzatziki

A delicious and versatile Greek yogurt dip

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Ingredients

• 1 qt Greek yogurt
• 1 cucumber
• 1 1/2 tsp dill dry
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 T vinegar white or red wine

Instructions

• Peel and grate the cucumber. Squeeze out as much water as you can,
• Add cucumber and the remaining ingredients to a medium size bowl. Mix well and adjust seasonings to taste.

Tzatziki Pictorial

It seems obvious, but take a minute to make sure you have everything before you start. Here, all of the ingredients are out and ready to go.

The first step is to peel and grate the cucumber. You will see a lot of liquid released as  you do this. It is important to squeeze out the cucumber to prevent watery tzatziki.

Mixed and ready to eat! This comes together so quickly you can make it while the grill is heating.

That’s it! Now go dip something! Try crudites, Syrian bread or even chips. Spread it on a sandwich in place of mayonnaise. Try some on pizza or stirred into potato salad.  

What’s your favorite? Leave a note in the comments!

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Of course we all want to hang on to every last minute of summer but Autumn is just around the corner and that means back to school and organized activities and tailgates, and……and that means many, many opportunities for a snack hero! Try  Pepperoni Hero Bread or one of the other variations and your family will think of you that way after just one taste. It is portable and delicious–perfect as a snack or with a cup of  tomato soup for lunch. This is one that won’t be traded away!

We are going to start with the dough from the Cuban style bread. It is quick to make, but it’s particularly great for stuffed breads because it is so easy to work with. Really, you are only limited by what’s in your pantry and your family’s tastes.

Recipe Notes

Resist the urge to overfill the bread, especially with greasy ingredients. Cheese helps to hold things together (and out of your lap when you are eating!), but if it leaks out during baking we are talking “disable the smoke detector and scrub the bottom of the oven” level mess.

On a related note, make sure that the seam is sealed well. Pinch it with your fingers and when you put the bread on the baking sheet, be sure that the seam is placed at the bottom.

I like to use a silicone baking mat for kneading and shaping.  It has inch markings along the sides, but more importantly it resists sticking and is so easy to clean. Just carry it to the sink.

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Pepperoni Hero Bread

Bread stuffed with pepperoni and cheese

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 16

Ingredients

• 1 recipe Cuban style bread dough
• 4 oz pepperoni
• 8 oz shredded cheese

Instructions

• Divide dough into two pieces. Roll each into a 16×10″ rectangle.
• Arrange pepperoni over dough, leaving a 1/2″ border of dough all around. Sprinkle the cheese on top.
• Beginning with the long edge closest to you, roll the dough, stretching slightly as you go. Pinch the seam to seal and turn the ends under.
• Place the rolled dough on a parchment lined baking sheet with the seam side down. Optional: brush the top with beaten egg for a shiny glaze.
• Bake at 350° oven for about 30 min. until golden brown. The loaf should sound hollow if you rap on the bottom.
• Cool before slicing.

Pictorial 

Here is the dough just after the 15 minute proof. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface.

Divide the dough into two equal pieces. Working with one piece at a time, roll it out to approximately 16″x10″.

Now it’s time to fill the bread. In this example, I have used about 2 ounces of pepperoni and 4 oz (about one cup) of shredded cheese. Be sure to leave about 1/2″ of dough uncovered around the edges.

Starting with the long side, roll the bread tightly, stretching slightly as you turn it.

Seal the seam tightly and turn the ends under. Transfer the roll to a parchment covered baking sheet. For a shiny glaze, beat an egg and brush on top before baking. 

Bake at 350° for about 30 minutes. The loaf should be golden brown and sound hollow if you rap on the bottom.

Hero Bread Variations

Spinach: Use raw spinach and cheese. A sprinkle of basil and/or oregano is nice here, too.

Pesto: Pesto and cheese.

Ham and Cheese: Thinly sliced deli ham and shredded cheddar plus some chopped pickles

Chicken Parmesan: cooked chicken breast, mozzarella and tomato sauce

Meatball: sliced or chopped meatballs, mozzarella and tomato sauce

Antipasto: assorted sliced Italian meats with cheese and diced roasted red peppers

Leave a note in the comments to share your favorites!

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In our family, my mother-in-law’s hummus was pretty universally acknowledged as The Best. Holiday, party or celebration? She was there with the hummus, no questions asked. And long before it became the ubiquitous staple that it is today, she made hummus that converted skeptics and enticed reluctant teenagers to commit to car rides and hours of enforced family time. It was that good.

Reproducing her hummus recipe

Agnes was a 4’11”, 90 lb force of nature. A first generation Syrian-American, she  took great pride in both her heritage and her authentic Middle Eastern cooking.  Sadly,  she died a few years ago from complications of Alzheimer’s disease and when we cleaned out her home I was lucky enough to inherit her recipes.  She was the type of cook who used a spoonful of this and a handful of that, so when I found her attempts to write out this recipe that she had made so often, it was greatly appreciated.  It took a few false starts before I realized that that “1 cup” didn’t literally mean one cup, but instead “1 (5 oz) Dixie cup”… the type that she always kept on the counter for the grandchildren. But of course!

With the proportions nailed down we were able to recreate her amazing hummus….it was rich, but also light, perfectly smooth and with a bright tang from the lemon juice. My kids hate recipe tinkering, but I just can’t help it.  Could it be even better? Two small ingredient changes and I was satisfied: I switched to Soom tahini and used freshly squeezed lemons instead of the bottled juice that was more readily available to Agnes.

For really great hummus, the texture is at least as important as the flavor. One of the chief complaints about supermarket hummus is the grainy consistency. Even homemade can feel gritty, leading some cooks to feel that making their own isn’t worth the trouble. The key here is patience! You need to keep blending, long after the ingredients are combined…when the hummus starts to warm, the mixture will be emulsified, light and smooth.

A note on ingredients:

You can make delicious hummus with products from any regular supermarket, but there are a few brands that I recommend to take your hummus to the next level:

Chick peas: Freshly cooked are fabulous, but you need to plan ahead for overnight soaking and cooking. If you choose to use canned, as I do most of the time, Progresso makes the best tasting ones I have found. (Cooks Illustrated agrees). Goya also has its fans: https://food52.com/blog/21680-canned-chickpeas.  To remove the skins or leave them on? Separating the skins is a true labor of love as it is ridiculously time consuming, although it will produce a smoother hummus. Is it worth it? For me, no, but go ahead…try it once and see what you think!

Tahini: sesame paste lends richness and a nutty flavor to the hummus. Some brands are more bitter than others, and some supermarket tahini is not as fresh as it might be. I find that Soom is consistently mild and delicious. https://www.soomfoods.com  or buy at Amazon.com: https://amzn.to/2LSYP6m

Lemon juice: Bottled lemon juice will work in a pinch, but there is really no substitute for freshly squeezed.

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Hummus

Ingredients

• 2 19 oz cans chick peas rinsed and drained
• 2 oz vegetable oil or olive oil
• 4 oz tahini
• 5 oz lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cumin

Instructions

• Place all ingredients in food processor. Let it run for 5-7 minutes until the hummus is very smooth and warm to the touch. Adjust seasonings to taste. If it is too thick, add more water, lemon juice or reserved liquid from the chick peas.

  Serve with extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of cumin.

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