Happy Fall

In honor of throwback Thursday and the first day of autumn, here’s a favorite from a couple of years ago. Happy fall, y’all! 

Annabel’s & Co. Catering, 2016

Delicious Thai Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients:

1½ kg pumpkin or squash, peeled and roughly chopped
4 tsp sunflower oil
1 onion, sliced
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 lemongrass, bashed a little
3-4 tbsp Thai red curry paste
400ml can coconut milk
850ml vegetable stock
lime juice and sugar, for seasoning
1 red chilli, sliced, to serve (optional)

Directions:

1 – Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Toss the pumpkin or squash in a roasting tin with half the oil and seasoning, then roast for 30 mins until golden and tender.

2 – Meanwhile, put the remaining oil in a pan with the onion, ginger and lemongrass. Gently cook for 8-10 mins until softened. Stir in the curry paste for 1 min, followed by the roasted pumpkin, all but 3 tbsp of the coconut milk and the stock. Bring to a simmer, cook for 5 mins, then fish out the lemongrass. Cool for a few mins, then whizz until smooth with a hand blender, or in a large blender in batches. Return to the pan to heat through, seasoning with salt, pepper, lime juice and sugar, if it needs it. Serve drizzled with the remaining coconut milk and scattered with chilli, if you like.

(Source: bbcgoodfood.com)

Delicious Pumpkin Bread

Servings: Makes 2 loaves
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 65 Minutes
Total Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups sugar
1-1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 15-ounce can 100% pure pumpkin (I use Libby’s)
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease two 8 ½” x 4 ½” loaf pans.
Combine flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and spices in a bowl; use a whisk to mix well and set aside.
In large bowl of an electric mixer, at medium speed, beat butter and sugar until just blended. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until very light and fluffy, a few minutes. Beat in pumpkin.
At low speed, beat in flour mixture until combined. Turn batter into prepared pans, dividing evenly, and bake for about 65 – 75 minutes, or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Let loaves cool in pan about 10 minutes, then turn out on wire rack to cool completely. Fresh out of the oven,the loaves have a deliciously crisp crust. If they last beyond a day, you can toast individual slices to get the same fresh-baked effect.

(Source: onceuponachef.com)

Delicious Throwback Thursday

Check out the fun way we served guacamole in this throwback to an event last year! T’is the season.

© Annabel’s & Co. Catering, 2015

Delicious Pumpkin Grilled Cheese with Apples and Cheddar

Ingredients

• 4 slices challah bread, sliced white or whole grain bread (Udi’s Gluten Free Bread is great for this also)
• 1 small pumpkin
• ½ gala apple, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup sliced or shredded sharp cheddar
• ½ cup baby arugula
• 2 Tbsp butter

Instructions

Cooking the Pumpkin

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Wash the skin of the pumpkin with soap and water.
3. Carefully slice the pumpkin in half, from top to bottom, with a very sharp knife.
4. Scoop out the seeds and throw them away.
5. Place the pumpkin halves in a large baking dish, face down.
6. Fill the dish with ½ cup water then bake the pumpkin for 1 hour.
7. Remove the pumpkin from the oven, carefully flip the halfs over and checked that the flesh is tender with a fork.
8. Set the cooked pumpkin aside to cool enough to handle, around 15 minutes. Scoop out the flesh and throw away the skin. You can store the flesh in an airtight container for up to 1 week in the fridge.

Pumpkin Grilled Cheese

1. Slather butter on the outside of the sliced bread.
2. Scoop some of the cooked pumpkin flesh on the bottom of one slice.
3. Place a layer of sliced apple on the pumpkin.
4. Add the sliced cheddar cheese then a handful of arugula.
5. Warmed a grill pan (you can also use a regular saucepan) over medium heat then add the stacked sandwich, butter side down, to the pan. Top it with the second slice of buttered bread.
6. Push down on the sandwich with a spatula. After three minutes on one side, carefully flip the sandwich, press down again with the spatula and cook for another three minutes. The bread should be toasted on both sides.
7. Remove the grilled cheese from the pan and slice it in half.
8. Follow the same directions for the second sandwich.

(Source: kitchen-tested.com)

Delicious Roasted Pumpkin with Toasted Quinoa, Dates and Sage

Serves 8 -10

 

1 Small Sugar Pumpkin (2 to 3 pounds), halved and seeded

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper

2 Cups Quinoa

2 Cups pitted and julienned Medjool Dates

¼ Cup small fresh sage leaves

Preheat oven to 375f.

Cut the pumpkin into pieces roughly 3 in. square and arrange on a rimmed baking sheet, skin side down.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle of salt and pepper.  Roast the pumpkin until soft, about 1 hour.  Once cool enough to handle, peel off and discard the skin and place the roasted pumpkin flesh in a bowl.

Place a dry skillet over medium heat and add the quinoa.  Toast for 5 to 10 minutes or until the quinoa releases a yummy toasty aroma.

Add 3 cups water and 1 tablespoon kosher salt, cover and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer the quinoa until the water has been absorbed about 25 minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside covered (the steam will finish cooking the quinoa).

Once the quinoa is cooled off a little, add it to the bowl with the roasted pumpkin along with dates, torn sage leaves and 2 tablespoons olive oil.  Toss gently to combine.  Season with more salt and pepper.

 

Serve at room temperature.