All day.
It was a little disorienting to see those fat white flakes falling from the sky before Halloween has even descended upon us. And yet, it was a perfect afternoon to spend in a toasty apartment eating, drinking and transforming pumpkins into spooky (or pretty and seasonal) scenes.
There were some serious creative juices flowing, perhaps inspired by the seasonal libations which included Prosecco with pear liqueur, a pear and gin aperitif, a cocktail I've decided to call Monks at Death's Door (read the recipe below and you'll figure it out), and a new version of the Headless Horseman with Bulleit Rye. The MEs added a flavorful pumpkin beer and an aromatic coconut stout to the mix--both homemade and tasty.
The table was laden to fortify us for the hard work of carving. The menu---two chilis (turkey and veggie), jalapeno poppers, guacamole with chips, and greenmarket vegetables with ramp-pesto dip. HA made delicious pumpkin and butternut squash mini-muffins with cream cheese frosting, a wonderful pumpkin butter, and creepy gourmet wieners that looked like bugs. YN added a delicious apple pie for dessert loaded with vanilla and topped with a brown sugar crumble.
Half the team went to work on their pumpkins after appetizers and were finished lickety-split. I envied their carving prowess, particularly after my own pumpkin nearly drove me out of my gourd. (By the time the madness set in, it was too late to turn back!)
I think all of us managed to hack out an impressive creation, but I'll let you be the judge of who will take home the pumpkin prize for 2011! Here are photos.
Please vote for your top pick using the poll on the top right of the blog!
 |
| Owl and Tree with Moon |
 |
| Jack-o-Lantern |
 |
| Scary Cat |
 |
| Haunted House |
 |
| Winter Wonderland |
 |
| The Raven |
 |
| Hanging Bat |
Recipes from the Bar
Pear and Prosecco
.75 oz. pear liqueur
Prosecco (enough to fill the flute)
Pear and Gin Aperitif
1.25 oz pear liqueur
1 oz gin
Squeeze of lemon juice
(Shake and serve up in a cordial glass. I used Death's Door gin which is heavy on juniper and has a spicy nip. The pear easily gets overpowered. Adjust the ratio to taste according to the gin you are using and the sweetness of the liqueur.)
Monks at Death's Door
2 oz Death's Door Gin
.5 oz Yellow Chartreuse
.5 oz St. Germaine Elderflower
Squeeze of lemon
(Shake and serve up. This is LP's concoction.)
Recipes from the Table
Pumpkin Seeds
Seeds fresh from the pumpkin
A few pinches of Jerk seasoning
A few dashes of soy sauce
1/2 tbs olive oil
Toss all ingredients in a bowl. Roast at 325 until seeds dry out and brown.
Slow-Cookin' Turkey Chili
2 tbs olive oil
3 cps chopped onion
2 green bell peppers chopped
2 thinly sliced carrots
2 tbsp minced garlic
1 Pasilla chile
2 lbs dark meat ground turkey
1 14 oz. can diced fire roasted tomatoes
1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
1-2 cups broth
3 tbs cider vinegar
1 tbs ancho chili powder
1 tbs American chili powder (i.e., the kind that is a mix of seasonings)
3/4 tbs dried oregeno
1 tbs ground cumin
3/4 tbs paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1 15 oz can kidney beans
Additional salt to taste if needed
Place Pasilla chile in a bowl, fill with boiling water, cover and let sit for 30 minutes. Then remove the stem and seeds and chop.
Saute the vegetables in a cast-iron skillet until soft. (I did this in two batches). 1-2 minutes before removing from skillet, add half the Pasilla chile and half the garlic. Remove from skillet and drain.
Brown turkey in skillet until no longer pink (in batches if needed). Add remaining half of Pasilla chile and garlic, cook 1-2 minutes longer and remove and drain.
Add vegetables, meat, and all remaining ingredients except the beans to a crock pot. Cook on low for 8 hours. Add beans and cook another 20 minutes. Add salt to taste if needed.
I served with various toppings (cheese, cilantro, sour cream) and corn tortillas.
Veggie Chili
(Adapted from recipes by Didi Emmons and Molly Katzen with inspiration from the fall NYC greenmarket. This is a big recipe. You may want to cut it in half. It's also labor-intensive. I usually chop and prep everything a day before I plan to cook this chili. And, because the flavors meld after cooking, I usually cook it the night before I plan to serve it.)
3 tbs olive oil
4 cups chopped onion
4 carrots chopped
4 poblano peppers, seeded and chopped
2 red and 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 habanero pepper, minced
1 small head cauliflower
Corn from 2 ears
1 28 oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
3/4 c. orange cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 can black beans
1/2 can kidney beans
1 c. wheat bulgur
2-3 c. vegetable stock
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ground cumin
1-2 tsp chili flakes
1 tsp salt (plus more to taste if needed)
Sprinkle of chili powder (for roasting cauliflower)
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut leaves and bottom of stem off cauliflower. Rub with butter and sprinkle with chili powder and salt. Place in a roasting pan with 1/2 c. water. Tent with foil. Roast for 1.25 to 1.5 hours or until knife inserted meets no resistance. Set aside.
Place wheat bulgur in a bowl and 1/2 c. of liquid from the can of tomatoes and 1/2 c. water. Cover and let sit.
Cut corn off ears. Steam for a few minutes until just cooked, but with a little bite to them still. Set aside.
Saute the onion, carrots, poblanos, and bell peppers until soft in two batches (one in a large stock pot and one in a skillet). Combine both batches in the stock pot.
Add garlic, chile flakes, cumin, and habanero pepper. Stir and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Add wheat bulgur and stir to coat.
Add tomatoes and about two cups of stock. Use your judgment on the stock to keep the chili thick but with enough liquid to cook without scorching.
Simmer on low 20-30 minutes. Chop the cauliflower while the chili is simmering.
Add beans, corn and cauliflower. Simmer 10 minutes more.
Serve with a variety of toppings, such as blue cheese, cheddar or jack, sour cream, cilantro and chips.
Enjoy!
Comments
Post a Comment