Day 3: Sides & Salad

Recipe: Butter Potatoes

These are some very simple and straightforward ideas, and really need no recipe. However, I am posting a how-to recipe for the Butter Potatoes. While many might be tempted to use margarine for this recipe, don't. Use butter for excellent flavour. When a dish is simple, use the best and freshest ingredients available.

This Pumpkin Rice is gorgeously jeweled with chunks of sweet pumpkin. Start the dish by sautéing lots of onions and finely minced fresh thyme. Wash the rice and drain well (pre-soaking is optional). Gently cook the rice with the onion-thyme mixture of a minute or 2 before adding cooking liquid (vegetable or chicken stock, or water) along with pumpkin, black pepper and salt to taste. A pat or 2 of butter would be a welcome addition. Stir well, bring to a boil, for 5 minutes than cook covered for 25 - 30 minutes depending on the variety of rice you are using. Shut off heat; let sit for 10 minutes before fluffing and serving.

My mother likes a combo she puts together that she calls corn custard, this is a take on that but I call it Corn Pie/Corn Pudding because it is thicker and richer. Mix together 1 part cream style corn with 2 parts canned (drained) whole corn along with some cheese sauce (same type used to make from-scratch macaroni pie) and an egg. Top with grated cheese and bake in a 350 degrees oven for 25 - 30 minutes or until the edges are browned and the pudding puffed up. Let rest for 10 - 15 minutes before serving.

Tip: season the cheese sauce with finely minced garlic, thyme and hot peppers.

I eat okra all year round and that includes Christmas. Fresh sweet local corn is in season at this time too so I combine the two. Steam and cut okra. Shuck corn and remove kernels; steam cook and assemble with okra while still hot. Make a simple dressing of soy sauce and fresh lime/lemon juice and drizzle. Serve immediately.

There is no order to the things assembled here - put together whatever is on hand and serve as is or with a salad dressing of your choice. Here I have avocado, tomato, lettuce, olives and sliced red onions.

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Day 2: Dinner Rolls

Today I am presenting 2 rolls - Pull-apart Garlic-butter Butterflaps and Pumpkin-Rosemary Rolls. Both or either of these rolls would be a welcome addition to any table as dinner rolls. The pull-apart bread is the perfect way of 'breaking bread' with family, friends and loved ones.

Recipe - Pumpkin-Rosemary Rolls

Make these as is - bun size - but they can easily be doubled in quantity by making the rolls smaller.

Just like the Pumpkin-Rosemary rolls, you can double the quantity for this pull-apart bread by making each piece of dough smaller and baking in 2 pans.

The recipe for the homemade garlic butter can be found in the recipe for the dough (see below).

Recipe - Pull-apart Garlic Butter Butterflaps

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Barbados @ 50 - Pumpkin Fritters

This version of Barbadian Pumpkin Fritters is close to what the original recipe was - grated pumpkin with a hint of spice and just a little bit of flour to hold the mixture together. It is pan-fried. This is the kind of fritters you will find at home. Pumpkin fritters at large eating establishments have in eggs and a lot more flour as well as a leavening agent. Don't get me wrong, they are delicious but more of the other ingredients I find and a lot less pumpkin.

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Guyana @ 50 - Seven Curry

One of the many pleasures of living in a multicultural society is the access to, and participation, that one enjoys in many settings, especially at festivals and on special occasions.

Eating a vegetarian meal in big, broad water lily leaves at a Hindu wedding or Pooja connects you with the multifaceted food culture of the land. No cutlery, just you, eating from a natural vessel that you balance in the palm of one hand while expertly mixing the food with the other and transporting it, without spilling, to your mouth.

This type of meal is referred to as 7-curry because 7 different 'curries' are made to be eaten with rice. Some people consider dhal/dal to be one of the curries while others don't. Either way, it is an outstanding meal.

7-Curry ©Cynthia Nelson

7-Curry generally comprises a combination of the following:

• Pumpkin
• Spinach/callaloo
• Eggplant & eddoes
• Potatoes or Potatoes & channa (chick peas)
• Katahar/breadnut/chatagine
• Mangoes
• Achar

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It's Pudding NOT Pie

Tis the season for pumpkin and other pies for the US Thanksgiving holidays. And down here in Barbados, tis the season for Conkies aka as Sweet Dumplings.

We get pumpkin all year round in the Caribbean and it makes a regular appearance on our tables and plates in many dishes such as soups, stews, steamed, stir-fried and sautéed. I like that pumpkin is one of these vegetables that struts along both the savoury and sweet aisles of food. The texture and flavour is unrivalled and when you add a lil spice to pumpkin - whether it is for sweet or savoury - you've got something very special.

This is my take on pumpkin pudding. Infused with a vanilla bean, cinnamon and nutmeg along with dark rum, this creamy, moist pudding is bound to have you licking your spoon.

So if you're looking for a dessert for the holidays - Thanksgiving, Christmas or a special occasion and don't want to fuss with a crust, try this pudding. If you are not up to all the work involved in making Conkies, try this pudding. And if you just love pumpkin and looking for a dessert to make at any time, trying this pudding. Serve it warm or at room temperature. My preferred way to enjoy it is cold, right out of the fridge!

Click here for the recipe.

Happy Thanksgiving to all those celebrating!

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Pumpkin & Pea Soup with Salted Pigtails

I'm back. I had a great time in Florida and got the chance to meet and chat with some wonderful folks. It is so easy at times to think that you are working in a vacuum, especially when a lot of it is online. Sure, people leave comments and you chat via the social network sites and email, but there is simply no substitution for the live human interaction when you can look at facial expressions, share a laugh and engage in a conversation in a way that is not limited by number of words to type, and, you can delve deeper into an issue in just a couple of minutes. Of course there is that amazing feeling when you just "click" with someone like you've been friends all your life. Those are some of the encounters I had last weekend. Thanks! An added bonus is that all the books that were taken to the two events were sold out. Thanks to The Bishops' High School Alumni Association, (Florida) Chapter and to The South Regional Broward College Library!

As soon as I download the photographs, I'll share them with you.

On to this season's best - again. Yep, pumpkin is still very much in season in many parts of the world. For those of you up North - Calabaza Squash. Butternut squash is a good substitute for this recipe though you may not get the richness of the colour and the natural sweetness.

Rather than using regular salt, I used salted pigtails to season this soup. It adds a lovely flavour with its cured porky-ness :) Of course if you cannot put your hands on salted pigtails then try some thick-cut pieces of bacon or pancetta.

Often when people make pumpkin soup they tend to put in heavy cream to give it body and creaminess but I urge you to try putting split peas, red lentils or split yellow moong dal instead. The combination of the pumpkin, peas and cured pork will have you going back for more. If you are serving this to company, make a large amount. Having some crusty bread on hand is not a bad idea either. Click here for the recipe.

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Pumpkin Pudding & Some News!

Okay, the news out of the way first.

I got word today from my publisher and it reads: "It hasn't even been a year since it was first published and already the best selling Tastes Like Home - My Caribbean Cookbook is going into its second print run!"

I'm thrilled at this news and I am also humbled by it. I want to thank all of you for your love and support. You helped to make this possible. Thank you. And I look forward to your continued support.

Now on to the food!

Pumpkin season is in full swing in these parts. Perhaps where you are too? Thick, rich, deep, orange-fleshed pumpkin can be seen at many stalls in the market. This versatile vegetable works well for both savoury and sweet preparations.

Serve this pudding with a Vanilla-Ginger Caramel sauce, and you will be swooning and licking your fork or spoon. And dare I say that you might be dragging your finger across the plate to pick up any remaining sauce? Of course you will do this discreetly when no one is watching.

Pumpkin Pudding recipe.

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A craving satisfied & An inspired Pumpkin Punch

When I saw Syrie's pasta post in January, my mind quickly turned to Jamie Oliver's Spaghetti with Anchovies, Dried Chilli and Pangritata recipe that I had bookmarked years ago (The Return of the Naked Chef). Though I love pasta, I don't make it often and when I do, I like it to be exceptional, which in my case means simple with a few quality ingredients. I prefer pasta dishes that are not heavily sauced, so this recipe suited me just fine.

See Syrie's recipe to make this dish for two. However, for the pangritata and shrimp, here's what to do.

PANGRITATA

Ingredients

3 - 4 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or parsley
1 clove garlic, chopped
Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Add the oil to a fry pan and heat gently
2. Add the breadcrumbs, thyme, and garlic. Toss to mix and let toast until crisp gently browned (or to your desire). Season with salt and pepper and spread on paper towels until ready to use
3. Sprinkle liberally over the dish and serve

Note: do not turn away while the breadcrumbs are toasting, it cooks and browns in very little time. Ensure that you are toasting with gentle heat.

PAN-SEARED SHRIMP

Ingredients

6 jumbo shrimp, clean and de-veined
2 tablespoons oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Season shrimp with salt and pepper to taste
2. Heat pan on medium heat and add oil
3. Add shrimp and let cook for 1 + 1/2 minute on one side. Flip and cook for another 1 + 1/2 minute on the other side
4. Remove from pan and set aside
5. Add to pasta when ready to serve

Here are some other pasta dishes you may like to try: Kit's Chow, Tigerfish, Cinnamon Girl & Soup Belly.

Now about this Pumpkin Punch. My good friend Felix is always showcasing what I like to call real food. It's everyday food that is nutritious and it's food that lies at the heart of good homecooking. So, today I offer you two versions of pumpkin punch, you can make it Felix's way or my way. The main differences are: he cooked his pumpkin, I didn't. He added sugar, milk and condensed milk, I only added condensed milk which did dual duty for me - added the creaminess of milk and the sugar to sweeten.

For my recipe, see this week's column. And for Felix's recipe, click here.

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The Best Gift

Are you looking for a gift that satisfies?
Are you looking for a gift that's memorable?
Are you looking for a gift steeped in tradition?
Are you looking for a gift...

Give the gift of food and you are bound to hit all your targets. Give the taste of home to someone who can't make it home this year. Give the gift of a favourite meal. Whatever the reason, your gift of food will be cherished. Read this week's column for suggestions and ideas as to what food gifts you can create to share with your family and friends. When you're done, check out Zu's Spoonful of Christmas event in which many of us took part in 2007 for more food-gift ideas.

I had made flavoured salts and continue to get requests from my friends throughout the year for refills :) Click here for the recipes at the end of the column. Be sure to check out the flavoured sugar recipes as well.

Top left: Cumin Salt; Top right: Chili salt; Bottom: Rosemary Salt

This Pumpkin Pone is bound to be a hit with all pumpkin fans. Fresh coconut, pumpkin and spices come together for celebration that's bound to delight. See the recipe here.

The gift of food is priceless and moreso when given to those in need; let us remember this as we gaze at the bounty spread across our tables.

This is going to be my last post for 2009. My next post, all things being well will be on January 9, 2010. However, I'll be around to check out what you are up to as you cook up a storm :)

As I look back on this year, I will remember it always for it brought me huge challenges and battles unexpected, however, the year is ending on a high and for that I am truly thankful and feel immensely blessed. Thank you for all your love, support and guidance. I pray that you and your loved ones will have a joyful, blessed, safe and peaceful holiday. May the New Year bring you all you wish for, especially good health and happiness.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

AND

A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

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Practise is all we need

“Will the Garlic Pork taste as good as you claim?” That’s a question I was asked recently after a reader received my Garlic Pork recipe that he requested. I love these taste-challenge questions because they provide the opportunity to discuss some basic things about cooking such as taste being relative, the importance of ingredients and key to it all - practise and experience. Click here to read my two-cents in this week's column.

This Barbadian dish of Pumpkin Fritters, needs practise. Ask my friend here with whom I've shared recipes for this dish of my practises :) I've finally gotten the pumpkin fritter to the taste and texture I was looking for. Please enjoy and remember as I've indicated in this week's column, a recipe is simply a guide, adapt it to suit your taste and make it your own.

My Bajan Pumpkin Fritters

Yield: 24

1+3/4 cups grated pumpkin
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup oil for shallow frying

Method

1. Add pumpkin, spices, salt, sugar and essence to a bowl and mix thoroughly
2. Add flour and mix to fully incorporate
3. Heat oil in pan on medium heat until hot
4. Add batter in tablespoons (do not crowd pan) about 5 at a time. Fry on one side for 2 minutes, turn and fry about 1 - 2 minutes on the other side. Drain on paper towels. Repeat until the batter is finished
5. Serve at room temperature

Notes

• Add more sugar to the pumpkin if you'd like to make it sweeter. The variety of pumpkin I use may be different from what you have available where you are
• The taste and texture of the fritter is enhanced by the ripeness of the pumpkin
• Ensure the oil is adequately heated, you want it hot but not smoking
• This recipe was not tested with pre-cooked pumpkin or canned pumpkin

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