Curried Pumpkin Soup

With autumn comes an abundance of one of my favorite seasonal foods: pumpkins! Many think of them only as inedible objects for carving. As much fun as it is to make a jack-o-lantern, I prefer making as many foods out of the sweeter, less fiborous variety, the sugar or pie pumpkin, including pumpkin bread, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin pie and pumpkin soup! It may surprise you to make a savory dish with the squash so heavily associated with pie, but it's sweetness is actually quite subtle without the addition of sweeteners.

The mild spiciness of this curried pumpkin soup is the perfect thing to warm you from the inside out on a chilly fall day. A dallop of sour cream on top is the perfect balance to the spiciness. A good soup usually involves building layers of flavor, so while you are preparing the pumpkin, carmelizing the onions adds depth. You may also roast the garlic (skins on) in the oven until they are soft and sweet before adding them to the soup.

Ingredients:

1 2-3 pound sugar/pie pumpkin

1 medium onion

1 quart chicken stock (or vegetable stock for you veggie-tarians!)

6 cloves of garlic

2 tablespoons of butter or olive oil

2 teaspoon curry powder

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

sour cream or plain yogurt, for serving

Directions:

1. Heat butter in a large pot. Slice onion. Slowly cook onion until it begins to carmelize. In the meantime, begin preparing your pumpkin. About every 5 minutes as you are preparing the pumpkin, stir the onions and make sure the heat remains low so as not to burn the onions.

2. To prepare pumpkin, cut in half and remove seeds and stringy pulp. (You may also cut the pumpkin into quarters if that is easier for you.) Using a vegetable peeler, peel the tough skin from the pumpkin. (Depending on how good your peeler is, you may also need to use a sharp knife to remove some of the skin.) Once the skin is removed, cut the pumpkin flesh in 1-2 inch cubes.

3. Roughly chop the garlic. When the onions are carmelized, add the garlic and allow to cook 1-2 minutes. Add the pumpkin, then add the chicken stock. The stock should just cover the pumpkin. You may add additional water as needed. Add the spices to your liking. Increase heat to high. When it comes to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer. Add all the spices. (The listed measurements are just a starting point.) Cover and stir occasionally, until pumpkin is tender and is soft enough to smash with a spoon, about 20-30 minutes.

4. Turn off heat. Puree the soup with an immersion blender until smooth. (Alternatively, puree in batches in a regular blender. Then return soup to pot.) Taste the soup and add spices to your liking. If soup is too thick, thin it out with a bit of water.

5. Serve the soup hot in bowls. Add a dollop of sour cream if desired.

Makes about 4 servings.


Bonus recipe!
Toast the seeds!While the soup is simmering, you might as well toast the seeds! After removing the pulp from the seeds, rinse them. Then dry them as much as possible. In a bowl, combine the seeds with 1 tablespoon of oil, and spices of your choice. Salt and pepper is a good basic combination, but for a little kick, try adding cumin, paprika and cayenne. Toast the seeds in a single layer in a 350 degree oven for about 20-25 minutes total, stirring halfway through. Then just serve in a bowl as a tasty snack!

Baked Eggy Breakfasts

I love having eggs for breakfast. Lately it has been difficult for me to eat anything but eggs for breakfast. In the interest of variety and health, I force myself to eat cereal a couple of times a week.

Eggs can be so much more than scrambled or hard-cooked. I got more excited about cooking eggs ever since I saw an episode of Cooking for Real on Food Network with Sunny Anderson. In the episode, Sunny made Huevos Rancheros, which is a general term for eggs served Mexican-style, usually on tortillas with salsa, and served with re-fried beans, avocado, or pretty much any other Mexican side normally reserved for lunch/dinner. I'm not 100% positive what an authentic Mexican breakfast would be, but I don't think Sunny's main goal was to be authentic with her recipe. All I can tell you is that it's delicious.

Instead of frying the eggs like regular Huevos Rancheros, Sunny has them baked in ramekins with Mexican flavors. As you can see in her recipe, she makes a salsa and a bean puree, but basically you can use your favorite salsa recipe, or whatever leftovers you have on hand!

Here are some huevos waiting patiently in their ramekin to be topped with the rest of the ingredients, as in Sunny's recipe.




I would recommend layering the following inside a ramekin, from bottom to top: a tortilla (cut to fit inside the ramekin) with re-fried beans spread on top, two eggs (cracked right in there!), salsa (either pico de gallo or tomatillo), cheese (if you please), and then topped off with another cut tortilla with re-fried beans (this time bean side down). Then just brush the top with melted butter and bake for about 35 minutes in a 350 degree oven. After it comes out of the oven, you can even top it with more salsa and sour cream for a gorgeous and delicious presentation.

The success of my first attempt at
baking eggs in a ramekin inspired me to experiment with other combinations, like mushrooms and onions with cheese, and tomatillo salsa instead of tomato. You can even bake eggs in halved bell peppers, just be careful not to overstuff them, because the eggs will expand in the oven. Baking eggs, whether in an edible or non-edible vessel, makes not only a deliciously filling breakfast, but also a beautiful presentation if you are trying to impress someone.


I hope you will embrace the non-fried egg as a breakfast staple!

The Omnivore's Dilemma: a natural history of four meals

I recently finished reading Michael Pollan's book, The Omnivore's Dilemma, after hearing about it from so many people. The premise of the book seems simple. Pollan attempts to answer the question, What's for dinner? The evolution of our food system in the last fifty years or so has made answering this question much more difficult because there is so much to consider: the moral implications of what we eat, the vast year-round diversity at the supermarket, how cheap it costs (our wallet, our bodies, and our environment), how fast can it be prepared, organic vs. conventional, and the fat/sugar/carb content. Pollan considers these aspects to be part of our national eating disorder.

To attempt to figure out how this came to be, Pollan follows the food chain for four specific meals, which each represent a category of a meal. The four meals are:

1. A fast food meal. Pollan specifically looks at a McDonald's meal eaten with his family in their car.
2. An organic industrial meal. An assortment of organic fresh produce and processed food from Whole Foods.
3. A pastoral grass-fed meal. Pollan spends a week at a Virginia farm called Polyface operated by Joel Salatin.
4. A foraged and hunted meal. Including a wild boar and foraged mushrooms.

Pollan thoroughly dissects every aspect of each meal, offering valuable information to help answer the questions, What am I eating, and how did it get to my table?

I could continue to describe the book in more detail, but hopefully at this point you want to read it for yourself. I highly recommend it. It will change the way you look at food. Even for those people who feel annoyed at the organic and vegetarian movements, Pollan is very reasonable and doesn't offer a simple solution to food issues. More than anything, this book will make you better aware of the food system that so often keeps us uninformed.

Korean BBQ: With An Open Heart and An Empty Stomach

Korean BBQ, for those who have not had the pleasure of having it, is not a typical dinner night out. It's an interactive dining experience. The basic idea is that every table comes equipped with a pit that gets filled with charcoal and topped with a grilling grate. You order your selection of meats, which can include thin cuts of beef, pork and chicken, or seafood such as octopus or squid. Along with the meat comes about twenty (yes twenty) small "condiment" plates, which are basically flavorful bits to accompany the meat. The atmosphere is fast and communal, with members of your party constantly engaged, either in cooking the meat with the tongs provided, or trying an assortment of the condiments.

I went to San Soo Gab San on the north side of Chicago with my brother and sister for our dad's birthday a couple of weeks ago. My sister was the only one who was not a Korean BBQ newbie. We ordered beef and baby octopus, not knowing how much to realistically order for four people. Probably my only major criticism of the restaurant is that the waiting staff did not seem especially welcoming of new people. It is basically assumed that you know how Korean BBQ works. I understand that for many people who go there it is not their first time, but I think that it is polite for waiters/waitresses to ask if you need any help looking over the menu, especially at a style restaurant that most Americans are not familiar with. We didn't have too much trouble with it, but it would have been nice to know what we had gotten ourselves into, and to generally feel a bit more welcomed.

Overcoming this initial awkwardness was not difficult, however, as the food and atmosphere were exciting and delicious. Immediately when you walk in San Soo Gab San, you smell the cooking of food (and you can smell it on your clothes later too!). The booths are cozy, making it a fun place to go with good friends (probably not a good choice for a first date). It actually seems like any less than four people would be a bit silly.

Shortly after we ordered, the staff set up our grill, and brought the condiments and meat. Since the meat is so thin, it only takes a few minutes to cook. The grill adds a nice smokiness to the beef. Cooking the baby octopus was fun, because they curled from the heat, as if alive! They were quite tasty as well. We honestly didn't know what many of the condiments were, but they were all flavorful and complementary to the meat. Some of the recognizable ones were lettuce, kimchi (fermented cabbage), tiny dried fish, sweet black beans, broccoli, and miso. Each order also came with a bowl of rice and a soup that reminded me of miso soup. Although the condiments make the meal seem complicated, the meat itself is simple and simply cooked--and simply delicious! Using good quality ingredients goes a long way here.

As a first time experience, it was definitely a lot to take in, so I look forward to my next visit! As the Chairman would say on Iron Chef America, when you go, just make sure to have an open heart and an empty stomach!


San Soo Gab San
5247 N Western Ave
Chicago, IL 60625
(773) 334-1589

Mandolines Are Fun But Dangerous

I was speedily cutting a small cucumber with a mandoline slicer yesterday, and accidentally sliced a little bit of my middle finger. May this be a lesson to all to always be careful with those and use a safety guard if you have one!

Grilling Pizza

Grilling pizza is a fun alternative to baking them in the oven. It takes a bit of quick-witted skill, but on a beautiful summer day it beats heating up your house by turning on the oven. Also, because it is a fast process, you'll spend more time assembling and eating, rather than waiting for your delicious pizza to finish baking in the oven.

Rather than giving you a specific recipe, I will offer guidelines to making grilled pizza, because half the fun is deciding what toppings to add!


Guidelines:

Have your ingredients ready. Since the dough will cook up quickly on the grill, have all of your toppings ready on a plate next to your grill.

Have a plan of action. Before the pizza goes on the grill, you should have your utensils ready, and know where the pizza is going to go when it's ready to come off the grill. It also helps to have an extra set of hands when transferring/flipping the dough, since it can be delicate and you don't want to tear it.

Add fresh flavor boosters. Like many foods prepared on the grill, simple bold flavors are the way to go. The quick process highlights the flavors of each ingredient. Keep things fresh with pesto or fresh basil leaves, and use vegetables at their peak freshness. Add some spice with sliced garlic or hot peppers.


The Process:

1. Preheat grill. If using a propane grill, set it to 350 degrees. If using charcoal, wait until flame dies down and coals are grey and ashy. (If you don't have a grill, a grill pan will work as well.) Set out store bought pizza dough for about 20 minutes while preparing the toppings. If you have a favorite pizza dough recipe feel free to make that, but I'm a big fan of Trader Joe's Whole Wheat or Regular Pizza Dough, which can't be beat at only 99 cents! One pizza should feed 3-4 people.

2. Now it is time to prepare the toppings! Once they are sliced, chopped, cooked, sauced, etc., set them in bowls and/or plates next to the grill so they are ready to go.

• Prepare fresh or grill veggies any way you like. Since you are using the grill anyway, it makes sense to grill what you can. Here are some possible veggies: tomatoes (any kind, including grape or cherry), onions, zucchini, mushrooms, peppers, spinach, arugula.
• Prepare your choice of meat. Although I favor a garden-fresh pizza, adding meat can add extra substance to your pizza, and it is also a good way to use leftovers from yesterday's dinner! Here are some meat ideas: sausage, chicken, beef.
• Prepare your sauce. Sauce is also not necessary when using a ton of veggies, but when well executed, it adds flavor, as well as an element that brings the whole pizza together. Just be sure not to overwhelm the pizza with sauce, because nobody wants a soggy pizza. A tomato sauce would work just fine, but I think using a pesto adds an element of freshness that perfectly complements the grilled aspect of the pizza. With a food processor it only takes a few minutes! Process 1-2 garlic cloves, a large bunch of basil leaves, a small handful of pine nuts or walnuts, salt and pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil in a food processor. After processing that into a fine chop and scraping the sides of the bowl, slowly add 1/4 to 1/2 cup more of olive oil and process to desired smoothness. Another sauce idea: sweet and spicy barbeque sauce!
• Prepare your cheese. Shredded mozzarella will work for almost any pizza, but also try using sliced fresh mozzarella, crumbled feta or fresh goat cheese.

3. Next roll out the pizza dough on a lightly floured surface. The shape you roll will depend on the size and shape of your grill. What seems to work best is a longer shape than you are used to, about 5 x 10 inches. Don't worry about making the perfect shape for this rustic pizza. More importantly, avoid creating thin spots or holes.

4. Once the dough is rolled, place it on a sheet pan and brush one side with olive oil. Bring it to the grill and carefully place it oil-side-down onto the grill. (This is where is helps to have an extra set of hands to hold the pan as you slide it onto the grill.) Brush the top with olive oil. Cover and let the first side grill for 2-4 minutes, until grill marks appear, and the dough is firm enough to flip over. Using tongs, carefully flip the crust over. Immediately begin topping with the ingredients selected, beginning with sauce, if using, then with vegetables, meats, and cheese. Cover until cheese begins to melt and dough is cooked through, about 2-4 minutes. Carefully remove pizza with 2 spatulas onto serving plate. Top with fresh cut herbs or salad greens (i.e. basil, arugula) if using. Cut slices and serve!

Topping Ideas:

Get creative with your choice of toppings! Here are some ideas to get started:

• thick sliced tomatoes, pesto and shredded mozzarella*
• grilled zuchinni and onions, chopped tomatoes, sliced sausage and shredded mozzarella
• tomato sauce, grilled pineapple, ham and shredded mozzarella

*This simple, tried-and-true combination is my favorite.

First Entry

I love food. Lately it has become an obsession of mine. When I watch TV it's usually Food Network, and I find it difficult not to think about what my next meal will consist of. I enjoy trying new foods, and enjoy making and sharing food with others.

My food journey began humbly. I don't remember which I learned to make first, Kraft Macaroni & Cheese from the box, or grilled cheese sandwiches, but both were a staple for my 12-year-old self. I also must add that my father, the cook of the house, always took pride in cooking, and used to be a baker in an Eastern-European bakery in our neighborhood, Ukrainian Village in Chicago, so I guess it runs in my blood.

In my second year of college, my first year of living away from home with a kitchen, I was forced to think about what I was eating, because I was mostly making it for myself. It was a year of many grilled chicken breasts with pasta and marinara sauce, which I soon grew tired of. My creativity with food mainly involved making cupcakes out of a box.

My third year of college I had to be even more creative, since I had little money to work with. I can't think of many particularly good dishes I made that year, but simply out of necessity I cooked for myself everyday, and began to really think about what I ate. I generally considered what I was eating and what made it taste good. The summer following this year I became addicted to the Food Network.

My last year of college I really started to become a foodie. I took a human nutrition/food class (though it added no necessary credit to my degree), and soaked up every bit of information I could. My teacher, Micheal Staver, was a farmer/chef/caterer with both good knowledge and a good attitude about food. I began to better understand where food comes from, how to better manipulate it, and what nutrients it contributes to our bodies. There were so many valuable and interesting tidbits that I gained from that class, like why Red Delicious apples aren't the most delicious: they were bred for the bright color with total disregard to their flavor. I began to desire quality ingredients that would benefit me more, whether through flavor or nutrition, and it made cooking a less intimidating task. I would take adventures to less conviniently located grocery stores than Dominick's just to get the ingredients I wanted (also for the right price!) I may have made chicken with pasta after that, but never quite the same way everytime.

I'm now at the point where my mind is so filled with foodie thoughts that I can't contain it anymore, so I decided to start this blog. This will be place to write about recipes I try, new restaurants I visit, social topics related to food, or just the praise of a superstar vegetable!

I will begin with my current most favorite food: guacamole. It simply doesn't get any better than this.


Guacamole

Ingredients
2 large avocados
1 plum tomato
1/2 of a small onion
1 very small clove of garlic
juice of half a lime
generous bunch of cilantro
salt

I enjoy chunky, salsa-like guacamole. The most efficient way to extract the avocado is to cut the it in half, remove the seed, cube it in the skin, then scoop it out into a bowl. Then squeeze the lime juice on top and mix it in to avoid browning as soon as possible (the acidity of the lime juice slows down the browning process, and although brown guacamole tastes about the same, it's not nearly as appealing as when it's freshly green).

Next mince the garlic finely. You just want a hint of that spicy pungency, so use very little garlic. Also add a few sprinkles of salt at this point. Now you can start the mashing, because after this, more delicate ingredients will be added. Don't mash it all the way, because you want to remember that it came from a beautiful avocado.

Add the diced onion and give it some good stirs, since the onion can handle it. Lastly, add diced tomato and chopped cilantro. (As a bonus, the acidity of the tomato will also keep the avocado green, so if you don't have lime or lemon, at least a tomato will do the work!) I love cilantro so much, I have a hard time not sticking my nose in it when I see it. Since you don't want to smash the tomato, more gentle stirring is required at this point.

Scoop some of the guacamole with a tortilla chip to make sure it doesn't need more salt, and then let the joy begin!