Pumpkin Pie...from scratch

Last year at Thanksgiving I urged you all to consider fresh pumpkin, not canned, but I did not give you my recipe. This year I'm making amends...

Ingredients

1 cooking pumpkin
an unbaked pie crust for a 10" pie dish (I use the magical Silver Palate no-roll crust)
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 stick butter, melted
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp each ground ginger and cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400º F. Take a big knife and split the pumpkin in two. Scoop out seeds and set aside. Also remove any remaining fiber. Place the pumpkin, cut side down, on an oiled baking sheet. and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until tender. When cool enough to handle, scoop out the pumpkin flesh and mash until very smooth. Measure out 2 cups of the puree. Add the sugar, milk, cream, butter and seasoning; mix together thoroughly. Beat eggs lightly in a separate bowl, then incorporate into the pumpkin mixture.

Butter pie dish. Line with crust, or tip the no-roll crust in and pat down. Place on a baking sheet. Pour filling over. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350º F and bake a further 30 minutes or until the filling is set.

Now, remember I said to set the seeds aside? Here's why: rinse them to remove the pumpkin fiber and allow to dry. Use your hands to toss seeds in a little olive oil, then use your oily hands to grease a baking sheet. Spread out the seeds on it in a single layer. Bake at the top of the oven (at 400º F) until the seeds start to color (5-10 minutes, but keep checking). Toss in sea salt while still warm. Perfect to serve with cocktails.

Soybeans with Garlic and Chili

My dear friend Stephanie was not just fortunate enough to spend her birthday in Hawaii recently, but she also got to celebrate in style at Alan Wong's restaurant in Honolulu. Wong's recipes hardly fall into the 'non taxing' bracket', but this delicious, speedy pupu is the exception.

1 lb cooked soy beans with the shell on (cooked from frozen)
1 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 small chili pepper, minced
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp oyster sauce
½ tsp sesame oil

In a very hot skillet (a wok is ideal) fry garlic, ginger and chili with salad oil until golden brown. Add soybeans and continue to cook until heated through. Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sesame oil. Stir fry for an additional minute; season with salt to taste (optional) and serve immediately.

Custard without the Stress

I know I am guilty of bias when it comes to my Vitamix, but truthfully this recipe revolutionizes custard making (which means it's also the perfect technique for any egg custard-based dessert, such as my home-made ice cream).

Ingredients to serve 6

6 free-range egg yolks
1 1/4 cups heavy or whipping cream

3/4 cup milk

½ cup refined sugar

1 1/2 tsps vanilla essence

Place all the ingredients into the Vitamix and whizz on full power for 5 to 7 minutes until steaming and thick. (Yes, that's all there is to it!)

Pumpkin Curry

If, like me, you have a pumpkin mountain left over from Hallowe'en, and you've already made pie and soup and pancakes, you may like to try spicing things up a little with this recipe kindly provided by the kitchen supply company, Steamer Trading (with a few JGH tweaks).

Ingredients
2 tbsp groundnut oil
2 sweet onions, finely chopped
1/2 tbsp dried chili flakes
1 inch piece fresh ginger, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp roasted, ground cumin
2 pounds fresh pumpkin, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 pint unsweetened coconut milk
Salt
Bunch fresh mint, coarsely chopped
Bunch fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

Method
Heat the oil in a large pan. Fry the onion, with the chili, until transparent. Add the ginger and garlic, and stir fry for another three minutes. Add the pumpkin and spices, cook a further few minutes. Add salt and coconut milk, mixing gently but thoroughly. Cover the pan and simmer gently for about 20 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender. Garnish with the fresh herbs. Serve with plain rice and naan bread to mop up the juices.

Party Catering

I was recently asked to make potato salad and coleslaw for a party of 40. So as not to end up with the same old stuff I searched around for inspiration, and found it in herbs and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. The following recipes are scaled down to serve 10-12 people.

Potato Salad

Adding dill to potato salad lifts it out of the ordinary, and be sure to use red-skinned potatoes.

5 lb red-skinned potatoes
1 red onion
handful of fresh dill sprigs, chopped
handful of fresh Italian parsley, chopped
4 tbsp Hellman's (for nothing less will do) mayonnaise
4 tbsp soured cream
4 tbsp 
1 tsp grated horseradish (or horseradish sauce)
salt & pepper
lemon juice

Wash the potatoes. Add them to boiling, salted water and cook for around 12 minutes or until they don't resist the knife when pierced. Meanwhile slice the onion and make up the dressing by mixing the Hellmann's, soured cream and seasonings (keeping aside a handful of dill and parsley to garnish the dish). Drain the potatoes, and immediately they are cool enough to handle remove the skins, cut into bite-sized slices and fold into the dressing with the onion. (While still warm the potatoes will absorb the flavor better.) Adjust seasoning, adding a few squeezes of lemon juice, and garnish with the remaining handful of herbs.

Asian-Inspired Coleslaw

1 medium white cabbage
4 large carrots
1 sweet onion
handful of fresh chives or spring onion
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled
large handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
1 cup lightly salted peanuts
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp groundnut oil
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp honey
juice of 2 limes
black pepper
chili flakes

Put the sliced onion into a large bowl. Grate the carrot coarsely and add to the bowl. Grate the ginger finely and add. Remove any blemished or dry outer leaves from the cabbage, then quarter it, cut away the core and shred the leaves as finely as possible. Combine with the onion and carrot.

For the dressing, whisk all the ingredients together, making sure the honey is dissolved. Add chili according to taste. Add cilantro, leaving a handful aside for garnish.

Pour the dressing over the vegetables and mix thoroughly. Leave for at least 30 minutes to soften and absorb flavors.

Grind peanuts coarsely - a pestle and mortar are the best tools for this job - and fold into the salad. Garnish with remaining coriander (try including the green part of the spring onion or the chives too) and serve.

Hallowe'en Frighteners

Take a look at my special events recipes site for some Hallowe'en ideas, if you dare...

Jesse Grant Hester's Special Events Site

Watermelon Salad

Watermelon is in good shape and plentiful in early summer so with your melon baller in hand try making this wonderfully refreshing salad. Serve it chilled as an appetizer.

Ingredients for 4 people

Half a medium water melon (to yield 3-4 cups of melon balls)

A handful each of freshly picked and chopped mint and parsley

1/4 cup olive oil

juice of half a lime and half a lemon

1/4 tsp cumin seed, freshly ground

Salt, pepper, chili flakes, sugar to taste

Scoop the flesh of the watermelon into balls with a melon baller. (It is worthwhile doing this - rather than simply chopping - for the texture and sensation in the mouth.)

Make up a dressing with the oil, citrus juice, cumin and seasoning. Be cautious with the sugar - a pinch may be enough, depending on how sweet and ripe your watermelon is.Toss the watermelon balls and the fresh herbs in the dressing, then chill for at least an hour.

The addition of crumbled feta will make this a more substantial salad.