Seminole pumpkin cheesecake

So when my thoughts are not occupied with something pressing at any particular moment, I'm usually thinking about some food that's been in my head.  I will usually not rest until I get it.  Pumpkin cheesecake has been on my mind for about a week or two, ever since a friend celebrated a birthday and posted a photo from her trip to the Cheesecake Factory on Facebook.  

I'd thought many times of zipping down the street to the Cheesecake Factory to pick up a piece, but I'm trying to make better decisions about food.  So what do I do instead?  I make a whole freaking cake.  But man, this cake was freaking good.  All I can say to justify it is that I grew the pumpkin myself, so surely the calories don't count as much.  Plus, the recipe makes a pretty dense and generous cake - plenty to share with others.  I used this recipe - all those perfect 5 star reviews were no joke.  This was an awesome recipe.  

Instead of the can of pumpkin called for in the recipe, we used 2 cups of roasted and pureed Seminole pumpkin

Thai Curry and Coconut Seminole Pumpkin Soup

I was super successful with the Seminole pumpkins I grew this year.  I got 8 large pumpkins (one was stolen by the raccoons) from one very prolific plant that took over half my side yard.  I also got lots of wonderful blossoms for eating as well.  

These are Chinese "da tsung" - meaning "big onion".  Though it looks like a leek in the photo above, it is more of a gigantic, blanched-while-growing scallion.  My father diligently tends these onions all summer, hilling soil up around the onion as it grows in order to blanch the bottom portion of the onion.  

I harvested these gorgeous pumpkins just as the fall issue of Heirloom Gardener came out.  First, I'd like to mention that my article about food preservation is in this issue, and second, I found an AMAZING recipe for Thai Curry and Coconut Pumpkin Soup inside.  The recipe in the magazine is adapted from another recipe.  The recipe below, I have adapted again, using bits and pieces from my standby squash soup and the ingredients suggested in Heirloom Gardener.  I also decided to top this soup with a few jumbo shrimp. No photo of the soup.  It was devoured too quickly! 

Thai Curry and Coconut Pumpkin Soup

1 large pie pumpkin or butternut squash

2 leeks (I've used a special Chinese onion, see caption above), white portions only, chopped and rinsed

2 inch length of ginger, peeled and minced (This is a lot - but I love ginger.  Scale down if you like)

2 teaspoons of Thai red curry paste

4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1 can unsweetened coconut milk

3 kaffir lime leaves

1/2 lime

Cut pumpkin in half.  Scoop out seeds.  Place cut side down in baking pan along with about 1/2 inch of water.  Bake in 350 degree oven for about 1 hour or until squash is tender.  Allow to cool and then scoop out flesh with a spoon.  

In pot, saute leeks and ginger in a little oil or butter until tender. Add red curry paste and continue to stir and cook for another minute or two.  Add stock, coconut milk and cooked pumpkin.  Puree in batches in a blender or carefully puree in pot using an immersion blender.  Add kaffir lime leaves.  Simmer soup for about 15 minutes.  Before serving, remove kaffir lime leaves and stir in juice from half a lime.  

Sweet Apple Cider Butter Recipe

Nothing marks autumn more perfectly than a trip to the orchard. Anyone who has been apple-picking on a sunny October afternoon, driving a wheelbarrow through the rows, and especially with kids in tow, knows how fun it is to search for the biggest, tastiest apples in the trees.  When we went recently, the apples were so ripe and abundant they were raining down.  We'd pull one and two others would fall.  As always, before we know it, we're driving home with a trunk full of apples.  A couple pies put a little dent into it, a bunch were saved for fresh eating, a bunch were juiced, and the rest were made into an amazing apple butter.  I think people either love or hate the stuff, but as an apple butter aficionado, I can say there's no comparison to homemade, especially when the apples were on the tree just a few hours prior to being infused with spices and spread on a cracker.  The recipe below is an adapted double batch of Sweet Apple Cider Butter from the Ball book, and I used the honey alternative to sugar.  I also saved some pot-watching time by cooking down the apple butter in a slow cooker.  

Honeycrisp Apples

An apple peeler is a necessary gadget if you're working with a lot of apples

Making applesauce.  Spices are then added, and the whole thing is cooked down for hours.  

Sweet Apple Cider Butter - makes about 8 pint jars

12 pounds apples, peeled, cored, and quartered

4 cups apple cider

2 cups honey

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon allspice

In a large stainless steel pot over medium-high heat, combine apples and cider and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring occasionally until apples are soft, about 30 minutes.  

Process the apples just until a uniform texture is achieved (in batches in a blender or using a food processor or by using an immersion blender).  Do not liquefy.  

Scoop pureed apples into slow cooker.  Add honey, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice.  Cook on high for about 4 hours, stirring occasionally so the apple butter does not burn (alternatively, cook on low for about 8-10 hours).  

Prepare canner, jars, and lids.  Ladle hot butter into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.  Remove air bubbles, adjust headspace if necessary and wipe rim.  Center lid on jar and screw on ring.  Process in boiling water canner for 10 minutes.  Remove canner lid.  Wait 5 minutes, then remove jars, cool, and store.  

GTTC - tofu with chili sauce and butternut squash soup recipe

This is autumn in my little piece of Maryland. Towards the left you see the bright orange of the fothergilla - a most specular shrub - little white bottlebrushes in the early spring, perfect green leaves throughout summer, fiery fall colors in November. The yellow on the right is another favorite - sinocalycalycanthus - maroon flowers in the spring, large fluttery leaves throughout summer, bright yellow right now.


For this week's GTTC, I made some pan fried marinated tofu (Asian style: sesame oil, soy sauce, dash sugar, rice vinegar, ginger, minced shallots), and dressed it up with a hot chili pepper snipped just after picking from the garden. To be honest, it was just OK. THEN, I decided to add a generous spoonful of the chili sauce I made a couple weeks ago - AMAZING. The vinegar really tames the spice of the red pepper. It was zingy and only a bit hot. Just perfect. Here's a secret about tofu: it's basically a sponge. In order for it to pick up the marinade, you'll need to get the water out of it first. Slice and put between towels. Put a cutting board on top and weigh it down with some heavy pans for about 1/2 hour. You'll find pressing the tofu will allow any marinade or sauce to soak into the tofu.

I guess you either like tofu or you don't. My husband eats basically anything (nothing impresses Chinese in-laws more than a white guy who requests intestines and stomach linings in Chinese restaurants) except coconut, eggplant, and tofu. When I showed him the simple dish below, he said, "You can't dress up a turd" - which I thought was highly offensive. Anyway, Like I said, you either like tofu or you don't. What do YOU think of tofu? AND - did you make anything interesting this past week?

I'm about to go into a short period of cooking dormancy as I get ready to make a Thanksgiving feast for a lot of people. I hope I'll get to post something next week. For now, here's my favorite recipe for butternut squash soup. Like ginger and leeks? You'll LOVE this soup. It's also super easy. I usually make this with chicken stock but for Thursday, will use vegetable stock instead so my vegetarian sister can add a little something to her Tofurky Feast.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP (serves about 6-8)

2 medium butternut squash (split, seeded, and roasted face down in 1" water at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes until tender)

2 leeks, chopped (white part only)

4 teaspoons ginger (peeled and minced)

3 tablespoons butter

1 large container of chicken stock (about 6 cups or so)

salt, pepper, nutmeg to taste

optional: shredded Parmesan and/or dash of cream

Saute butter, leeks, and ginger until soft in a large pot over medium heat. Gut the squash and add to leeks and ginger. Add stock. Simmer down for about 30 minutes. Puree with stick blender (or another method). Add salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste. Optional: add shredded Parm and dash of cream.

BTW - are you using fresh nutmeg? I really think nothing compares. I used to have a choice nutmeg grinder that my sister gifted to me. That broke so I just keep my nutmeg in a bag in the freezer. When I need nutmeg, I just grate some directly into my cooking.

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Ever feel like you're being watched? As I was typing this post, I look out the window and see this guy staring at me through the window!

Growing, buying, cooking Napa Cabbage ( with dumpling recipe)

Crab, ground pork, and cabbage dumplings

Napa cabbage is a versatile Asian green used in salads, soups, stir-fries, and is even pickled (think: a spicy Korean kimchi). The napa variety is one of two main types of what is commonly known as Chinese cabbage. Chinese cabbages are heading cabbages with a mild flavor. The Michihili type is a tall cabbage, about 12 inches tall, and shaped similarly to romaine lettuce. The napa variety is shorter and chunkier. Both types are enjoyed by cooks from virtually all Asian countries because of its delicate flavor and high water content. Though the outer leaves are sturdier and similar to a regular cabbage, most of the inner leaves are better compared to a heading lettuce. Here's a photo from Wikipedia...I didn't copy it here because although the napa cabbage looks good, I think the quality of the photo is poor.

Growing Your Own Napa Cabbage...

Napa cabbage is a cool-weather crop and grows best in temperatures about 60-70 degrees Fahrenheit. Cold snaps or long hot days can cause the plant to bolt. To plant in the spring, start seeds indoors 4-5 weeks before your last frost date. To prevent bolting, be sure there is no chance of frost before transplanting. Set plants about 18 inches apart. To plant in the fall, direct sow seeds about three months before your first frost date. Plant seeds about 1/2 inch deep. When seedlings have four true leaves and are few inches high, thin to about 18 inches. The thinnings can be used in a salad or stir fry. Be sure to keep the cabbages well-watered. Napa cabbage can be harvested when it reaches any desired usable size. When mature, fall planted cabbage can tolerate some cold weather. Though it will slow or stop growing, the fall planted napa cabbage can wait for you in the garden until ready for use. Harvested napa cabbage can be stored in a cold shed, garage or basement for up to two or three months. This versatile leafy green can also be frozen.

If You're Buying...


If you're buying, you shouldn't have a very difficult time locating this vegetable. It is grown in many parts of the United States during the spring and fall, and is also available shipped from California and Hawaii, where it is grown year round. Many farmer's markets and most Asian supermarkets will carry napa cabbage. Select as you would select any heading cabbage. Look for crisp, green leaves. A mature napa cabbage will be about 8 inches thick and a bit taller than it is wide.



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Chinese families will use napa cabbage year round in dozens of recipes. My father makes dumplings throughout the year, usually taking requests for the different filling combinations, both traditional and of his own creation. My favorite is his crab and ground pork dumplings. My cousins love his fish variation. My husband loves the flavor of leek and chopped pork, especially when they're hot. My sister, a vegetarian, loves the dumplings made specifically for her with chopped beanthread noodles, wood ear, firm tofu and the familiar fragrance of sesame oil. Last weekend, my parents made another popular variety in celebration of Chinese New Year. Dumplings are often served among other symbolic dishes on Chinese New Year. Their resemblance to filled purses promises to bring wealth and success for the upcoming year. Often, my father will hide a (well-washed!) coin to the filling in one of the dumplings - bringing extra luck to the person fortunate enough to find it among the hundreds of identical dumplings.



Like most cooks who make dumplings by hand, the recipe for the dumpling wrapper is not written, but guided by the texture of the dough and the years of experience. In the photos below, my father has separated the dough into little round pieces, flattened them, and rolled them out. Dumpling wrappers can also be purchased in Asian supermarkets. The recipe shown below is for my father's often-requested...Crab, Pork, and Napa Cabbage Dumplings. Because the napa cabbage is so mild in taste, it is hard to even detect its presence. It is likely that the high water content of the cabbage contributes to the juiciness of the dumpling that everyone raves about.



The process is skilled and speedy - one hand rolls while the other turns the wrapper around and around until the wrapper is of consistent thinness and ready to stuff.




Crab, Pork, and Napa Cabbage Dumplings

• 1 bunch Chinese cilantro, chopped fine
• 2 pounds napa cabbage, chopped very fine with excess water drained and squeezed out
• 6 spring onions chopped very fine
• 1/2 ounce ginger, minced
• 1/2 pound crabmeat, picked through and chopped
• 1 1/2 pounds ground pork, minced
• 4 sea cucumbers, chopped (sea cucumbers are dried and need to be rehydrated overnight)
• 1 Tbsp brandy
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup corn oil
• 1/2 cup sesame oil
• 1 cup water
• 1 Tbsp "Sweet Bean Sauce" (available canned in the Asian supermarket)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 1/2 tsp white pepper

To make the filling, mix all ingredients together and stir vigorously for several minutes. Fill all dumplings. In a wok or pan, heat water to a rapid boil. Drop dumplings in and immediately stir gently to prevent dumplings from sticking to the sides or each other. Boil in one layer, working with one batch at a time. Typically, the dumplings will be finished a couple of minutes after they float to the top. To check for doneness, you will have to be a true Chinese cook. Take out a burning hot dumpling and taste. The filling should be very juicy but cooked through and hot (I will give you the hint that it should take about 5-8 minutes or so).

In these photos above and below, the dumplings are being filled and one end is brought up to meet the other end, creating a filled purse. Notice the utensil my father is using. He made several of these little spoons from the split and sanded bamboo from his property.

In these photos above and below, he is tucking little pleats and then firmly pressing the ends together, taking care not to rip the delicate dumpling wrapper.

My father uses a piece of countertop designated for dumpling-making as his work surface. The flour is a special very fine Chinese white flour. The kids are around the table, no doubt waiting for a piece of "Play-doh" to play with as they wait for their dinner to be made. I am setting the table with small plates and dishes of dark vinegar (or balsamic vinegar) to dip the dumplings in. We all stay busy in anticipation of a delicious meal upcoming...

I bet you didn't know this about lilies...

The bulbs of lilies can be cooked in a variety of Chinese dishes. Below, you see a sweet soup - more of a broth or what is literally translated as "sugar water". The soup calls for tremella - a loose, flowery, off-white colored type of mushroom - (one of the most potent medicinal mushrooms), and lily bulbs (l. lancifolium, l. brownii, l. pumilum) which contain many health-promoting properties. My mother's recipe below, is a not-too-sweet dessert and alleviates cough, sore throat, and insomnia. I just find it comforting on a cold winter's day.

• Tremella and Lily Bulb "Tong Shui"

Soak 1/2 cup dried lily bulb (shown in photo above) for about 2 hours until completely softened

Soak about two handfuls of dried tremella for about 1 hour until softened

Drain water from lily bulb. Rinse tremella several times until water is clear. Snip off any tough ends. Add tremella and lily bulb to large pot of water (about 10-12 cups) and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours. Add 1/2 cup or more of brown rock sugar, depending on desired sweetness. I would say most Chinese people do not prefer this dessert soup to be too sweet. Simmer for an additional 25 minutes.

* tremella, dried lily bulb, and brown rock sugar should be available in Asian grocery stores.

Buttermilk-brined turkey

Now if you know me, you know that I tend to be humble, but I make this statement with assurance and pride. I can make the best damn turkey. I've perfected this turkey after several years of modification and experimentation. Most importantly, each morning after Thanksgiving, I'm missing the 4am early bird sales because I am at home taking copious notes on what went well, what went wrong, and what should be tried to make the following year's turkey even better. With a cup of coffee in hand, I'm sure I annoy everyone as I conduct in-depth analyses, interviewing each family member on the intricacies of the turkey I just cooked the night before.


Here are my top three successful-turkey-cooking tips, followed by what is really what I've found to be THE recipe for the most tasty, succulent turkey. The recipe began as a Williams-Sonoma recipe for buttermilk-brined turkey, but has been modified a great deal. I'm also going to include my own time table for feeding about 10 guests on Thanksgiving. I ask my guests to arrive at 4pm, and we're usually ready to eat by about 4:30 or 4:45 pm. We usually eat on the early side because for all the years I've been cooking, kids and early bedtimes have been a factor.



OK, unless you can already cook a great turkey, you REALLY want to print this out and file it for next year! (I usually am fairly humble, right?)



Top three musts:

1. Must use a fresh organic turkey (not frozen!).


2. Buttermilk brine is the way to go. The combination of the buttermilk and the salty solution helps create a tender and juicy turkey.


3. An instant-read thermometer is the most important part of cooking any meat, but especially a turkey (any cheap one will do).

Ingredients:

1 14-16 pound turkey (for my table of about 10 guests with enough for leftovers)

2 cups turkey brine (usually a kosher salt and herb mixture. I've tried different brands, and any seems to work - you could make your own if you really wanted to)

4 quarts buttermilk

1 handful (total) of celery, carrot, onion cut in large pieces

1 stick of butter at room temperature

Large brining bag

6 tablespoons flour (for gravy)

About 1/3 cup Williams-Sonoma Turkey Paste (it's basically a thick mixture of grapeseed oil and dried herbs - you could easily make your own - and next year, I may try)

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Wednesday Morning - the day before Thanksgiving:

In a small saucepan over high heat, combine the 2 cups turkey brine and 1 quart water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring often, until the brine dissolves, about 5-10 minutes. Let the brine mixture cool to room temperature. While cooling, start the giblet stock.

For the giblet stock, use everything (including neck) except the liver. Simmer in a pot with 12 cups of water and the handful of veggies for 1 hour. Strain (unless you like the giblets in your gravy - I personally don't). Cool, then put away safely in the fridge for tomorrow.

While the stock is cooking and the brine is cooling, rinse the turkey inside and out and place in a large brining bag inside a pot (make sure you put in a pot or you could end up with a big mess if the bag breaks!). Be sure your pot will fit in the fridge.

Now that the brine is cool, add the brine liquid with all it's herbs, and the 4 quarts buttermilk to the bag with turkey. Zip it carefully, pressing out air, and shake it around a bit to completely coat the turkey. Refrigerate for 24-36 hours, turning occasionally (I do this by just taking the pot out and shaking it around a bit).

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Thursday (Thanksgiving Day)

• 12pm: discard buttermilk-brine. I do this by taking the bag out of the pot, putting it in the sink and clipping a corner of the bag. I drain the liquid first because this avoids any potential mess. Take the turkey out of the bag and rinse the turkey inside and out with cold water and pat dry. Place the turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a large roasting pan. Carefully slide your hand between the breast meat and the skin and add a generous amount of turkey paste (or oil/herb mixture). Let the turkey stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Also, take the turkey stock and butter out of the refrigerator.
• 1:30pm: position a rack in the lower third of oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Set aside 2 cups of stock to make gravy later on, and add the rest of the turkey stock to the bottom of the roasting pan. Rub butter on the outside of the turkey and then plop the stick right into the bottom of the roasting pan as well, right into the stock. Roast the turkey for 30 minutes, watching carefully that the skin does not brown too quickly. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F, and continue roasting, basting every 30 minutes or so with the pan juices. If the breast begins to brown too quickly, tent it loosely with aluminum foil. After about 2 hours of total roasting time, begin testing for doneness by inserting the instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the breast, away from the bone. The breast should register 165 degrees, and the thigh, 175 degrees. Here's the important trick - if the breast is not at 165, set your timer for 10 minutes and check again. Relying on the right temperature and not overcooking is KEY. Using the timer so you don't forget to check often is KEY. The turkey will be done around 4pm or so. If you have never cooked an fresh and organic turkey, you'll notice they often cook a little faster than frozen turkeys.
• When the turkey breast registers 165, remove from oven, transfer to a carving board, cover loosely with foil and let rest for 20-30 minutes.
• To make the gravy: pour all the pan drippings into a gravy separator (not imperative, but a worthwhile tool to have - even if you use it once a year!). Add about 6 tablespoons of fat to a medium saucepan. Add 6 tablespoons flour, whisking constantly and cook till brown. Add the remaining 2 cups turkey stock and drippings (the pan juices only - no more fat). You may need to play around with the gravy adding water/stock to thin or more of a flour/water (slurry) mixture to thicken. The pan juices will be very salty, so if you choose to add salt, taste first.

Last thoughts - This is the recipe that has worked for me consistently for a few years and was probably as close to perfected this year as it's going to get. I realize there are all sorts of prized recipes (and I'd love to hear them!) whether they involve basting with a soaked cheese cloth, the philosophy of no basting, or being deep fried in gallons of oil. If you don't already have a great recipe - the buttermilk brine is the method to try next year!

Oh, and don't forget - in the words of Moose from Nick Jr. "When everyone's together, everyone is happy, we're thankful that we have so much to share".

Hot chili paste (lot jiu jeung)

This flavorful hot chili paste goes hand in hand with fried Chinese dumplings, with any shrimp or pork dim sum dish, or on top of a bowl of noodles. Here's how I made this simple and delicious condiment:

1. Over a medium flame, heat about 1/2 cup oil (I used corn).
2. Add about 2 tablespoons of minced garlic and fry until a light golden brown.
3. Reduce heat and add about 4 tablespoons of crushed, dried, hot pepper. Stir continuously and turn off flame when fragrant. This process is fairly quick. Watch carefully to be sure the pepper/garlic does not burn.
4. Add salt to taste.

The type of pepper you use will determine the flavor and heat of your chili paste. My dried cayenne peppers yielded a chili paste that was so manageable that my kids could try just a touch of it. It was also so delicious that we were microwaving hot dogs just to have something to eat with it. Another batch made with my Thai peppers yielded a chili paste that was all heat - to the point of being just painful.

Click here to see how I dried my peppers. If you don't want to delve into this recipe and have some good dim sum restaurants around, try asking for "lot jiu jeung" - the phonetic spelling for "hot chili paste" in Cantonese. Enjoy!