Butternut or Kent/Jap Pumpkin Soup

The days are still sunny in Melbourne but a distinct chill in the morning air heralds the arrival of "soup weather". And what better way to start a collection of my favourite soup recipes than with that most under-appreciated vegetable the humble pumpkin.
My favourite pumpkin varieties for soup-making are the butternut variety or the stripy Kent pumpkin (also known as a Jap pumpkin, which has a sweeter flavour and mashes more easily than most other varieties).

Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients
1 pumpkin (butternut or Kent/Jap varieties are best for this recipe)
1 brown onion (or 3 or 4 golden shallots for a less intense flavour)
2-3 sticks of celery (not the whole bunch, just 2-3 of the sticks or rib with the leaves on top as well as they add flavour and texture)
1 small carrot
2 tab olive oil
salt
freshly ground black pepper
500 ml chicken stock
water (as needed - see * below)
1/4 cup cream (optional)
2 tab finely chopped parsley

Optional
4 rashers of bacon, grilled and crumbled
croutons - 2 slices of bread cut into 1cm cubes, sprayed with olive oil and baked in a hot oven until crisp

Method
Heat oil in a heavy-based pot.
Cut pumpkin roughly into cubes (about 4-5cm chunks), slice celery into small pieces (reserve the leaves for later), finely cut onion (or shallots) and dice carrot (these take longer to cook than the other vegetables so dice-sized pieces are best). Add the vegetables to the pot and cook until the onion softens and the vegetables are slightly golden.
Add salt, freshly ground pepper, chopped celery leaves and stock. If needed, add enough water to bring liquid to level that just covers the vegetables.
Cover and bring to the boil until pumpkin and carrot are soft enough to put a knife through them.
Puree soup in blender (or if you don't have a blender, strain the soup through a sieve, mash the vegetables with a potato masher, then return mashed vegetables to the liquid).

When serving the soup, add a swirl of cream to the top of each bowl, a sprinkle of chopped parsley, and a sprinkle of crumbled bacon and a few croutons if desired (or place the "finishing" ingredients on the table and let guests add their own).

The soup can be frozen (omit cream, parsley, bacon and croutons - these need to be prepared/added just before serving) and reheated for a quick winter treat. I usually freeze single or double serves as they reheat quickly. Add a few slices of crusty bread and you have a quick lunch or entree. And it's the perfect light meal at the end of a big day out.

Light Chocolate Pudding

Light Chocolate Pudding

Ingredients
4 egg yolks
6 egg whites
5 tab caster sugar
3 tab cocoa
2 tab Grand Marnier or brandy
butter
icing sugar

Method
Preheat oven to 180C (place 23cm shallow casserole or cake pan in oven to heat while making mixture)

Beat egg yolks and 2 tab caster sugar until fluffy.
Sift cocoa on top and mix through with brandy or liqueur.
Beat egg whites until stiff then gradually add remaining 3 tab caster sugar, beating after each addition.
Put a quarter of egg white mixture into yoke mixture then fold through half the remaining white mixture, then the rest of the white mixture.
The aim is to retain the air incorporated into the whites - as you would for a souffle.
Grease the hot casserole or cake pan with butter. Pour in the chocolate mixture, leaving the top rough.
Return pan to the oven and cook for about 12-15 minutes until it is puffy and just firm to the touch.
Quickly sift icing sugar on top and spoon into serving bowls.

This pudding needs to be served as soon as it comes out of the oven, to retain its light texture.
Serve with a scoop of ice-cream or whipped cream.

Quick Chocolate Pudding

Quick Chocolate Pudding

Makes 6 puddings

Ingredients
185g dark chocolate (break into small pieces)
1/2 cup milk
1 cup day-old cake crumbs
60g butter
2 tab caster sugar
3 eggs (separated)
1/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1/2 teas vanilla essence

Method
Preheat oven to 170C.
Melt chocolate (in a bowl over hot water or in a microwave, stirring every 10 secs or so), stirring until it melts.
Place cake crumbs in basin and pour over melted chocolate. Set aside for about 30 minutes to allow crumbs to absorb chocolate.
In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, mix well.
Stir in chocolate crumb mix, nuts (if using) and vanilla.
Beat egg whites until stiff and fold through chocolate mixture.
Grease 6 small oven-proof dishes (about 3/4 cup capacity) with butter.
Spoon chocolate mixture into greased dishes.
Place dishes in baking dish and add water to come halfway up sides of pudding dishes.
Cover loosely with foil and bake in oven for 40-45 minutes or until puddings puff up and are set on top.
Cool for about two minutes then run a knife around the edge of each pudding and invert onto plates.
Serve with chocolate sauce and a scoop of ice-cream or whipped cream.

A blueberry twist on Eton Mess

Sometimes the best desserts are a combination of serendipity, history and inspiration. Unexpected visitors brightened the day pre-Christmas but upset the cooking schedule. I had promised to bring a berry dessert to a family get-together and decided to make a blueberry cheesecake.
By the time the visitors left it was too late to bake a cheesecake so I decided to try a blueberry version of something resembling Eton Mess instead.
I recently discovered a vanilla bean grinder at my local supermarket - a bit like a bottle of peppercorns that is also a grinder but this one contained vanilla pods/beans - so this recipe proved a good one for putting the grinder to use.
This recipe was enough for about 8-10 people but it can easily be reduced for a smaller number.

Ingredients:
1 punnet of blueberries
1 punnet strawberries
1 punnet raspberries
250g creme fraiche
250g mascapone
2 tablespoons caster sugar
vanilla bean (grated) or vanilla extract (about 1 teaspoon)
1 packet of chocolate ripple biscuits (a crisp shortbready type of commercial biscuit - 1 packet = about 200-250g)

Method:
Crush biscuits (can be done in a blender but I prefer the rougher texture obtained by crushing them with a rolling pin or similar after placing them inside a folded piece of baking paper)
Wash berries. Hull and slice strawberries (keeping a few aside for decorating the top of the completed dessert).
Mix creme fraiche, mascapone and caster sugar well. Add a sprinkling of ground vanilla bean (see above) or teaspoon of vanilla essence (or to taste). Combine well - a good brisk stir will help make the creamy mixture light and fluffy.

Now comes the fun bit. I combined the ingredients in a large glass bowl (salad dish) but they could also be layered in individual dishes/glasses instead, in the following order:
Place 1/4 of the crushed biscuits in the bottom of the large bowl (or small bowls/glasses)
Top with 1/3 of the berries, then 1/3 of the creamy mix.
Repeat as above, ending with the last 1/4 of the crushed biscuits.
Swirl the top biscuit and creamy layers together slightly and top with a few whole berries.
Refrigerate.

The dessert is delicious on the day it is made but even better the next day, when the tastes and textures have had a chance to meld a bit more.

Beautiful following a barbeque on a hot summer's night.

PS Next time I make it I'll try to take a photo before it's all gone!

Choc-orange creme caramel

Anything chocolate goes down a treat in this kitchen, particularly at dessert time.
This recipe combines two favourites - chocolate and baked custard. It's not quick to make - but it is simple if you follow the steps carefully and take you time and the results are worth waiting for.
What could be better on a hot summer's day. Come to think of it, this creamy delight makes a cool treat in winter as well. When is not the right time for chocolate?

Ingredients:
1 orange (including finely grated zest)
160g good dark chocolate
600ml milk
250g caster sugar - plus another 3 tablespoons
120ml water
4 large eggs
3 egg yolks

Preheat oven to 160C (fan-forced) or 180C (conventional oven)

Method:
Combine orange zest and chocolate (broken) in a small bowl.
Bring milk to a simmer in a small saucepan and pour over chocolate. Stir until the mixture is smooth then set aside for 5 minutes. (Note: This step can be done in a microwave - place milk and chocolate in a microwave-proof bowl. Heat on medium until chocolate melts, checking and stirring every 30 secs or so to avoid overcooking the chocolate. When the mixture is smooth, stir in the orange zest and set aside for 5 minutes, then proceed as below).

Combine 250g caster sugar and water in medium saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to boil and cook without stirring until mixture turns a caramel colour.

Pour caramel into 20cm ovenproof dish (I prefer to use a Pyrex glass dish) and swirl to cover the sides of the dish with caramel.

Whisk egg yolks and 3 tablespoons caster sugar in a medium bowl until well combined.
Add milk mixture, stir until smooth and pour into the caramel-lined dish.
Place dish on a baking tray and pour hot water in the tray until it comes halfway up the sides of the dish (forming a bain marie).
Bake for about 75 minutes or until the creme caramel is just set.
Remove from oven. Cool then refrigerate for at least six hours or overnight.

To serve, run a warm dry knife around the edge of the dish and invert onto a plate.
For a stronger orange flavour, try replacing some of the water with orange juice.

Naan

My favourite snack is hot buttered toast and that hasn't changed since the days I used to toast bread on the hot coals of my Nanna's wood-burning stove.
Flat breads might not be suitable for English-style toast but in the taste stakes they come a close second. 
One of my favourite flat breads is that Indian staple - Naan.
Today's recipe is for plain naan but if you prefer a spicier bread, try some of the variations at the end.

Ingredients:
500g plain white flour (for best results use bread-making flour)
1 teaspoon salt
7g sachet dried yeast or equivalent fresh yeast
300ml warm water
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons plain greek yoghurt

Method:
Sift flour and salt in a large bowl. Stir in yeast. Form a well in the middle and add water, oil and yoghurt.
Mix to form a soft and slightly sticky dough, adding extra water if necessary to get the right consistency.
Turn onto a floured surface and knead until smooth.
Lightly oil the bowl. Place dough in the oiled bowl and leave (covered) for about an hour or until it has doubled in size.
Preheat oven to highest temperature (about 220C). Place a heavy baking sheet in the oven to heat.
Punch down dough and knead lightly.
Divide into five equal parts.
Remove one part from the bowl (keep the rest covered in the bowl) and roll and stretch it into an oval shape about 5mm thick.
Place on hot baking sheet and cook for 4-5 minutes until puffed up and golden on top.
Wrap cooked naan in a clean wet teatowel.
Repeat with remaining dough.
Serve warm.
Makes five pieces of naan.

Variations:
Garlic naan - brush the rolled-out naan with a little oil and sprinkle it with chopped garlic before baking.
Spiced naan - add 1 teaspoon of ground coriander or cumin to the flour before adding water. Continue as for plain naan recipe above.
Chilli naan - add about 1/4 teaspoon of fresh or dried chilli to the dough before kneading and continue as for plain naan recipe above. 

Chicken Risotto

Today's recipe is a lucky dip from the savoury part of my little black box. This chicken risotto recipe is one I collected from my mother-in-law, Mary, one of the best cooks in Gippsland. I tend to tweak it a bit - well quite a bit judging by the amount of blue below - depending on what I have in the pantry. My usual tweaks are in the brackets in blue. Preparation and cooking times vary depending on the vegetables chosen and the state of the cook but I can usually have it on the table within 45 minutes of dicing the meat.
Chicken Risotto
Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts, cut up [or 4 chicken thigh fillets - they are usually more tender and flavoursome]
1 onion [or 2 shallots - the French sort, not spring onions]
2 cups arborio rice [I usually substitute Clever rice as it's fairly fail-safe]
1/2 cup white wine [can be replaced with water and a teaspoon of vinegar for a bit of acid]
1/2 teaspoon chilli paste [or a sprinkle of chilli powder or one small mild fresh chilli]
2 teaspoons coriander paste [can use 1/2 teaspoon of dried coriander or a handful of fresh coriander, finely chopped]
Small can of corn [I prefer to use kernels sliced from one or two fresh corn cobs]
1 tablespoon olive oil
20g butter
2 cups chicken stock [or 2 cups of water with two chicken stock cubes will do]
Capsicum, zucchini, sliced - any other vegetables [I usually use a carrot, a capsicum, some sliced mushrooms, a small stick of celery, a couple of potatoes, maybe a tin of tomatoes (or a squirt of tomato paste), a handful of peas or beans - frozen peas will do]
Grated cheese [my favourite is grated parmesan, a staple in my freezer, but grated pizza cheese is a good alternative for a softer 'stringier' texture]

Method:
Brown chicken and onion [or shallots] in oil, add butter, stir in rice gradually. Cook over medium heat 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add chilli and coriander, stir through.
Add wine [or water if preferred], simmer till absorbed.
Begin adding stock, 1/2 cup at a time.
Add vegies, corn with juice [if used canned corn] last. Add extra water if necessary. [Carrots usually take about 15-20 minutes to cook, other veges a bit less. Test a piece of chicken and a piece of carrot with a fork to see if they are done the way you like them.]
Stir through grated cheese so it melts just before serving.

[Need a change from chicken? Try replacing the chicken fillets with a couple of fish fillets - rockling or gummy shark/flake work well - adding the fish a couple of minutes after the vegetables so the fish isn't overcooked.]

[If you don't have coriander or chilli available, a good slurp of a stirfry sauce, something with soy sauce, chilli, lemongrass, honey or lime - that sort of thing - or teriyaki sauce or something similar will produce a tasty result.]

[Experiment! That's the best part of "Kitchen Chemistry".]