Our weekly Thursday dinner party (yet to earn it's proprietary name) is now going on it's fifth evolution and appropriately our first course featured a very commercialized squash: A roasted pumpkin soup recipe with four variegated condiments from that same pumpkin, intended to compliment, intrigue & twinkle your toes & twist ones tongue:)
Simplicity: which means to be simple, usually relates to the burden which a thing puts on someone trying to explain or understand it. Something which is easy to understand or explain is simple, in contrast to something complicated. Alternatively, as Herbert Simon suggested, something is simple or complex depending on the way we choose to describe it.
November 3rd, 2011
I know, I know . . you're recalling that this dinner voyage was originally chartered to the Sun of Tuscany (ie: Italian). "Epicurean simplicity" being the spinal cord of my most recent blogs & each vertebrae representing the supportive behaviors, techniques, thoughts, imagination & passion necessary to keep a balanced, upward and onward perspective. Abstaining from any superfluous cooking, I am quite proud of the following menu:
1st Course - Pumpkin of 5-Elements
Roasted Pumpkin Soup with four condiments: Thai Pickled Pumpkin Julienne, Basil-Pumpkin Salsina, Curried Pumpkin Chutney & Ancho Chile Candied Pumpkin Seeds
2nd Course - Crescione de Mare
Warm Watercress Ensalata with Garlic Confit Risotto Cake, Green Lip Mussels, Clams, Heirloom Tomato, Organic Asparagus Tips & Basil Beurre Blanc
3rd Course - Fennel Cracked Pig
Fennel-Black Pepper encrusted Pork Tenderloin with Tamarind-Cider Demi, Lemon Thyme-Brie Mashers, Wilted Dino Kale a la Vino Rouge
4th Course - To Die and Gone to Heaven dessert sampler
Poached Pear-Frangipane Strudel Tower with Spiced Caramel,
Toasted Pecan-Peach Bread Pudding Wedge with Balsamic Reduction,
House Churned Buttermilk Ice Cream, and
Gingerized Chocolate Tartlette with Alaea Sea Salt
Whatever obtuse thought is going through your head - let it evaporate with my assurance that this phonetically descriptive menu did in fact uphold some semblance of minimalism. The flavors melded together . . neither too much of this, nor too little of that - welcome to the wonderful world of "Borderline"
Enough with the vittles on to our beautiful contestants . . . Jennifer (Princess Charming, Personal Duchess to a certain celebrity, Flexibly Vegan), Jim (Real Estate Entrepreneur, Fellow Buddhist, Phoenix in the Rising), Randy & Steve (Married with Two Pug'able Children, Yin & Yang, On the Run yet Content by Couch) & Stan (A Shipley Sort of Chap, Pillar of Stability, Landlord, Profession put to the Point) . . . COME ON DOWN! (as Rod Roddy would say). With the seven Ikea stylized seats occupied we can finally uncork our guests offerings, both content & libations:
-2010 Rombauer Vineyards, Chardonnay: Gold medallion for this varietal/butter baster
-2008 Blackstone, Merlot: dependable as a Volkswagon Jetta/soothing to the palette
-2009 Hearst Ranch Winery, "Babicora" Malbec: enchantingly deep tannins/berry blaster
-2007 Swanson, Merlot: unopened/enchanting me with envious premonitions
In true "Social" spirit, our guests (estranged to each other) engaged in colloquial conversation with a tendency towards philosophy & sociology. Naturally, there was great interest in navigating Jennifer to disclose some sort of personal introspection of her boss. Our interrogation failed to progress as Jennifer meticulously thwarted our questions and navigated the attention in the direction of Jim. From Jim it went to Buddhism & from there it Leap frogg'd over to "The Secret" before cascading into the merits of ones monetary worth (ie: lawyers vs. architects vs. caterers) . . . no tears were shed, laughter dominated persuassion & blissful belly's forfeited the evening at 11:13pm in dire need to lay horizontal.
By coincidence with this evenings references to "the Secret", I am attending Agape International Spiritual Center's 25 year anniversary event (think Rev. Beckworth & Dr. Lana Bettencourt) on Saturday, November 5th and will be the celebrity judge for their dessert contest. Can you hear Simba now .. The Circle of Life!
with Culinary Blessings,
Chef Scotty
SOUP DE SQUASH RECIPE
Original Recipe Yield 7 - 10 servings
Ingredients
7 cups veggie stock (ie: boil water + onion & vegetative fridge leftovers & sachet)
1 sachet (2 bay leaf, 8 peppercorns, bundle of thyme, 1 allspice berry)
1 tablespoon kosher salt/adjust as needed
4 cups roasted squash flesh (be it pumpkin, butternut, acorn ...etc.)
1 teaspoon chopped ginger
1 cup chopped onion
1 dash of cayenne
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon organic apple cider vinegar
OPTIONAL:
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream or coconut milk
1 tablespoon spice mix (ie: garam masala, curry powder)
Directions
Make stock with mirepoix/veggies, salt & sachet then strain and add pumpkin, onion, ginger, garlic, and cayenne. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes uncovered.
Puree the soup in small batches (1 cup at a time) using a food processor or use hand-held blender.
Return to pan, and bring to a boil again. Add vinegar. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for another 30 minutes, uncovered. Option to stir in heavy cream/half-n-half, Almond or Coconut Milk. Option to add spice blends of: Chinese 5-spice, Garam Masala or Curry
Dinner was a complete delight. The pumpkin soup was new and different, without being demanding. The shellfish were plump, tender and succulent.
ReplyDeleteI previously believed I disliked fennel. Chef Scotty's savory Fennel Cracked Pig educated me, and my palate. Fennel is divine.
The dessert course was exceptional, delicious, and engendering of convivial conversation. Though perhaps Hearst Ranch Winery's "Babicora" Malbec (thank you Jim) also contributed to my feeling of immense well being.
Thank you Chef Scotty.