pumpkin bread

Pumpkins...Halloween...tis the season

It's about this time of year we keep seeing all those celebrities visiting Pumpkin Patch in LA. Heidi Klum, Jessica Alba et al all getting their pumpkin fix.

You'd be blind to miss the plentiful supply of bulbous orange squash sitting in the supermarkets. Did you know that Halloween is coming up? Have you carved your scary face?

Stupid costumes aside, I love the pumpkin side of October. My American friend makes a pumpkin dip to dunk sharp sour apple into, but my flat mate made this wonderful bread found on Joy of Baking, that can be enjoyed for breakfast with a cup of coffee, your afternoon tea, or just a snack. It is sooooo good. She used far less sugar, as there is no need for so much, and quite frankly I've always enjoyed pumpkin only slightly sweetened, so that all the spices come through and it doesn't become too sickly. We like it on its own, but you might like a little spread of butter.

The smell coming from the oven is amazing. It makes two loaves, so either eat one very quickly, give them away, or freeze one. It keeps very well. Also I recommend a really good loaf tin. A non stick silicone one works perfectly, and means no need for greasing or lining. I got one of these lately.

You definitely need some of this before you proceed!

Cream Cheese Filling:
227g cream cheese, room temp
100g granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour

Pumpkin Bread:
110g pecans or walnuts
450g all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/3 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
4 large eggs
400g granulated white sugar (NB we only used 300g)
226 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
425g can pure pumpkin
120ml water
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Oven @ 180 ' C for 50-65 mins, 2 loaf tins.


Toast nuts on baking tray, cool and chop.

Cream cheese filling - using spoon or processor, cream the cheese until smooth with the sugar. Then add the eggs one at a time, and stir in flour. DO NOT OVER PROCESS OR OVER STIR, otherwise it'll be too thin and will be absorbed by the bread when cooking. Leave to the side.

Pumpkin bread - in a large bowl sift flour, baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.

In another bowl whisk eggs, and add sugar and melted butter. Whisk together. Stir in the pumpkin, water, vanilla and nuts. Add the flour mix bit by bit and stir in until just combined. DO NOT OVER STIR AS IT WILL MAKE IT TOO TOUGH.

Divide batter total in half and the cream cheese filling so it will be enough for 2 tins.

For one loaf, divide half the batter and spread into tin. Place the cream cheese filling on top of the batter and then top off with the remaining half of batter (use two spoons to place small dollops of batter on top of the filling so not to mix together).

Repeat for 2nd loaf tin (or use the same loaf tin after the 1st has cooked).

Bake for about 50-65 mins, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Amazing!

vegetarian feast

'Casa Moro' pumpkin and chickpea salad

Juicy medium rare iron filled steak or big can of chickpeas?

I could probably easily be vegetarian, but I do need a little animal flesh, or the stock from some broiling bones of chicken. Pure un-tampered genuine protein. I'm a carnivore at heart, but I do have a weakness for meaty pulses (I'm sure most men might gasp at the horror of receiving such a dish...'where's the meat?').

If you have chosen to be a vegetarian, do it this way, as my friend did for me one supper. Or, go down the spectacular vegetarian options route as Yotam Ottolenghi provides (do I have to tell you who he is again?). For whatever reason you might be a vegetarian, please please please, I beg of you, don't tell me you eat those bizarre 'fake' protein, mycoprotein nuggets, or even worse, have fake 'chicken' or fake 'sausages.' Surely if you are vegetarian, you don't need to be tricked into thinking you're eating a real sausage or piece of meat, AND surely as a supposedly health conscious/weight conscious individual you would know the wonders of the pulse/wild, red, brown rice/root vegetable/herbs and flavouring world?

I shiver when someone mentions the word 'Quorn.'

Do you?

Blah.

My friend chose a delicious Ravinder Bhogal portobello mushroom recipe and a 'Moro' pumkin and chickpea salad.

I was not dissatisfied.

Let the adventure begin...

'Casa Moro' chickpea and pumpkin salad

Pumpkin and chickpea salad with tahini taken from 'Casa Moro' (4)

Salad:

• 1 kg pumpkin or squash (peeled, de-seeded and cut into cubes)
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• sea salt and black pepper
• 400g can cooked chickpeas, drained
• 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
• 4 tbsp roughly chopped fresh coriander

Tahini:

• 1 garlic clove, crushed to a paste with a pinch of salt
• 3 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
• 3 tbsp tahini paste
• 2 tbsp water, to taste
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Oven - 220 'C/425 F/Gas 7

Toss pumpkin with garlic, allspice, olive oil and some salt and pepper. Place on a try in the oven for about 15-25 minutes until soft. Remove and allow to cool.

While the pumpkin is cooling, make the tahini sauce. Mix the crushed garlic with lemon juice and add the tahini. Now thin with the water and olive oil and check the seasoning.

Assemble the salad by mixing together the pumpkin mix, chickpea, red onion and coriander. Pour on the tahini sauce and remaining oil and toss carefully. Season with salt and pepper.

Ravinder Bhogal portobello mushrooms

Portobello mushroom and cheddar crumble (4)

• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 8 portobello mushrooms
• extra virgin olive oil to drizzle

Tomato sauce:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 fat garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 dried red chilli, crumbled
• 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• sea salt and black pepper
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Crumble:

• 200g breadcrumbs
• 1 heaped tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 20g parmesan cheese, finely grated
• 50g cheddar cheese, finely grated
• 1 handful of torn fresh basil leaves

Oven - 190 'C/375 F/Gas 5

Mix all the crumble ingredients together, season and set aside.

For the sauce, saute the onion until soft and add the chopped garlic and chilli and fry for a couple of minutes, then add the tomatoes, sugar and seasoning. Let it bubble on a low heat for 15-20 minutes to reduce down. Add a little bit of water if it does get too thick. Add the parsley at the end.

Peel and trim the mushrooms.

Spread half the tomato sauce over the base of a large roasting tin, then top with the slice garlic and mushrooms, stalk-side up. Pour the rest of the sauce over the top and finish with the crumble.

Drizzle with some extra virgin olive oil and bake in the oven for 20 minutes until it is bubbling on top.