Pumpkin Festival

In the Italian language, pumpkins, squash, and zucchini are all called a variation of the word zucca, which in many dialects, is often used to represent the head. There is even a centuries - old way of referring to someone who isn't very intelligent as "Avere poco sale in zucca" which literally translates as "having little salt in the pumpkin"!

Available in a wide range of green, orange, yellow, red, white, and gray hues, pumpkins are rich in vitamin A, fiber, and antioxidants. Consuming this nutritional powerhouse is believed to promote better vision and weight loss while reducing the risk of cancer and boosting immunity. In the United States, October 13 is a food holiday known as National Pumpkin Festival. Here are a few recipes from my latest classes that utilize this versatile vegetable.

This recipe is from The Italian Diabetes Cookbook. Pumpkin is most appreciated in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, where an annual festival is held in its honor. Throughout Italy, pumpkin is used to stuff ravioli and make soups, risottos, and many other sweet and savory recipes.  Vegetable stock or water can be used instead of chicken stock in this recipe, if desired.

6 cups Homemade Chicken Stock (page 289) or reduced-sodium chicken stock
1 teaspoon unrefined sea salt
4 cups pumpkin purée
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt
3 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley

1. Combine stock, salt, pumpkin, onion, thyme, garlic, and pepper in a large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
2. Using a food processor (or blender with the center spout removed and the hole covered with a clean kitchen towel), purée the soup in 2 or 3 batches.
3. Return purée to pot and bring to a boil again over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for another 30 minutes, covered. Stir in yogurt.
4. Ladle purée into soup bowls and garnish with fresh parsley.

•Italian Living Tradition•
In Italy, creamy soups like this one are often enhanced by adding handfuls of cooked small pasta, leftover grilled vegetables, or freshly sautéed shrimp.
Wine
Friulano

Pumpkin Walnut Bread with Cranberry Compote

This delicious fall classic can be made ahead of time and frozen. The bread can also be made into muffins.


2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup canned pure pumpkin
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whole milk
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

Cranberry Compote

4 cups (1 pkg.) fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2 cup orange juice plus zest of 1 orange
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup sugar
1 cinnamon stick
½ teaspoon ground cloves

To make the bread:
Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F.
Butter 9x5x3-inch metal loaf pan.
Sift first 7 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until light. Gradually beat in 3/4 cup sugar. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat in pumpkin, lemon peel and vanilla. Whisk sour cream and milk in small bowl. Beat flour and sour cream mixtures alternately into batter in 2 additions each. Fold in nuts. Transfer batter to pan; smooth top. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar.
Bake bread until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour , while making compote. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Turn out onto rack to cook completely.

To make the compote:
Add all the ingredients to a heavy-bottomed pot and bring to a boil. Simmer and stir every few minutes until the berries start to burst and the sauce thickens. Add more orange juice if necessary to desired consistency. DO NOT OVERCOOK. Remove from heat and transfer to a shallow dish to cool.