What is a Long Island Cheese Pumpkin?
Cheese pumpkins have a sweet orange flesh that is rather versatile and very popular for pumpkin pies, deserts and soups. It has a strong rind for long storage, so you can keep it until the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays come around to add to the feast! It can be used in recipes in place of butternut squash and long necks.
Cheese Pumpkin Soup with Apples, Celeriac and Sage
1 medium cheese pumpkin
2 carrots
1 celeriac
1 medium onion
6 cups vegetable stock
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 apples, peeled and halved and chopped
dried sage leaves and roasted pumpkin seeds as garnish
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350. Cut pumpkin in half and remove seeds. Rub the pumpkin with 1 tablespoon olive oil and place them face down on a sheet tray lined with aluminum foil. Cook in the oven for about 50 minutes or until a sharp knife can easily pierce the skin.
Meanwhile, dice the carrots, celeriac, onion and apples and saute in a large pot in 1 tablespoon olive oil over low heat until tender. Set aside.
When the pumpkin is cooked, remove it form the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Scoop the pumpkin meat from both halves and place in the pot with carrots, celeriac, onions and apples. Add the vegetable stock. Using and immersion blender, blend until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish with a sprinkle of sage and pumpkin seeds to every bowl.
Helpful tip! If you do not have an immersion blender you can blend the soup little by little in a blender or food processor.
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
2 cups fresh pumpkin seeds
3 tablespoons butter or olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (optional)
Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Line a large sheet pan with aluminum foil and lightly grease with oil.
To clean the seeds from the pumpkin pulp, place the pumpkin pulp in a bowl and as you pick through it place the seeds in a colander. Rinse the seeds under cold water. Pat the seeds very dry with a towel. Once the seeds are as dry as they can be, combine them with the seasoning and oil. Spread the seeds evenly over the baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes, making sure to stir and toss the seeds occasionally. For extra crispy seeds turn up the heat to 350 degrees and cook for an extra 5 minutes.
Broccolini and Radichcio with Crispy White Beans
1 bunch broccolini, trimmed and stems halved lengthwise
7 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup cooked white beans (maine sunrise, cannellini, navy beans) drained and rinsed and patted dry
1 red chili (cayenne, jalepeno, etc.)
1 garlic clove
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
Roughly 2 cups Radicchio leaves
Ramano cheese, black pepper and lemon wedges for garnish
Heat a large skillet over medium-high until very hot, 4 to 5 minutes. Toss together the broccolini and 3 tablespoons oil in a large bowl. Add half of the broccolini to the skillet, spread evenly until it is slightly charred and crisp, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a large bowl and repeat with the rest of the broccolini.
Carefully wipe skillet clean, and return heat over medium high. Add 2 tablespoons oil and half of the beans; spread evenly. Cook, undisturbed until outer skins of the beans begin to peel back, crisp and brown slightly, about 1 minute. Add chili and garlic and stir and cook for another 30 seconds undisturbed, then place them in a bowl with the broccolini. Continue until all beans are cooked.
Gently toss broccolini and beans with radicchio, parsley, and salt. Sprinkle with Romano and black pepper and a squeeze of lemon.
Radicchio Squash Salad with Tahini dressing
2 delicata squash (sliced in half moons) or 1 butternut squash (peeled and diced)
4 cups radicchio (or mix of greens: arugala, mustards, mizzuna, spinach)
1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
1/4 teaspoon chili powder or smoked sweet paprika
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup roasted pumpkin seeds
For the dressing:
1/3 cup tahini
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons lukewarm water
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, toss squash with honey, chili or paprika, 2 tablespoons olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Transfer to a baking sheet. Roast for 35-40 minutes tossing halfway.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, water and a little salt. If it gets too thick add a little more water. Whisk until smooth and creamy.
In a large bowl, combine radicchio, squash, and pumpkin seeds and top with tahini dressing.