per request: pumpkin soup and lasagna recipes (from saturday)

stike

[p]Roasted Pumpkin and Squash Soup
(adapted from a number of similar recipes...)[p] - 1 large butternut (or other!) squash and 1 or 2 sugar pumpkins,
quartered, and seeded, skin left on
- unsalted butter
- salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 medium onions, chopped
- three or four cloves of garlic
- lemongrass (dunno how much, i had an approx 3 oz tube of prepared
minced lemongrass and used the whole thing)
- 2 medium fingers of peeled and minced fresh ginger (maybe 3
tablespoons)
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 6 cups broth (chix or veggie)
- 1 can unsweetened Goya coconut milk
- 1 fresh thyme sprig + extra for garnishing if desired[p] 1. Preheat BGE to 450 degrees F. slightly oil cut edges of pumkins/squash. Set the squash, cut sides up, on grid indirect over platesetter. add some grapvine or oak for smoke. Not too much. Roast the squash for about 1 hour or until fork tender. Cool until you can handle it. Remove skin and cut into large pieces.
2. While squash is roasting, in a large soup pot, melt the tablespoons butter in the olive oil. Add the onions and garlic, ginger, and curry powder and cook over moderate heat until lightly browned. If you have fresh (raw) lemon grass, i think you can add it here, cut up coarsely. If you have the prepared lemon grass (in a tube), add it later. Add the wine and cook until evaporated.
3. Add squash/pumpkin to the soup pot.
4. Add the broth. Using a stick blender, mix all well (or puree in
batches in food processor). Simmer over moderately low heat for
about 20 minutes or until heated through, maybe add a sprig of
thyme.
5. Shortly before serving, add the prepared lemon grass, cumin.
6. Discard the thyme sprig. Add additional salt and pepper to taste
as desired. Ladle into bowls, add a swirl of half-and-half or
cream, chopped end-of-season chives and/or sprinkle with
additional fresh thyme leaves if desired. Serves 6-8.[p] ...in truth, this is different EVERY time we make it. The only constant is pumpkin or squash (or both), the coconut milk, and the lemon grass. The coconut milk is a must.... If you want to thin it in a hurry, adding water is ok. Conversely, to thicken it a bit and you don't have all day to simmer it down, add a can of pumpkin flesh in a pinch.[p][p]Mushroom Lasagna
(adapted/modified from a recipe by the Barefoot Contessa)

Kosher salt
Good olive oil
- 12 oz package pound dried lasagna noodles (I used 16oz, and tossed three damaged strips. was just enough)
- 4 cups whole milk (I used half-and-half)
- 12 tablespoons (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, divided
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg (I used 3/4 lest it be too 'nutmeggy')
- 1-1/2 to 2 pounds mixed portabello/shitake and wild mushrooms (I used 4 oz portabella, 8 oz shitake, the rest equal parts morels, black trumpet, oyster, porcini, chanterelle)
- 1-1/2 to 2 cups freshly ground Parmesan[p]Preheat the egg to 375/400 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to a boil with 1-tablespoon salt. Add the lasagna noodles and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain, toss with olive oil to keep from sticking, and set aside. [p]For the white sauce, bring the milk to a simmer in a saucepan. Set aside. Melt 8 tablespoons (1 stick) of the butter in a large saucepan. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Pour the hot milk into the butter-flour mixture all at once. Add 1-tablespoon salt, the pepper, and nutmeg, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring first with the wooden spoon and then with a whisk, for 3 to 5 minutes, until thick. Set aside off the heat.[p]Separate the mushrooms stems from the caps and discard the stems. Slice the caps 1/4-inch thick. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large (12-inch) sauté pan. When the butter melts, add half the mushrooms, sprinkle with salt, and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender and they release some of their juices. If they become too dry, add a little more oil. Toss occasionally to make sure the mushrooms cook evenly. Repeat with the remaining mushrooms and set all the mushrooms aside. [p]To assemble the lasagna, spread some of the sauce in the bottom of an 8 by 12 by 2-inch baking dish. Arrange a layer of noodles on top, then more sauce, then 1/3 of the mushrooms, and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan. Repeat 2 more times, layering noodles, sauce, mushrooms, and Parmesan. Top with a final layer of noodles and sauce, and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan. [p]Make sure the fire is burning cleanly after start-up. Bake (indirect!)the lasagna for 45 minutes, or until the top is browned the sauce is bubbly and hot. I added a small bit of oak for a rustic smokey flavor to the top, which complemented the mushrooms really well. Allow to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes (while you grill asparagus for a side veggie, and eat the soup)and serve hot. [p]

Sundown

stike,[p]Wife just walked by,, looked and said Print that puppy! She loves pumpkin soup.[p]Thanks it looks great and, IT HAD BETTER TASTE GOOD!

stike

Sundown,
probably a couple errors in that recipe... forgot to say "add coconut milk", so, you know. add some. preferably before eating the soup...[p]i also used more stock, because i actually used three pumpkins and a big squash. made a huge pot. and so, those tablespoons of curry and cumin, well, that was actually for the 8 cups (or more) stock that i sued. ...just add the spices to taste, of course.[p]i think i should write "about" in front of every ingredient amount hahaha[p]

Sundown

stike,[p]Haven't done a recipe yet that I stuck to the plan. always a tweak here and there. I understand what you're saying though. thanks

Unknown

stike, Thank you- you responded to my post yesterday about pumpkin soup and I added a can of coconut milk and some curry- pretty darn good. I'll copy this recipe for future use.
Thanks buddy.