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Sultry Pumpkin Soup – Southwest Flavors, Dressed To Kill

Sultry Pumpkin Soup – Southwest Flavors, Dressed To Kill

Pumpkin, Ancho Chile, Pear
Tortilla Strips, Pumpkin Seeds, Chile de Arbol Flakes, Candied Orange Zest
Cinnamon Crema, Chile Oil

The ancho chile’s complex raisin-like taste complements the pumpkin. Black pepper and cinnamon coax out its deeper flavors. Homemade smoky chile-de-arbol flakes and fiery chile oil add some heat to the relatively mild ancho. Ripe pear and maple syrup bring natural sweetness while orange adds a certain brightness. Tortilla strips add crunch and pumpkin seeds bring an earthy nuttiness. It’s all rounded out by spiced Mexican crema. One just might have a burning desire to try this sultry pumpkin soup with its bold Southwest flavors and adventurous garnishes.

Sultry Pumpkin Soup Recipe

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Grilled Nectarine Salad with Freekeh

Grilled Nectarine Salad
Freekeh, Mixed Greens, Marcona Almonds, Parmesan
Fried Kalamata Olive Balsamic Reduction

Subtle smoky flavors and the pleasant chewy texture of freekeh, a tasty whole grain from the Middle East, complement the smoky-sweet grilled nectarines in this super-satisfying barely-warm entree salad. Rough chopped Marcona almonds and shards of Parmesan bring nutty-buttery components. It’s all pulled together by the dressing in which Kalamata olives are fried in olive oil then balsamic vinegar is added and reduced to a syrup. Fresh ground black pepper finishes it off.

Green soft durum wheat is harvested young, then roasted over an open fire during which the straw and chaff are burned, then rubbed off, leaving a complex tasting grain with earthy grassy herbal overtones. Cracked freekeh cooks up in about 20 minutes and has three times as much fiber as brown rice. While it makes a superb side dish pilaf-style, or even as a hot breakfast cereal-style – freekeh is especially great tossed up with mixed greens, olive oil, and salt – then paired with fruit and nuts in a salad such as this.

Grilled Nectarine Salad with Freekeh Recipe

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Grilled Peach Salad, Maple Bourbon Dressing

Grilled Peach Salad

Bourbon Grilled Peaches, Arugula, Farro
Blueberries, Red Onion, Bleu Cheese, Pistachio Nuts
Maple Bourbon Rosemary Dressing

The kinship between peaches and bourbon is the foundation for this wildly flavorful summer salad. The natural flavor attractions and diverse tastes and mouthfeel of pickled red onion, bleu cheese, and pistachio nuts pull it all together like a molecular bond. Blueberries add a fresh sunny pop while farro adds a chewy texture and nutty earthy notes. It is all harmonized by the dressing, an over-the top sweet & savory maple-bourbon-rosemary blend that will have the adults swooning.

Grilled Peach Salad, Maple Bourbon Dressing

Grilled Peach Salad Recipe

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Unique Korean Banchan: A White Seaweed Salad

White Seaweed Salad
Garlic Mayonnaise, Toasted Sesame Seeds, Sea Salt

White seaweed salad makes a unique sea vegetable banchan (side dish). Seaweed “noodles,” also called kelp noodles, are made from kelp, water, and sodium alginate. Sodium alginate is extracted from the cell wall of brown seaweed. It is used as a stabilizer, thickener, and emulsifier in many common foods. In modernist cuisine it is used as the cold gelling agent to form spheres that have a thin membrane and are filled with a flavored liquid – a technique called spherification, pioneered back in 2003 by Chef Ferran Adrià at El Bulli.

Kelp noodles are fat-free, gluten-free, and low in carbohydrates and calories, and rich in oceanic trace minerals. They have a neutral taste and surprisingly crunchy texture with a curious elasticity. Here, the salad is made with minimal preparation – the noodles are served raw, simply rinsed and coated with a garlicky mayonnaise, toasted sesame seeds and sea salt. The result is an unusual side dish that pairs especially well with spicy Korean dishes.

White Seaweed Salad Recipe

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Quiche with a Black Quinoa Crust, Heirloom Tomatoes, Spinach, Goat Cheese

Quiche with a Black Quinoa Crust
Heirloom Tomatoes, Spinach, Goat Cheese

The wild, crunchy supergrain of the Andes makes an interesting crust for this tomato, spinach, and goat cheese quiche. Organic Royal Black Quinoa is grown 13,000 feet up on an arid, desolate salt flat in Bolivia.

My gluten-free friends will appreciate quinoa as a replacement for a pastry crust. And everyone can appreciate the nutrition, extra protein, and fiber that quinoa adds to the quiche. For me, I like the unexpected striking black color – even if I have to explain that no, no, it’s not burnt.

Black Quinoa Crust Quiche Recipe

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