I had a Vegetarian Autumn Dinner Party for 8 people at the end of September and these are two dishes that came out really well. Figured I would pass them along to the foodies and/or vegetarians.
SPICED PUMPKIN SOUP
This is a pretty simple to make and tastes incredible. It’s better if you make it and let it sit for a few hours covered and then reheat it.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup chopped carrot
3/4 cup chopped celery
3/4 cup chopped ripe banana
1/2 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 bay leaf
1 whole clove
41/2 - 5 cups low-salt chicken broth
2 cups canned pure pumpkin
3/4 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2-3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2-3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon crumbled dried sage leaves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon yellow curry powder
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Preparation:
Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add carrot and next 6 ingredients and sauté until vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Transfer mixture to processor and blend until smooth. Return mixture to pot. Add broth and all remaining ingredients except cilantro. Boil soup over medium-high heat 15 minutes to blend flavors. Cool slightly. Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth. Return soup to pot. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly, then cover and refrigerate.)
Bring soup to simmer. Divide among 8 bowls. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.
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BUTTERNUT SQUAH LASAGNA WITH FRESH ROSEMARY AND GARLIC
This is a pretty work intensive meal but it’s truly worth it. Start to finish it takes about 3 hours. It goes a lot faster if you have help with the peeling and cutting of the squash.
Ingredients
6-7 pounds butternut squash, peeled, quartered, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 9 1/2 cups)
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups milk
1/8 tsp nutmeg
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary crumbled, (2 tsp dried)
4-5 cloves garlic minced--NOT PRESSED
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) salted butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 7- by 3 1/2-inch sheets dry no-boil lasagna pasta (these are worth it, believe me)
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan (5-7 oz)
1/2 teaspoon salt
(OPTIONAL) 1 cup heavy cream
Garnish: fresh rosemary sprigs
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Preparation
Preheat oven to 450°F. and oil 2 large shallow baking pans.
In a large baking pan toss squash with olive oil until coated well. Season with salt and pepper. Roast squash in oven 10 minutes. Stir squash and roast 10 to 15 minutes more, or until tender and beginning to turn golden.
While squash is roasting, in a saucepan bring milk to a simmer with rosemary. Heat milk mixture over low heat 10 minutes.
In a large heavy saucepan cook garlic in butter over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened. Stir in flour and cook roux, stirring, 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat and whisk in milk mixture in a stream until smooth (when I first starting making bechemal sauce and had trouble with it clumping, if it began to clump I would throw it in the blender). Return pan to heat, add nutmeg, and simmer sauce, whisking constantly, about 10 minutes, or until thick. Sauce may be made 3 days ahead and chilled, its surface covered with plastic wrap.
Reduce temperature to 375°F. and butter a baking dish, 13 by 9 inches.
Pour 1 cup sauce into baking dish (sauce will not cover bottom completely) and cover with 3 lasagna sheets, making sure they do not touch each other. Spread half of remaining sauce over pasta and sprinkle with 1/2 cup Parmesan. Make 2 more layers in the same manner, then top with the rest of the parmesan cheese over it.
**(OPTIONAL) In a bowl with an electric mixer beat cream with salt until it holds soft peaks and spread evenly over with butternut squash, making sure pasta is completely covered.**
Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan over cream. Cover dish tightly with foil, tenting slightly to prevent foil from touching top layer, and bake in middle of oven 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake lasagna 10 minutes more, or until top is bubbling and golden. Let lasagna stand 5 minutes.
(You can also cut out some of the butternut squash and add Portabello mushrooms seasoned with salt, pepper, and a little bit of butter)
