Perfect Pumpkin - Issue #64
Hello Fellow Food Lovers!
Welcome to this week's newsletter. After last week's sweet chocolate cake issue, this week we've gone savoury... well almost all savoury, we're diving deep into the wonderful world of pumpkins! With Autumn in full swing here in New Zealand, it's the perfect time to enjoy this versatile squash. From comforting soups to vibrant salads, pumpkins offer endless possibilities in the kitchen.
In this newsletter, we'll explore some delicious pumpkin recipes and share a throwback to a video showcasing how to artfully plate a pumpkin salad, along with some expert food presentation tips to elevate your culinary creations. Let's get cooking and make the most of this season's bounty!
In this issue:
- Ingredient spotlight - Pumpkin Or Squash
- Video throwback - Pumpkin Salad
- Presentation tips - The Dishes In This Newsletter
Last week's newsletter was all about a chocolate cake recipe you need... You can read it here: https://www.easypeasy.co/newsletters/issue-63/
Ingredient Spotlight - Pumpkin Or Squash
Pumpkins are a staple autumn vegetable here in New Zealand and they're a surprisingly versatile ingredient! I planted a pumpkin seed and managed to get four delicious pumpkins from it this season.
One of our favourite things to make with pumpkin is risotto, but I've been making all sorts of delicious things. Donuts, pumpkin mini loaves, risotto, pesto crumbed pumpkin, roast pumpkin salad and of course some creamy pumpkin soup.
Baked pumpkin donuts. Pumpkin mini loaves.
We've got a new video coming soon with ideas for how to plate soup - it's such a 'boring' dish to plate, but it can look great if you put some effort into the garnishing side of things. Keep an eye out for that down the track.
One great thing about pumpkin is that it can be used equally well in both sweet and savoury dishes. Pumpkin pie and cheesecake make delicious dessert options. Pumpkin scones can be enhanced with dates or nuts for a sweet option, or keep them savoury with added cheese and herbs. Pumpkins can be enjoyed on their own or in baking and salads. They really are a fantastic vegetable!
Some recipes we've featured with pumpkin:
Video Throwback - Pumpkin Salad
Talking about pumpkin salad, I enjoyed looking back at this older video where we plate a delicious pumpkin salad three completely different ways. Of course we talk about some presentation tips to consider (colours, texture, height etc) and then we plate it in a rustic style, a traditional style and a molded style.
With these few tips, you'll be taking your salad plating to a whole new level. I hope you enjoy having a look at this video too.
Presentation Tips - The Dishes In This Newsletter
Food presentation is the main focus here at EasyPeasy kitchen so let's have a closer look at ways to serve the dishes featured in this newsletter.
- Creamy pumpkin risotto - The addition of a little red capsicum adds colour to this risotto and really enhances the presentation. The fresh basil also adds colour and delicious flavour. The pumpkin seeds add a slight crunchy texture which adds to the mouthfeel, and the black sesame seeds... don't they just finish off the presentation of this risotto beautifully?
Creamy pumpkin risotto. Pumpkin mini loaves with a generous spread of cream cheese.
- Pumpkin mini loaves - Warmed with a generous swipe of cream cheese, these pumpkin mini loaves are absolutely delicious. To add to their presentation you can add a few blobs of feta cheese to the top before you bake them. I added some pumpkin seeds to these for a slight crunchy texture which makes them nicer to eat.
- Pumpkin doughnuts - These can be served plain with cinnamon sugar, iced very elaborately or anything in between. They're really a canvas for creativity where anything goes. I've even seen them used for savoury burgers! As a side note, the doughnuts featured in this newsletter are baked and made with a pumpkin puree so they're probably still not considered healthy, but they're definitely a lot healthier than their deep fried cousins.
Pumpkin salad served three different ways.
- Roast pumpkin salad - This pumpkin salad is essentially all the same ingredients, but plated in three different ways. I love the use of vibrant colours - the bright orange pumpkin, leafy salad greens, red onion and white cheese have a beautiful contrast and work well all together. Serving these on a white plate allows the balsamic reduction to stand out, making a statement as well as adding a complimentary flavour. We've also created height by standing up the pumpkin, using a mold, or simply piling it up a little.
There are so many simple tweaks you can make to your food presentation that will ultimately enhance the visual appeal. What are some of your favourite ways to up your food plating game?
Happy cooking,
Taryn
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