Pumpkin Pie Filling

I love pumpkin pie, or more properly, the filling. Even the best homemade pie crust doesn’t do much for me, so I usually just make the filling and eat it. Our family recipe is my favorite, although since I am pathologically incapable of following recipes, I have changed it (to horrified squeaking from my mother when I told her) slightly. I don’t know why she’s so horrified, since she herself modified it when she started making it with cream instead of milk (pumpkin pie is a holiday dessert: it’s not supposed to be good for you).

When I made this last night, it came out sweeter than I remembered. I think this is because I used unrefined organic sugar, which has a bit of a molassesy flavor and which seems to be sweeter than regular sugar. Either that or my taste for sugar has become more sensitive. Adjust accordingly.

This recipe will fill a 9″ pie; use 1 1/2 recipe for a 10″ pie.

Pumpkin Pie Filling

1/2 – 3/4 c. sugar*
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. cardamom
Pinch of salt

2 eggs
1 good cupful pumpkin
1 c. milk or heavy cream

1. Preheat oven to 400 F (pie) or 375 F (pudding).

2. In a large mixing bowl, mix sugar and spices.

3. Add eggs, pumpkin, and milk, mixing after each one.

Pie: Pour into a 9″ pie crust. Start baking at 400 F for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 F for 45-60 minutes. It is done when it looks done, although a knife can be inserted in the middle to be sure if you don’t mind a hole in your pie.

Pudding: Pour into a sufficiently large oven-safe bowl. Bake at 375 F for 15 minutes, then 325 F for about 45 minutes, until done.

Tom Kha Gai (Coconut Ginger Soup)

I have three pounds of chicken backs simmering on the stove in some water. I make stock like my mother taught me–chicken backs and necks ($1/lb at Whole Foods), water to cover, and simmer for an hour or two. Chicken backs and necks, besides being cheap, make really flavorful stock (I keep meaning to pick up some feet at the Asian market to throw in as well). I don’t put flavorings in the stock as cook it, because I like it to be usable for a variety of purposes. Since I normally use stock for soup or rice, I add other flavorings when I use it.

Today I made tom kha gai, which is a lovely coconut milk and chicken broth based soup. My version is nontraditional for a variety of reasons, the primary one being that I far prefer ginger to galangal, so I use ginger. I also leave out the mushrooms, since I don’t like them. When I first started making this, I had no access to fresh lemongrass, so I used dried lemongrass steeped in water (almost pointless), before moving on to a hideously preserved but better-tasting lemongrass paste. Now that I have a source for fresh lemongrass, I use that. This is the first time I’ve actually had kaffir lime leaves to put in, but I also like the lime juice flavor, even though it’s non-traditional. This is one of my favorite soups, especially when I’m sick. I make it fairly mild, but I’ve had tom kha gai in restaurants that nearly killed me.

So in sum: this is NOT your traditional tom kha gai recipe, but it’s easy to modify to be more traditional.

Tom Kha Gai (Coconut Ginger Soup)

Lamb Onion Soup with Pasta and Potatoes

I’ve been under the weather lately and it’s winter, which combine to give me even more of a craving than usual for soup. Tonight I decided to improvise a lamb soup. I didn’t have any wine on hand to add, but wine is an excellent addition to lamb soups.

Lamb Onion Soup with Pasta and Potatoes

1 lb lamb stew meat, cut into small chunks

1 small yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbl butter
Drizzle of olive oil (optional)

~2 c. chicken or lamb broth
Water

Handful of baby potatoes, cut into small chunks
A couple handfuls of pasta

Ground rosemary to taste
Salt to taste
A few drops of Worcestershire sauce

1. Over low heat, caramelize the onions in melted butter until deep reddish-brown. When the onions are about ready, add the garlic and fry a little more until fragrant.

2. If necessary, add a little olive oil or more butter and brown the lamb.

3. Add chicken broth and sufficient water to allow for the potatoes and pasta. Turn up to a simmer.

4. When water is simmering, add the potatoes, rosemary, salt, and Worcestershire sauce. Cook until potatoes are soft.

5. Add sufficient pasta for your tastes and cook until pasta is done. Check for salt.

I served this with salad and bread.

Potato Pancakes (Latkes)

When I was growing up, my father had two specialties in the kitchen (the only things he cooked, really): Eggs Benedict and potato pancakes. Much later, I figured out that potato pancakes = latkes. We always ate them with maple syrup, sour cream, and applesauce, which isn’t very traditional, but maple syrup is insanely good.

My sophomore year of college, my dorm held a latke cookoff, which I didn’t enter but did attend. There were a variety of latkes, from the traditional potato-and-onion to chili, but nothing I’ve had has ever quite measured up to the ones my dad made–a modification of the recipe from Joy of Cooking.

The measurements are all approximate. A food processor is your friend for the onion.

Potato Pancakes (Latkes)

2 c. grated raw potato
1/2 small sweet yellow onion, grated or finely chopped
3 eggs
Salt

Olive oil

1. Grate potato and chop onion (food processor recommended for this bit). In a large bowl, mix potato, onion, eggs, and salt.

2. Heat a little bit of olive oil in a frying pan (even if the pan is nonstick–the oil helps with the flavor).

3. Spoon fairly small amounts of the potato batter onto the fan and flatten into pancakes about 3″ across and 1/4″ thick. Fry until golden-brown, flipping to cook both sides.

Applesauce and sour cream are traditional accompaniments, but I’m serious about the maple syrup–it balances the onion beautifully. They’re also good with jam or fruit syrups.

I did recently try making some with rosemary, sage, thyme, and garlic in the batter, but they were disappointing. Your mileage may vary.