What's for dinner? Pumpkin Curry & a brief pumpkinucation

It's pumpkin season and I couldn't be happier. I love everything pumpkin so I'm always looking for ways to use it in savor and sweet dishes. The color, smell and varieties are intoxicating. In case there's confusion, all pumpkins are winter squash. Just Google "pumpkin varieties" and enjoy the show. There are some great varieties, beautiful heirlooms and some of the round orange and white ones are referred to as pumpkins simply because of their variety name. My absolute favorite pumpkins to cook with are: Winter Luxury, Long Island Wheel of Cheese, Kabocha and Hubbard. Winter Luxury is a light, bright orange with a netting like covering similar to a cantaloupe. It has a gorgeous fragrance and large seeds. Long Island Wheel of Cheese comes in two sizes - very large or small. The very large size is perfect for decorating and by itself makes a stunning centerpiece. It looks very similar to another variety called "Cinderella". I'm thrilled to see the small version now because it's easier to work with. It has a muted orange skin but bright flesh. Kabocha and Hubbard come in both orange and green varieties. Kabocha are smallish and round. Hubbard are large and have an elongated oval shape. A large Blue Hubbard is a work of art. All of these varieties have a beautiful bright orange flesh. Nothing beats a freshly roasted and pureed squash for a recipe, nothing. So since the season is here, stock up, don't wash them for storing and store in a cool (not cold) dark place. And I suggest strongly that you preserve/jar your own pumpkin for the long winter months. It's not hard, just takes a few hours. It's a great project for a rainy day or with some friends.

In the meantime, here is a great, easy, soul warming, hearty, feed a crowd recipe to try. There's lots of flexibility here. You can use the fresh ginger or omit it, same with the coconut milk. Play around with it and make it your own. The point of this recipe is you can make a quick dinner with this seasonal ingredient and if you have any leftovers, add more chicken broth and enjoy it as a soup. The curry will thicken up as it cools. Play with the amount of chicken broth as well. It's personal preference as to how thick or thin you want to make the curry. The curry is pictured above in my soup pot, coming to a boil. I had a green pepper in the fridge so I added it. That's how flexible this recipe is. Have fun and enjoy!

1 large onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced, optional

2 medium yellow or sweet potatoes, medium dice

2 medium carrots, medium dice

2 generous cups pumpkin or butternut squash, medium dice

1 cup pumpkin puree if using butternut squash

1 ½ cups Bob’s Red Mill red lentils

2 (32 oz) boxes organic low sodium chicken broth or 64 oz homemade

1 can lite coconut milk, optional

2-3 tablespoons curry powder, adjust amount to your taste, using a red curry blend is preferable

Oil for sautéing, salt and pepper to taste

In a large soup pot (I use an All-Clad 10 inch soup pot), saute onions in oil until golden brown. Turn heat down to medium, add another tablespoon of oil, add garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute. Add curry powder and a little more oil if needed and allow to warm for 1 minute. Add the rest of the ingredients (salt and pepper too) and stir to combine evenly. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook covered for 20 minutes. In the meantime, cook jasmine rice. I use Goya, follow the package directions for water/rice ratios. The rice will take 10 minutes to cook once it has come to a boil. Taste curry and adjust seasonings. It is easy to add more curry here is you feel it needs it. Serve curry over jasmine rice. If you feel the need for a garnish and/or crunch, crushed peanuts, fresh cilantro, julienne of raw apple are some suggestions.