When Life Gives You Pumpkins, Make Pumpkin Bisque!

It’s Halloween time again and the stores in Madrid are halfheartedly decorated with a pumpkin or two. It’s not quite as obvious as in the US, but the eager Spaniards are quickly catching on—advertisements for haunted theme parks crowd the metro and Halloween costumes are sold at every neighborhood Chino. I’m not a big Halloween lover. When I was a kid I liked it—costumes, candy, school parties… what’s not to like? I dressed up like everyone else I knew and went trick-or-treating in the bitter cold. Later, we spent months eating our pillowcase full of Halloween candy (my kids are donating that ish…!). In college I went to a costume party or two, but I never got really excited about dressing up and thought think that spending a lot of money on a costume is kind of a waste of money. It just isn’t my thing.

So here in Spain Halloween doesn’t bring that homesick feeling I get with Thanksgiving and Christmas. But, I somehow always end up celebrating it! I always meet someone who loves Halloween—its creepy music, scary movies, ridiculous costumes, and abundance of candy. In fact, I’ve carved more pumpkins in Spain than in the US! And Spaniards (although they misinterpret the holiday a bit) seem to love Halloween too.

One Spaniard's Interpretation of Jack-O-Lantern

This year was no exception. I may have just arrived in Madrid and not really know anyone, but due to today’s amazing technologies (facebook, twitter, gmail, wordpress) I was somehow invited to a fantastic pumpkin carving/seed roasting Halloween party with a group of super cool American expat ladies!

There were American sweets! Pumpkin spice cupcakes, rice crispy treats, a chocolate almond tart, M&Ms…

The house was wonderfully decorated (It felt like home!) and there was Halloween music playing in the background.

Equipped with a sharp knife and a book of potential pumpkin carving designs, 10 American women went at it (and I’d say we were successful!)

Scary Cat

Friendly Cat

While we carved we shared our experiences in Spain, our stories, our relationships. It was great to connect with others in similar situations.

I left the party with a carved pumpkin, some roasted pumpkin seeds, and a bag of pumpkin (I couldn’t let it go to waste!)

There was only one thing to do… make some mashed pumpkin and some pumpkin bisque! Mashed pumpkin (Puree de Calabaza) is a delicious side dish and it reminds me of home. It’s also the base for my version of Pumpkin Bisque (a lighter version that doesn’t use any cream).

Here is the step-by-step recipe. It’s easy—try it and let me know what you think!

I took the bag of fresh pumpkin left over from carving. The pieces were all shapes and sizes– so I tried to cut them more evenly!

After cutting, I rinsed them under cold water.

Then, into a pot of cold, salted water and boil until a knife pierces through easily.

When fully cooked, strain and return to the pot.

Add 2 tablespoons of butter, 1/4 cup milk, salt, pepper, cinnamon, and paprika. Adjust the butter and milk depending on preference.

And, there you have it! Mash it up and you have mashed pumpkin.

If you want to turn this into a “lighter” bisque (if there is such a thing) just add the puree to the blender and add a bit more low-fat milk while blending. When it is at your desired consistency reheat and enjoy!

Croquetas de Jamón Serrano: The Ultimate Spanish Recipe to Impress Your Friends

Everyone likes croquettes… I mean, wikipedia defines them as “small fried food rolls” and who in their right mind could find something wrong with that? There is a croquette for everyone, vegetarians included, and Spanish people love to experiment with different ingredients. But true to every Spaniard’s heart are the classic Croquetas de Jamón Serrano (Serrano Ham Croquettes). Their creamy filling is bursting with flavor and leaves many wondering whether they’re eating ham flavored mashed potatoes or some exotic melty cheese and ham concoction. The answer is neither. The truth is much more simple, although a little less appetizing. Being a traditional “poor man’s food” Ham Croquettes are basically a damn good bechamel sauce enriched with leftover scraps of serrano ham and deep fried to crispy perfection.

Did you really want to know that?

Now that you do, there is no excuse not to make these ridiculously easy and extremely tasty tidbits of Spanish goodness. The following is my favorite version of the recipe and it will not disappoint! Vegetarians, I’ll take care of you soon– I have lot’s of amazing vegetarian croquette recipes too!

Croquetas de Jamón Serrano

Ingredients:

~ 60 grams/4 T unsalted butter

~ 60 grams/1/4 C olive oil

A bit less than 1 C of flour (120 grams)

One medium onion very finely diced

1 Liter (~1/4 gallon) whole milk at room temperature

1 packet (250 grams) of jamón Serrano diced into small pieces

Flour for breading

2 beaten eggs

Bread crumbs

Instructions:

Melt the butter and warm the oil in a medium size pan over a medium high heat.

Add the onion and sauté for a few minutes until it just starts to brown.

Add a pinch of salt (don’t add too much because Serrano ham is already quite salty). Add the diced ham and sauté for 30 seconds more.

Add the flour and stir continually, until the flour turns a light brown color. You must not stop stirring or the flour will burn!

When the flour changes color add the milk little by little, always stirring, until you incorporate the entire liter.

It should take about 20 minutes to add it all. Turn off the heat and let the dough cool a bit.

Butter the sides of a large bowl or plastic wrap and wrap the dough. Refrigerate a minimum of 4 hours but preferably overnight. To make the croquettes shape them into little logs (or use a pastry sleeve if you have one). Next, while heating a pan full of olive oil on the stove, pass the croquettes through the breading process. First, cover them in flour, then in egg, and, finally, in the breadcrumbs.

Fry in the hot oil and let cool a few minutes before enjoying!

Easy, quick, cheap, and impressive… did you try them yet? What is your favorite croquette? Are there any you would like the recipe for here?