Japanese Squash Curry

The original recipe called for Kuri squash which is not available in my location.  I used a butternut squash which worked well.  This is a nice veg dish if served over some Jasmine rice.  Based on Food and Drink Holiday 2016.

1 Butternut Squash, peeled and cut into 1 inch cutes
6 tbsp vegetable oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tbsp Japanese Curry powder
1 cup diced onion
1 cup unpeeled coarsely grated apple
1 tbsp chopped ginger
1 tbsp chopped garlic
2 cups vegetable stock
4 cups chopped kale or baby spinach
2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro

• Preheat oven to 450F.
• Toss cubed squash with 4 tbsp oil.  Season with salt, pepper and 1 tbsp Japanese curry powder.  Placed on oiled baking sheet and roast for 15 to 18 minutes, turning once or until squash is fork tender and tinged with gold.
• Heat remaining 2 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add onion to skillet and sauté for 2 minutes or until softened.  Add half the grated apple, remaining curry powder, ginger and garlic and sauté for 3 minutes or until fragrant.  If mixture is too dry, add 1 to 2 tbsp more oil.
• Stir in stock a little at a time until well combined.  Bring to boil, stirring.  Reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes to thicken.  Add remaining apple and cook 1 minute more.  Taste and adjust seasoning.
• Add squash to skillet and cook in sauce for 5 minutes or until squash has absorbed flavour.  Stir in kale and cook for 1 minute or until wilted.  Garnish with cilantro just before serving.  Serve with rice.

Pumpkin Ale Sweet Bread

Pumpkin ale is sold in the fall…it was not available when I made this so I used a Ginger Beer which worked really well. From October 2013 Chatelaine

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup pure pumpkin puree
1/3 cup pumpkin ale
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla

Glaze
2/3 cup icing sugar
2 tbsp pumpkin ale
1/4 cup pepitas

• Preheat oven to 350 F.  Lightly spray a 9x5 inch loaf pan with oil.
• Stir flour with baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt in a medium bowl.
• Whisk eggs with brown sugar in a large bowl.  Whisk in pumpkin puree, 1/3 cup ale, oil and vanilla.  Whisk flour mixture into pumpkin mixture until combined.  Scrape into prepared pan (batter will be thick).  Smooth Top.
• Bake in centre of oven until loaf is dark golden and a skewer inserted in centre of loaf comes out clean 60 to 65 minutes.  Transfer to a rack.  Let stand 15 min.  Run a knife along edges of loaf pan and transfer loaf to rack.
• Whisk icing sugar and pumpkin ale in a small bowl.  Spoon over top of loaf and sprinkle with pepitas.

Fragrant Chicken and Mushrooms

From Food and Drink 1999 here is a great fall dish.

1.5 kg chicken cut in 8 pieces
3 tbsp flour, season with salt and pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
8 cloves garlic, peeled
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, chopped
1/2 5ps dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 1-inch piece orange peel
2 cups dry red wine
1 cup chicken stock
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp brandy
12 small button mushrooms, sauteed in butter
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tbsp chopped parsley

1. Trim fat from chicken and coat lightly with seasoned flour.  Heat oil in skillet on medium heat.  Add chicken in batches and fry 3 to 5  minutes each side or until golden.  Remove from skillet.  
2. Add garlic cloves, onions and carrots and fry until onions begin to turn colour, about 3 minutes.  Stir in thyme, bay leaf and orange peel.  Pour off any fat.
3. Add wine, stock, tomato paste and brandy to skillet.  Bring to boil, and cook 3 minutes.  Return chicken to skillet.  Cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes.  Add mushrooms and cook 5 to 10 minutes longer, or until juices are clear.
4. Remove chicken and vegetables and keep warm.   Raise heat to high and reduce stock for 3 to 5 minutes or until slightly thickened.  Season well with salt and pepper and pour over chicken.  Sprinkle with parsley.

Serves 4

Yukon Gold and Sweet Potato Soup

I always love sweet potato, this is just another great way to use it.  From Readers Digest November 2013.

2 tsp vegetable oil
1 cup onions, chopped
2 tsp garlic, minced (about 2 cloves)
2 cups Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
5 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable stock
1 tsp dried basil
1/8 tsp each salt and ground black pepper
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup fresh parsley or basil for garnish, chopped

• In a saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat.  Cook the onions and garlic for 5 minutes or until the onions begin to brown (I always add the garlic later - when the onions are almost done - as it can burn and then taste bitter). 
• Stir in the potatoes, stock, basil, salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.  
• In a food processor or blender, puree the soup with the milk.  Serve sprinkled with the basil.