Spiced Pumpkin Spread

Bagels, snaps and "macaroons":

Backwards up the mossy glen
Turned and trooped the goblin men,
With their shrill repeated cry,
"Come buy, come buy."
When they reached where Laura was
They stood stock still upon the moss,
Leering at each other

[...]

One set his basket down,
One reared his plate;
One began to weave a crown
Of tendrils, leaves, and rough nuts brown
(Men sell not such in any town);
One heaved the golden weight
Of dish and fruit to offer her:
"Come buy, come buy," was still their cry.

-"Goblin Market", Christina Rossetti

I made this spread a few days ago but through the course of the weekend I just couldn't find the time to post it! Last night I came home from a tournament with just enough energy to take a relaxing yoga class instead of photographing my imposter "pumpkin macaroons". Sorry guys. As soon as I sat down this morning to blab about this sumptuous, embarrassingly simple, spread I got completely side-tracked by the aforementioned poem. It really is one of my favorites. And while there is something wonderful about those pinch-faced little goblins tramping around with platters of summer fruit: "Crab-apples, dewberries, Pine-apples, blackberries, Apricots, strawberries--", I like to imagine them with big acorn bowls of this pumpkin spread, juggling blood-red poison apples and goblets of honey-wine instead.

"Spiced Pumpkin Spread" is the perfect treat to keep on hand before the droves of candy corn and caramel take over. Sadly, I am very short-handed on kitschy plates and dishes for Halloween; it was one of the things I intended on remedying this afternoon. But, after standing in line for twenty minutes at the fabric store, in addition to thirty minutes fighting droves of children at the craft store, I came home more or less empty handed. I take that back: I am now the proud owner of a cylinder of black and orange jimmy sprinkles. I suppose the spooky, autumnal morning light will have to make up for my lack of ceramic pumpkin plates and goblin candle holders. Which reminds me... I am without even the tiniest gourd, much less a homely orange pumpkin, these days. I had better go and remedy that before the festivity police catches me empty-handed.

Notes: Although they look similar canned pumpkin is different than "Pumpkin Pie filling". This recipe calls for plain canned pumpkin. Cream cheese is great to keep on hand because it can be used in so many different recipes. Here, it allows the spread to be extremely versatile: a topping for toasty bagels, a dip for spice cookies or even the filling for "macaroon" style treats. Try sandwiching a teaspoonful of spread between two gingersnap cookies for a nice change; you can even freeze them for 30 minutes for a cool treat.

Ingredients:

2 (8 ounce) bars of cream cheese

1 cup (8 ounces) canned pumpkin

1 box (16 ounces) powdered sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

gingersnaps (optional), to serve

Preparation:

1. Bring the cream cheese to room temperature. Using a hand mixer beat the cream cheese and pumpkin along with the cinnamon and nutmeg.

2. Slowly sift the powdered sugar, in thirds, into the pumpkin mixture. Blend after each addition.

3. Chill before serving. The dip will keep covered in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Pebre

A Chilean Tradition:

In four years and one summer I never had a bad roommate. In fact, I never even had a roommate I couldn't stand sleeping near much less hanging out with or cooking for. Each and every semester provided new culinary memories. My junior year I moved into an apartment with three other girls, a substantial kitchen and my very first dishwasher *glorious raptures*. The first two straight week saw us eating little more than cereal or a grilled cheese cooked on a faulty stove burner; not our fault. By senior year though, all manner of new dishes were cropping up in our kitchen.

I first came across this recipe for "pebre" after one of my roommates made a trip to Chile to visit family. When she came back she was spooning pebre over everything and anything she could find. (Once you've tasted this recipe you'll know why). I made this variation from a shred of paper I found in a kitchen drawer upon moving out and have been muddling out the proportions ever since. This version makes about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of pebre depending on the amount of cilantro or tomato. Because pebre is such a staple food in Chile almost every family, restaurant or street vendor has their own recipe so don't feel like you need to follow my proportions to the letter. If you like less heat use less chili, etc. etc. Try it spooned over grilled meat of wondrous varieties (chicken, white fish, beef or pork), hot dogs, even toasted slices of some crispy delicious loaf of bread. I've made two batches in the past week and scarfed it down (literally) with everything from scrambled eggs, salmon to plain old blue corn tortilla chips. Think of it like ketchup but way, way better. The bite of the fresh garlic paired with the sweet and sour lime juice takes our idea of "salsa" to a whole new level. Once you've had Pebre you won't go back to any old slab-shod jar.

Preparing the pebre the night before allows the flavors to really meld and deepen. For less kick-kick-punch action make it just before serving. My second batch seasoned for about 24 hours before being mixed up with the oil, juice and vinegar and it most certainly gave us a run for our chips. Making the pebre too far in advance could result in sad and broken down tomatoes so don't make the dish more than 24 hours in advance.

Notes: Always be sure to wash your cilantro. A single "pre-washed" package would be sufficient for a single batch. I, personally, don't buy the loose bundles after seeing some disturbing news reports. To wash: fill a deep bowl with cold water and set the cilantro on the surface, giving it a good swish. Any sand should fall to the bottom. Scoop the cilantro out gently, trying not to disturb the sediments. Layer the cilantro between paper towels to dry thoroughly. Store in a paper towel, herb savor or use immediately. Packaged herbs are usually $2-3 a package so if you tend to use a lot of something in particular (say cilantro) you might think about investing in a plant. Of course, a plant requires some maintenance so bear that in mind.

I used jalapenos because they were readily available. Most any green chili pepper will work but I would not suggest a bell pepper. To reduce the heat seed the pepper: cut off the top and split the pepper lengthwise, removing the seeds and ribs with a small spoon or just your fingers. Don't forget to roll your lime(s) on the counter before you juice them to release the good stuff. Lime happens to be my second favorite citrus so I was a little liberal with it, per the usual.

Ingredients:
Makes 1 - 1 1/2 cups

1 large tomato, seeded and diced
1 bunch (or box) of cilantro
2 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
1 1/2 green chili peppers (1 for less heat, 1 1/2-2 for more)
1 lime
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vinegar
1/2 teaspoon olive oil

Preparation:
1. Wash and dry your tomato, chili pepper and cilantro.
2. Cut the tomato in half, "hamburger" style, and squeeze gently over the trashcan or a bowl to remove some of the seeds. This will keep your pebre from being too watery.
3. Chop the tomato and add to a large bowl. Seed and chop the chili pepper and add to the tomatoes.
4. Smash two cloves of garlic on your cutting board, removing the skins. Finely chop the garlic then add it to the tomato mixture. Stir in the salt.
5. I tear my cilantro but you could chop it as well. To chop: hold the bunch of cilantro by the stem, leaves pointing down towards your cutting board. Run your knife along the stems in a gentle but swift chopping motion to remove most of the leaves from their stems. Discard remaining stems and chop before adding to the tomato mixture.
6. If you are preparing the cilantro in advance cover your dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate until almost ready to serve. If not, cut and juice your lime and add it to the tomato mixture along with the olive oil and vinegar. Check for seasoning and add more salt if needed.
7. Stir and serve.

PB & G Hummus

Price check:

I am not very good at using computers. If the scarcity of my recipe photos didn't give it away I guess I shouldn't point it out. But, it isn't always my fault. The 10 year old PC I sent to the scrap yard after disabling the video driver was pretty innocent I'll admit. Although, if you could see the laptop I'm typing on right now you know might take my side. "Out-dated" doesn't even begin to describe it. I would be inclined to think I'm just being greedy asking for lightning fast Internet, limitless space for photos, recipes and pages of links if all of that wasn't standard on models these days. Luckily, not everything has to be brand new to exceed expectations. Take my Mom's food processor for example.

Oscar (the food processor in question) has been pureeing bananas and chopping nuts for at least two decades. I distinctly remember being afraid of the loud whizzing sound as a child and the way pureed bananas tasted and smelled. And while I still have to climb on a chair to pull it down from the cabinet Oscar is the same zippy, well-loved food processor I knew growing up. What a relief! My favorite job for my powerhouse of pureeing: hummus. It could have something to do with the fact that it combines two of my favorite things... ie garbanzo beans (chick peas) and lemon. It might be because I always ordered it at a favorite campus haunt with a pot of Golden Monkey tea and a platter of pita and cucumber. Regardless, it costs even less to make at home and is a fail proof appetizer or snack!

The catch is most good hummus recipes call for tahini. Depending on how extensive your local grocery's International section is you can find tahini in many local markets. The price tag varies as much as the size of the jar or the price. Both are usually excessive. So, I had to ask myself if there was a less expensive replacement. I immediately thought of the 2 pound jar of peanut butter that used to reside in our apartment pantry. Unsurprisingly, Alton Brown beat me to it. Below is a variation on Alton's recipe that is a little spicier than the original. Using peanut butter instead of tahini imparts a friendly, toasty aroma. And while you won't find a noticeable difference in the PB version your wallet certainly will!

If you like the freshness of olive oil drizzle some generously on the top of the hummus just before serving. Go the extra mile and get a bunch of fresh parsley. Store in paper towels in a zip lock and use generously in salads or as a garnish for savory dishes.

1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained (4-5 tablespoons liquid reserved)
3 cloves garlic
2-3 peanut butter, smooth is best
1/2 - 1 lemon, juice and zest
1 handful parsley
1/3 cup olive oil, scant
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or hot sauce)
1/4 teaspoon cumin, optional

Preparation:
1. Drain the garbanzo beans into a small bowl.
2. Smash the garlic cloves on the counter and remove the skins. Put in the food processor with a little salt and chop.
3. Add the beans and 3 tablespoons of reserved liquid. Add the juice and zest of half a lemon. Puree.
4. Taste for seasonings. If the texture is too grainy add the remaining liquid and the rest of the juice (taste frequently if you don't like hummus too sour or too spicy) until you find the desired consistency. Add the peanut butter, parsley, cayenne and cumin if using it. Puree again.
5. Add the olive oil slowly and puree until the hummus is smooth and roughly the consistency of mayonnaise. Top with remaining zest and a drizzle olive oil. Serve with veggies and/or pita chips.