SMOKED BUMPKIN PUMPKIN SOUP

We grew a selection of pumpkins last summer. This was the biggest  - it was a whopper, but it was a the only pumpkin to be produced on the vine.  We had a range of pumpkins but this is undoubtedly the best.

We bought the plants from the woman who sells herbs, pumpkins and tomato plants at the Wairarapa car boot market in Masterton on a Sunday.  We will buy this pumpkin again. It beats my other favourite pumpkin variety the kumi kumi, hands down. Despite the lack of quanity  being the only one - it makes up for it in taste and texture - it really is a  fabulous tasting pumpkin - sweet and juicy  - very similar to an orange kumara. Roasting it intensifies the flavour and adds a lovely richness.  

We roasted it in olive oil, golden syrup (as we didnt have any dark honey) and smoked salt which we combined and applied as a paste.   

The Smoked salt is one of our favourite ingredients. It really brings out the flavour of this pumpkin 

So our soup recipe is 

• The roast pumpkin mashed 
• A sweated onion
• Sage leaves fried till crispy,
• Hazelnuts fried in olive oil till brown 
• chicken stock (  we used our own) to get the consistency you want 
•  good Parmesan cheese
•  creme fraiche 
• cumin 
• Cayenne pepper 

Combine the pumpkin, onion and the stock, puree. Season. 

Serve with dollop of creme fraiche topped with parmesan, hazelnuts and  crumbled sage leaves. 

GROAN

We engaged in some culinary experimentation tonite with muttonbirds.

Not the well known salted muttonbird which is normally cooked by boiling it and replacing the water a few times to get rid of the excess salt.

No, we cooked fresh muttonbirds. They are not brined.

So what did we do?

Well first you have to catch your muttonbird and Bustedblonde did that a while back.

Then you gut it.

Then we did something we have never done before - we boned it out.

We removed the ribs and backbone and breastbones. So all that was left with the bone in were the legs.

Now muttonbirds are very very oily. More on that later...

We lay the bird skin side down on the chopping board.

Then we got some of our favourite salt - its a smoked herbed version and lightly sprinkled it over the meat . Not too much though..

Then we made the stuffing - its a traditional sage and onion stuffing with good old dried mixed herbs.. And a chopped up raw onion. Then we chucked an egg in to bind and then we used Fejoa and Apple juice to moisten...

Then added salt and pepper to taste.

Then we trussed it up .. ( sorry no camera but it look a bit like a mini version of the goose in the pic)

Then we scored the skin with a knife to let the fat out. This is really important.

Then we placed in an open baking dish with about 1/2 a cup of water.

It was pretty hot oven to start them we turned it down a bit and as the water evaporated the oil drained and roasted the birds for about 2 hours.

We took a cup of oil off when they were finished.

Now fresh muttonbirds have a propensity to dry out. Not these babies... They were divine..

Moist, meaty and rich and the bed of potato and swede mash a perfect sweet foil to the richness.

Just wish Busted had caught more of the buggers.