Pumpkins, pheasant and pears

PUMPKIN AND PEAR SOUP WITH
PUMPKIN SEED & PARSLEY PESTO

 A beautiful and delicious autumnal soup – the pear picks up the sweetness of the pumpkin. The pumpkin seed and parsley pesto is optional –  whisk in a bit of enrichment butter instead if you prefer – but it adds a gorgeous green piquant touch. The pear must be absolutely ripe and soft, as it gets no cooking and is just stirred into the soup at the end before the final blending till smooth.

Serves 6-8
2 tbsp olive oil
3 spring onions or some leek tops, finely sliced
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 onion, chopped
500g peeled, seeded pumpkin flesh, cut in chunks
250g potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 litre chicken or vegetable stock (or 1 litre water + 2 chicken or veg. stock cubes)
1 tsp coriander seeds, crushed under the blade of a knife
salt and pepper
1 ripe Comice pear, peeled, cored and cut in small pieces
optional: 50g butter

• Heat the oil in a large pan and cook the spring onions or leek tops, shallots and onion till soft but not brown – about 10 minutes
• Stir in the pumpkin flesh, potatoes and stock and bring to a boil
• Add coriander seeds and salt and pepper to taste and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender
• Pull the pan off the heat and add the chopped pear
• Leave the soup to infuse for 10 minutes
• Blend the soup with a hand-held blender till smooth and check the seasoning, adjusting if necessary
• Whisk in the butter and sprinkle with plenty of chopped flat-leaf parsley
• Alternatively, float a blob of pumpkin seed and parsley pesto on top of each serving

PUMPKIN SEED AND PARSLEY PESTO

Makes about ½ a cup
50g flat-leaf parsley leaves (a huge bunch)
25g pumpkin seeds
25g grated Parmesan or Grana Padano
a pinch of salt
1 clove garlic, mashed
5 tbsp olive oil

• Pour the olive oil in a steady stream through the hole in the blender lid
• Continue blending till the pesto is in a smooth paste, scraping down if necessary
• Keep in a small jar in the fridge until needed
• Blend in short bursts, using the pulse button, until well chopped – add a little water if necessary to make the blades turn
• Put the parsley leaves, pumpkin seeds, cheese, salt and garlic in the blender

PHEASANT (OR GUINEA FOWL) BREAST
IN A GREEN CLOAK WITH CREAMY HORSERADISH SAUCE

A good recipe for those with access to pheasants, who usually have more birds than they can use. Guinea fowl or chicken could be used instead of pheasant. The skinned, boned breasts are covered with a stuffing, wrapped in blanched cabbage leaves and briefly roasted. The horseradish sauce provides a good counterpoint.

Serves 4
4 pheasant or guinea fowl breasts, each about 100g
salt and pepper
75g butter
1 onion, finely chopped
300g lean pork, cut in cubes
100g lardons, or streaky bacon diced small
3-4 juniper berries, crushed with a knife
4 green (Savoy) cabbage leaves, blanched and refreshed
250ml dry white wine
250ml whipping cream or crème fraîche
2-3 tbsp creamed horseradish

• Season the breasts and set them aside
• Soften half the onion in 25g of the butter without allowing it to brown
• Scrape it into a food processor
• Add the pork and bacon, juniper berries and salt and pepper to taste
• Process to the texture of sausagemeat
• Divide the stuffing between the four breasts, pressing it down and spreading it out a bit to completely cover them
• Wrap each in a cabbage leaf
• Melt a little butter and brush it over the parcels
• Put them on a baking sheet and chill them until ready to proceed
• Heat the oven to 220C
• Roast the parcels for 15-16 minutes or until the meat is firm yet springy to the touch
• Soften the rest of the onion in the remaining butter without allowing it to brown
• Add the wine and let it reduce almost to nothing
• Add the cream and reduce by half
• Stir in the creamed horseradish, season to taste.
• Slice each parcel and serve over the sauce with a purée of red kidney beans

 
PEAR TART WITH ALMOND FRANGIPANE

At this time of year there are several different pears to choose from. My favourite is Comice, but buy several and do a tasting. For this recipe they are peeled, sliced almost through and embedded in a nutty frangipane mixture. Serve with ice cream (good vanilla, or home-made honey).

300g puff pastry
100g butter
100g sugar
2 eggs
100g ground almonds or hazelnuts
1 tbsp flour
optional: 1 tbsp kirsch or Williamine
3-4 pears depending on size
optional: 3-4 tbsp apricot jam or quince jelly for glazing

• Heat the oven to 170C. Roll out the pastry to fit a 26cm quiche tin.
• Using the electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy and smooth. Beat in the eggs one by one. Stir in the optional liqueur. Fold in the ground nuts and flour. Spread two-thirds of this mixture into the pastry case.
• Peel and halve the pears. Remove cores, cut the pears into slices going almost (but not quite) down to the bottom. Arrange them on top of the frangipane, splaying them out a little to open up the cuts. Put the rest of the frangipane into any spaces left.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the frangipane puffs agreeably around the pears, and the top is lightly golden.
• If you want to glaze the pears, sieve the apricot jam (if using). Heat the jam (or jelly) gently until liquid and brush it over the pears.
• Serve the tart at room temperature.