Lisa Faulkner's Pumpkin Almond Soup & Seafood Linguine

Lisa Faulkner's recipes are filled with sincerity & inspiration,

& today her book "recipes from my mother for my daughter" beckoned,

so away I was in the kitchen,

wearing an apron, 

whipping up these scrumptious dishes from Heaven. 

Enjoy ! 

Pumpkin Almond Soup

Serves 6

Ingredients
- 1 small pumpkin, de-seeded and peeled to yield 600g flesh
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 3 tablespoon grapeseed oil
- 50g flaked/sliced almonds
- 500ml chicken stock
- generous dashes of black pepper
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 2 teaspoon chilli powder
- 150ml whipping cream

Methods
1. Preheat oven to 160 degree C.
2. Combine all ingredients except cream into a large pot/oven-proof dish.
3. Mix well until pumpkin are coated well.
4. Bake for 40 - 60 minutes until pumpkin are tender.
5. Allow to cool before blending (I blended lightly so that the soup will have that gritty texture from the almonds and garlic, i love it).
5. Add cream and heat over stove over low flame, stirring occasionally until heated through.
6. Scoop out into 6 portions and sprinkle black pepper and almond flakes on the top.

Enjoy!

How was it?
mmm-hmm tasty ! the texture is fantastic - velvety & gritty, just the way i love it. but that can be subjective...so if you like soups with a thinner consistency, decrease the pumpkin and/or pump up the stock. a little too creamy for my liking. the spiciness and curry oomph were spot on.

Better it up!
decrease to 50ml of cream.

Seafood Linguine

Serves 4

Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
- 2 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1 red chilli, de-seeded and chopped
- 1 glass (150ml) white white (I had John Creek's Chardonnay)
- 500g cherry tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 150g cuttlefish, frozen raw and defrosted
- 150g bay scallops, frozen raw and defrosted
- 225g prawns, frozen cooked and defrosted
- generous dashes of black pepper
- pinch of salt
- 250g linguine, raw & to cook in boiling water for 8 - 10 minutes until aldente.

Methods
1. Heat oil in a pan and stir-fry garlic until fragrant.
2. Add chilli and stir through, pouring in the wine.
3. Bring to boil until the mixture has been reduced by 1/2.
4. Add the tomatoes, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
5. Use a masher to mash the tomatoes, add sugar, cuttlefish and scallops.
6. Allow to cook for 3 minutes before throwing in the prawns and cook for another 2 minutes.
7. Stir in the cooked linguine, mixing well.
8. Divide into 4 serving plates.

Enjoy it warm!

How was it?
Could be more tasty but nevertheless, the cooking method for this dish is great - reducing the wine mixture and simmering a great deal (500g) of tomatoes, created this slightly sticky and tangy sauce which called for the teaspoon of sugar to balance out the tangy oomph.

Better it up!
 increase to 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Verdict

Recipes adapted from
Lisa Faulker's Recipes from My Mother to My Daughter