Tonight is Burns Supper Night. I of course, did not remember this until this morning and the chances of procuring haggis at this late time (in the US, where finding it even with some advanced planning is a bit of a pain in the neck) so I had to go with making a Steak Pie. Not ideal of course, but better than nothing. Full up on multiple bottles of whisky though.
Now, what’s your favorite Robert Burns poem?
Hokkaido pumpkins seem to be more popular in Germany than they are here in my neck of the woods of Greater Boston. For a while, they were very trendy and one of my aunts in Germany really loved them. They also go by the names Kuri Squash and Baby Red Hubbard Squash. Either which way, they have a nutty, peppery flavor which I enhance with curry and a pinch of nutmeg. If you can’t find a Hokkaido Pumpkin, you can also use butternut squash to make this soup.
I love Spinach. I think that I write that every time that I make a spinach-based recipe. I also love cheese, and in this case, it is Boursin cheese that one I guess would usually spread on crackers or something, but this time I mixed it with ricotta and filled shells with it. Gives the spinach casserole a garlicy kick.
My dad used to make next-level soups. They were amazing. Number one by far was his New England Seafood Chowder, but second was his Mushroom Soup. Of course, first, he would forage the mushrooms, then spend hours painstakingly cleaning them, and then came the soup making. For a few weeks some summers, he would make and sell this Mushroom Soup (either Chanterelle or Porcini or both) at a farmer’s market and people would come watch him make it. He would sell out in under an hour.
This Mushroom Medley Soup pays homage to that soup. This is likely one of the best savory things that I have made all year (ok, ok, it’s only January 3rd…. let’s count last year as well). This is the most flavorful, hearty, homey and delicious thing to come out of my kitchen in a whole. And given the arctic temperatures outside, today was the perfect day to make it.
In between everything else that is going on, I am trying to actually eat healthy and was inspired by some pot pie recipes that I had seen lately that weren’t chicken, so this one is a Mushroom Pot Pie, with a whole lot of mushrooms — like 4 pounds worth! I know that mushrooms aren’t exactly the favorite of everyone, but you could also make this as other vegetarian like mixed autumn veg of cauliflower and broccoli. The decoration isn’t mandatory, of course, but I had some pastry left over from the crust. Remember to let it sit for a few minutes because it is blazing hot out of the oven!