Puttin' the Jack in Jack O'Lantern

OK, so without the open flame and the carvings, it's not a true Jack O'Lantern, it's really just a mutilated pumpkin.  Tomato, tomaaahhto, right?  The point is, I wanted to drink out of a hollowed-out pumpkin and I wanted to drink whiskey.  The result?  A festive, creatively presented whiskey punch that makes me feel like Martha Stewart and Ernest Hemingway's love child. 

Try this recipe and presentation at your next autumn gathering! 


Pumpkin Punch Bowl & Cups

1 large pumpkin
mini-pumpkins
cinnamon sticks

mini-pumpkin cup

Using a sharp, serrated knife, slice the stem top off of the large pumpkin.  Scoop out the seeds and the flesh (reserve the seeds if you want to make toasted pumpkin seeds - recipe below!), and scrape away the mushy pulp until the inside is smooth.  Set aside.

Repeat the above step for each of the mini-pumpkins, and place a cinnamon stick in each mini-pumpkin cup. 

Once your pumpkin punch bowl set is complete, you need to determine how much punch to make to fill your pumpkin.  To determine how much punch you'll need to make, fill a 16 oz/500mL measure with water and pour it into the pumpkin.  Repeat until the pumpkin is full, noting how many measures it takes to fill your pumpkin.  This is the number you'll use to multiply the punch recipe.  For example, if you've used three measures to fill the pumpkin, multiply the ingredients in the punch recipe by 3.  So, if you're one of those brats who sat in math class and said, "When am I ever going to need to know any of this crap?!?," guess what?  Now is that time.   

Once you've determined the volume your pumpkin will hold, immediately pour out the water and pat the inside of the pumpkin dry with paper towels.  Set aside until you're ready to pour in the punch.



"Jack in Jack O'Lantern" Punch

this recipe will fill one 16-oz/500mL measure - multiply as necessary

2.5 oz. Jack Daniels whiskey
1.5 oz. apricot brandy
1 1-inch cinnamon stick, cracked
1/4 t. whole cloves, crushed*
1/4 t. cardamom seeds, crushed*
1 12oz. bottle ginger beer

Combine the whiskey, apricot brandy, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom in a large cocktail shaker.  Shake well for 30 seconds, then set aside for 15-20 minutes.  Shake again, then add the ginger beer.  Give it a few swirls, but do not shake. 

Using a strainer, pour the cocktail mixture into your pumpkin punch bowl.  Ladle the punch into the mini-pumpkin cups, and sip through the cinnamon stick. 

* to crush the spices, simply place them between two spoons and squeeze the spoons together.  This helps release the flavor.



Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

seeds from 1 pumpkin
kosher salt
1 T. olive oil
1 T. smoked paprika, divided in half

Preheat the oven to 400 and bring 3-4 cups of water to a boil.  In the meantime, rinse the pumpkin seeds in a strainer until all the pulp is rinsed away and they are slippery, but not slimy.     
Add 1 T. of kosher salt to the water for every 1/2 c. of pumpkin seeds.  Once the salt is dissolved, add the pumpkin seeds and boil for 10 minutes, then drain and let them cool until you can touch them. 

In a bowl, combine the olive oil and half the smoked paprika, then add the pumpkin seeds.  Toss until all seeds are coated, then spread on a baking sheet in a single layer.  Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the seeds are golden, then remove from oven, sprinkle with the remaining paprika, and set aside to cool. 

Once they are cool, they make a quite addictive and very nutritious snack.  Some people crack the outer shells and only eat the inner seed, but I prefer the whole thing. 

Celebrating Simple Pleasures

Yesterday was the first time all season that I was able to go to the Copley Square Farmers' Market, which is my second favorite outdoor activity, second only to the beach. Wandering through the crowds to inspect all of the fresh, colorful fruits, vegetables, and flowers makes me feel like a kid in a candy store. It's like a mini-vacation - even with sirens and construction noise in the air, somehow I no longer feel like an impatient city dweller whose life revolves around a smartphone and a train schedule. Seeing bushels upon bushels of just-harvested carrots, potatoes, beets, eggplants, lettuces, herbs, peppers, and tomatoes makes me wish I had the luxury of spending every day in a kitchen rather than an office. I'd give just about anything for more time to slice, to saute, to create. The joy of having someone walk into my kitchen and say, "It smells great in here, what are you making?" is a lot more satisfying than the text message I get when my paycheck has been deposited into my bank account. Keeping that in mind, I decided to spend my vacation day cooking and celebrating. What was I celebrating? Being alive and being able to enjoy the simple things.

Picking out my goodies

I circled Copley Square about four times, jotting down mental post-its noting whose lettuces looked the best, which stands had fresh herbs, etc. By the time I left, I'd picked up some lettuces, a bunch of fresh dill, a ball of local smoked mozzarella and a log of goat cheese, a few leeks, and fennel bulbs and a bag of wild arugula from Siena Farms, a local farm that supplies many of Boston's best restaurants. Siena Farms' fennel bulbs were smaller and flatter than the ones spotted in the produce coolers at the Mega-Mart; they were also much more fragrant. I was curious about these bulbs - was this variety of fennel different than the common kind? I did some research, and as it turns out, the gender of the plant determines the shape of the bulb. The male bulbs are larger and rounder, while the female bulbs are smaller in size and flatter in shape. Who knew?!?

Although I had plenty of goodies from the market, my mission was not done. I hopped on the green line and headed to the North End to pick up some seafood and prosciutto. At Mercato del Mare, I stared blankly at the case, trying to get inspired. Liz recommended their swordfish, so I picked up a swordfish steak, and while she was packing up the fish, inspiration struck and I also purchased a pound of calamari and some cockle clams. I was going to make seafood risotto with the leeks and the fennel I'd picked up at the market. Then, I walked over to Salumeria Italiana for their amazing prosciutto. The prosciutto would be wonderful with that wild arugula! On my way back to the train, I walked past Maria's Pastry. I almost made it, but their torrone is like a magnet - I couldn't leave the neighborhood without a sweet treat. I couldn't decide between plain and pistachio, which I took to be a sign that I was supposed to buy both.

I only had one more stop before I could go home and get started on my menu - I needed prosecco. Celebrating a great day would be incomplete without something bubbly in my glass. Once that was in my bag, it was time to go home and create.

Just as a writer has pens, an artist as brushes, and a musician has an instrument, I have knives, pots, and pans. I gathered my paints and my canvases, and I got to work on creating a lovely antipasto plate and a scrumptious seafood risotto. Try these recipes for yourself, and raise a glass in celebration of the simple things.

Individual Antipasto Plates

serves two

2 handfuls wild arugula

12 ripe figs, halved
4-6 thin slices of prosciutto
2 T. crumbled gorgonzola
2-3 t. chestnut honey
olive oil
lemon wedges

Prepare each plate as follows:

Place a handful of the wild arugula in the center of the plate. Surround the arugula with a ring of fig halves, skin-side down. Tear the prosciutto lengthwise into thin strips. Place the strips around the outer edge of the figs, and place one piece in the center on top of the arugula. Place a gorgonzola crumble in the center of each fig half. Drizzle a teaspoon or so of chestnut honey over the ring of figs. Splash a few drops of olive oil on the arugula, and squeeze with a bit of lemon.

Serve with prosecco.

Cockle clams

Shellfish Risotto

generous splash olive
1 leek, sliced (white part only)
1 large or 2 small fennel bulbs, thinly sliced, a few fronds reserved for garnish
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup prosecco
5 cups shellfish stock (see below)
1 pound calamari, mostly tentacles - slice tubes into 1/4" rings
1/2 pound cockles or other small clams
1 T. capers
sea salt
parsley, to garnish

Heat the shellfish stock to a low simmer.  In a separate large, heavy bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat, then add the leek and fennel.  Saute for about 5 minutes, then add the arborio rice.  Cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, then add the prosecco.  Lower the heat, and stir continuously until the prosecco has been absorbed. 

Now, add a half-cup of shellfish stock.  Stir continuously until the liquid has been absorbed.  Repeat this process until the rice has absorbed the liquid and is almost fully cooked.  In the meantime, place the calamari and the clams in another pan with a bit of olive oil and a splash of the shellfish stock.  Cover, and steam until the clams have open and the calamari has firmed up.  Set aside a few clams in their shells for garnish, remove the meat from the rest and discard the shells. 

When the rice is almost fully cooked and you're on the last addition of liquid, add the calamari, clams, and capers.  Continue to stir until the last of the liquid is absorbed.  Finish with sea salt.  Serve in individual bowls with a clam shell or two, garnished with fennel fronds. 

Shellfish Stock

Shellfish stock is easy to make.  Every time I eat shrimp or lobster, I save and freeze the shells.  Once you have a decent amount of shells, place them in a stockpot with enough water to cover all the shells, add a squirt of lemon juice, a few peppercorns, a pinch of sea salt, and a small handful of celery leaves.  Bring to a boil, then simmer until the broth is reduced a bit and the flavor has intensified.

In the Mood for a Quickie?

We've all had those days. You know the type - the days when crawling out of bed and getting dressed seems only slightly less horrific than being waterboarded with Clorox, or the days when your schedule is packed so full that you have to deliberately schedule time to use the bathroom. 

These are the days when I rely on a few quick and easy recipes that don't require many ingredients, don't require much time, and are so simple that I can prepare them in full-on zombie mode. These are the days when I'm in the mood for a quickie (that's what she said). 

The beauty of these recipes is that they're not only delicious, but they look and taste like they required a good deal of time and effort to prepare, so they're great to keep up your sleeves for those instances when you have unexpected houseguests!



Garlic and Chile Shrimp

Splash olive oil
Bay leaf
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 red chili peppers, sliced (Fresno chilis work well in this dish)
1 pound raw medium-sized shrimp, peeled (16/20s work best)

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over low-medium heat. Add the bay leaf, garlic, and chilis, and saute for 2-3 minutes, or until the garlic and chilis become fragrant.

While the garlic and chilis are cooking, pat the shrimp dry on paper towels. Once the garlic and chilis become fragrant, increase the heat to medium-high, then add the shrimps. Stir-fry the shrimp for 3-4 minutes, or until they’ve curled and turned opaque.

Serve hot with a bit of the cooking oil drizzled over them.

Pate-Stuffed Apples with Leeks and Cider

4 apples, cored and halved lengthwise, with a bit scooped out of the middle

1 cup hard cider*, plus more to thin the pate
1 cup chicken liver pate, brought to room temperature
Crushed potato crisps

Preheat the oven to 400. Place the sliced leek in a shallow baking dish, then place the apples skin-side down in the dish. Carefully pour in the hard cider, making sure that it doesn’t splash into the hollowed part of the apples. Bake for approximately 15 minutes.

While the apples are baking, thin the pate with a splash of hard cider until it reaches the consistency of frosting. Use the thinned pate to fill a pastry bag, or alternatively, a plastic baggie. If using the plastic baggie method, simply snip off the corner seam, as shown below:

After the apples have baked, use the pastry bag/plastic baggie to fill the apples with the pate. Once the apples are equally filled, sprinkle each with a pinch or two of the crushed potato crisps, then slice with a sharp knife and layer on individual plates. Spoon a bit of the cooked leeks on the plate next to the stuffed apple slices, and serve with glasses of hard cider.

* Magners is a popular and easy to find hard cider brand, but many small breweries are beginning to produce hard ciders - these are often worth the search!




Grilled Nectarines with Lemongrass Mint Balsamic Glaze

2 nectarines, halved
¼ c. Boston Olive Oil Co. Lemongrass & Mint White Balsamic Vinegar
3 T. powdered sugar, plus more to garnish.

Heat a grill or grill pan. Place the nectarine halves, cut side down, on the grill, and cook until lines have formed on the flesh. Set aside to cool.

In the meantime, whisk the vinegar and powdered sugar together to make the glaze. Set aside.

Once the grilled nectarines are cool enough to touch, slice lengthwise and arrange on individual plates. Drizzle with the glaze, then sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Baked Haddock

4 haddock fillets, approx 8 oz. each
2 oz. butter (approx half a stick), sliced into pats
Juice of 1 lemon
1 T. salt-packed capers, rinsed and drained
Chive- or shallot-based seasoning, such as Penzey’s Fox Point
Salt & pepper

Preheat the oven to 375. In the meantime, place the haddock fillets skin-side down in a baking dish lined with tinfoil. Place a few pats of butter on each fillet, then squeeze the lemon juice over the fillets. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.

Once the fish is cooked, place each fillet on a plate, drizzle with a few spoonfuls of the liquid, sprinkle with the seasonings, and serve.

Blistered Poblano Peppers

2 poblano peppers, sliced into strips*

1 T. lime juice

Kosher salt or sea salt

Lime wedges, to garnish

Heat a large, preferably cast-iron pan over high heat.  The pan is hot enough when a drop of water dances across the surface of the pan rather than sizzling.  Once the pan is hot enough, add the peppers in an even layer (depending on the size of your pan, you may have to do this in batches, as each pepper slice should touch the bottom of the pan). 

Cook the peppers for a minute or two – you’ll hear the peppers begin to “pop,” and there may be a bit of smoke.  Toss the peppers – you should see dark blisters on the skin.  Once these blisters form, stir-fry them for another 2-3 minutes, or until they are softened, but retain a crunch. 

Immediately after cooking the peppers, transfer them to a large bowl.  Sprinkle the lime juice and a few pinches of salt over the peppers, and toss a few times.  Serve on individual plates with lime wedges. 

*Poblanos are one of the milder chili peppers, but they’re still hot enough to sting like hell if you stick your fingers in your eyes.  I learned that the hard way when I took my contacts out after making these.  Don’t be an idiot like me and assume that because they don’t taste hot, they won’t burn you.