Cape May Calabaza Recipes

GARBANZO STEW WITH MALANGA AND CALABAZA

Steps:

• Soak chickpeas in water with a pinch of baking soda overnight, 10 to 12 hours. Drain and rinse well.
• In a large heavy pot, combine chickpeas with 7 cups of water. Bring to a boil then lower heat to medium, cover, and simmer until just tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Drain and reserve 4 cups of the cooking water.
• To make the sofrito, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the cubed ham and saute until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the onions, peppers and garlic and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, wine, paprika and bay leaf to the sofrito, roughly crushing the tomatoes. Return to a simmer and cook an additional 5 minutes.
• Return chickpeas to large pot with 4 cups of the reserved cooking water. Add the sofrito mixture to the chickpeas and bring to a simmer. Add the malanga and calabaza, and cook covered until the vegetables are tender, 35 to 45 minutes. Serve on its own with bread or over rice.

CALABAZA SOUP: SOPA DE CALABAZA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Drizzle a little bit of olive oil over the calabaza. Season with salt and pepper, and roast in the oven until tender, about 1/2 hour.
• In a large stockpot, heat 1/4 cup olive oil and saute onions, green pepper, red pepper, and garlic. Cook for about 8 minutes or until caramelized. Add the tomatoes and cook for 3 more minutes.
• Deglaze with white wine. Add chicken stock and heavy cream and the roasted calabaza. Add the thyme. Bring to a boil. Simmer about 20 minutes. Puree all the ingredients. Strain the soup and adjust the seasonings. Garnish with vanilla-flavored whipped cream, if desired.

THE CAPE CODDER

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients, stir and serve.

SPICED CALABAZA: CALABAZA EN TACHA

Steps:

• Begin by making the glaze in a pot. In a medium sauce pot on a medium flame, add piloncillo, sugar, and the water. It should take about 10 minutes for the sugar to dissolve. Add canela and orange juice, cook for another 10 minutes and then begin to whisk in butter. Place quartered pumpkins on a sheet tray, and pour spoonfuls of glaze on each piece. In a preheated 400-degree oven, cook calabaza for 20 minutes until roasted through.

ROASTED CALABAZA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 475°F with racks in upper and lower thirds.
• Seed and peel calabaza, then cut into 3/4-inch-wide pieces (about 3 inches long).
• Toss with oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper, then divide between 2 large shallow heavy baking pans, spreading in 1 layer.
• Roast calabaza, switching position of pans and turning calabaza over halfway through cooking, until tender and starting to caramelize, 35 to 45 minutes.