Soup of Roasted Kabocha Squash with Toasted Pine Nuts

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

1 Kabocha squash (about 3 1/2 pounds / 1.6 kg), skin and seeds removed, flesh cut into wedges
1 large brown onion, cut into 8 wedges
4 garlic cloves, peeled
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups/946 ml chicken stock
2 cups /150 ml (about) water
1 cup/225 ml heavy whipping cream
1/3/50 g pine nuts

Method:

Preheat the oven to 450°F/232°C.  Toss the squash pieces, onion and garlic with the oil in a large roasting pan. Sprinkle with salt.  Roast for 1 hour, or until the squash and onions are tender and golden brown. Heat the stock in a large pot over medium-high heat.

Transfer the squash, onion and garlic to the stock. Add enough water to just cover the squash. Bring to a boil over high heat.  Decrease heat to medium-low and simmer gently for 20 minutes, or until the squash is very tender. Remove from the heat and allow the soup to cool slightly.

Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender until smooth. Strain the pureed soup into another pot. Stir the cream into the soup and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.  Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a small sauté pan over medium heat for 8 minutes, or until golden brown. 

Ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish with the pine nuts and serve.

Escalope of Veal Wrapped in Sage and Prosciutto di Parma

Ingredients:

For the roasted bell pepper strips:
2 red bell peppers
2 yellow bell peppers
1 green bell pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the veal:
(4) 4 to 5 ounce/125 g veal cutlets
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 thin slices prosciutto di Parma
8 fresh sage leaves
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup veal stock or chicken stock
2 tablespoons drained capers
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

Method:   

To make the roasted pepper strips:

Preheat the oven to 450°F/232°C. Place a cast iron pan or roasting pan in the oven for 10 minutes, or until very hot. Using oven mitts, remove the pan from the oven and place the bell peppers in the hot pan. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the peppers and turn them to coat in the oil. 
 
Using oven mitts, place the pan in the oven and roast the peppers for 20 minutes, turning the peppers over every 5 minutes, or until the skins are blackened and blistered on all sides. 

Using tongs, transfer the peppers to a bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Allow the peppers to steam for 15 minutes. Remove the plastic wrap and allow the peppers to cool slightly. 

Peel the skin off of the peppers and remove the seeds. Cut the peppers into strips. Transfer the pepper strips to a bowl, and toss to combine. Season the peppers to taste with salt and pepper. Cover to keep warm.

To make the veal:

Place 2 sage leaves on top of each piece of veal. Wrap 1 slice of prosciutto around the center of each piece of veal, covering the sage.  In a large hot fry pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over high heat. Add 2 pieces of veal to the pan and cook for 2 minutes, or until golden brown on the bottom. Turn and cook 1 minute longer for medium-rare. Transfer the veal to a warm plate. Repeat with the remaining 2 pieces of veal.  

Add the wine to the hot pan and simmer 1 minute, or until reduced by half. Add the stock, capers and parsley. Simmer 1 minute, or until reduced by half. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Divide the warm pepper strips among 4 plates. Place the veal over the peppers. Spoon the sauce over the veal and serve.

Chocolate Fudge Tart with Fresh Mint Whipped Cream

Ingredients:

1 purchased frozen 9-inch deep-dish pie shell, thawed for 5 minutes
4 ounces/120 g semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
5 tablespoons/70 g unsalted butter
3/4 cup /155 g granulated sugar
1/4 cup/40 g all-purpose flour
6 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup/350 ml heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon powdered sugar, plus more for sifting
2 tablespoons minced fresh mint

Method:

Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C.  Pierce the pie shell all over with a fork. Place the pie tin on a heavy baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, or until the shell is pale golden. Set the baked shell (in its pie tin) on a rack.  Decrease the oven temperature to 300°F/150°C.

Meanwhile, place the chocolate in large bowl and set the bowl over a pot of simmering water. Stir the chocolate until it is melted.  Add the butter and stir until it melts.  In a separate bowl, whisk the sugar and flour to blend. Add the eggs and vanilla and whisk to blend.  Whisk the egg mixture into the melted chocolate and butter.  

Return the pie shell (still in the pie tin) to the baking sheet. Pour the custard into the pie shell.  Bake the pie for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the filling is just set around the edges and the remaining filling still jiggles when the pie is gently shaken (the filling will thicken as the pie cools). Transfer the tart (in its pie tin) to a rack and cool completely.

Whisk the cream and 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar in a clean large bowl until thick. Add the mint and whisk just until the cream becomes fluffy. Sift the additional powdered sugar over the tart. Cut the tart into wedges and serve with the mint cream.