This page is all about soups and sauces. And many of them require, or recommend, pureeing to create a silky, smooth texture. There are two ways to do this. You can use a blender or an immersion blender. My preference is an immersion blender.
If you choose to use a regular blender, be very careful, because hot liquids can build up pressure and cause the lid to pop off while blending, making a mess. Be sure to blend in small batches, and keep one hand on the lid.
An immersion blender is a great investment. You can get a good one for about $20, and once you have it, you will wonder how you ever lived without it! I use it to puree sauces and soups, to make smoothies, to froth milk, to emulsify dressings, and other things. It allows you to puree in the same container, and avoid getting the blender dirty, and also is easy to clean, because most are dishwasher safe.
I look forward to pumpkin in the fall. Not pumpkin spice lattes, but actual pumpkin. Roasted wedges of pumpkin seasoned with nutmeg and cinnamon are one of my favorite foods of the season. However, that is a very simple recipe (wedge pumpkin, sprinkle with spices, roast at 350° F for 30 min), so I have a different pumpkin recipe to share with you.
Pumpkin soup captures all the great tastes of the season, and the charm is kicked up a notch if you serve it in a roasted, hollowed out pie pumpkin. The amount of seasoning suggested is a baseline, feel free to add more if you wish!
Ingredients
Preheat oven to 375° F. If using small pumpkins for bowls, remove the top, clean the inside, then roast on a pan with the tops on for 40 minutes.
Cut the large pumpkin into wedges, and roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes, or until the flesh is tender. When done, scoop the flesh off of the skin.
Saute the onion and garlic with the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat until fragrant and tender. Add the potato, pumpkin flesh, broth and spices. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, or until potato is cooked through. Using a blender or immersion blender, puree the soup. Taste for salt and pepper, and add more if needed.
To serve: ladle into the cavities of the pumpkins (or into bowls) and swirl in fresh cream.
My family has a garden in our yard, and this year we got a bunch of tomatoes. In years past, we have been lucky to harvest two baskets of tomatoes over the course of the season, but this year, we would pick about two baskets every week! I love to eat a sliced tomato with a little salt and pepper, but you can only eat so many tomatoes like this. With the surplus of tomatoes, I made this homemade tomato sauce, but if you don't have an extremely prolific garden, you can use store bought Roma tomatoes.
This sauce can be used to top pasta, on pizza, or to dip bread sticks in. It also freezes well, so don't be afraid to make a big batch.
This recipe does call for peeling the tomatoes, which I promise is not hard. If you don't know how to do this, The Kitchn has a great tutorial here (any of their three methods will work. I personally use the poaching method).
Ingredients
Heat the oil in a large sauce pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, and onion, and saute until tender (6-8 minutes). Add all other ingredients to pot (remove herbs from stems before adding). Stir. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Simmer, uncovered, for about 1 hour.
Puree with an immersion blender until smooth. If sauce is too thick, add a bit more water to reach desired consistency. If too thin, simmer longer until desired consistency is reached.
Taste for salt, and add more if needed. Enjoy over pasta, on pizza, or anywhere you can think of!