What is your favourite pumpkin Kale chip recipe? Well, I invite you to think about pumpkin recipes in a different way…
…but first what is the meaning of time for you? I normally finish the post with a Brazilian song, but today I decided to go the other way around because this is such a special one by Caetano Veloso, a major name in Brazilian folk music. The amazing thing about Caetano is that he is not only a fine singer/song-writer, guitar player, he is also a poet. The way he uses words to make music lyrics is extremely imaginative as he uses rhythm to express what he feels and provides elevated thoughts that challenge you to think. The name of the song is Oração ao Tempo, which translates as “Prayer for Time”. I inserted the hyperlink to Spotify in case you would like to listen to it.
He describes what time means for him in the form of a monologue. Simply genius! I tried to translate as best as I could so I wouldn’t disturb the meaning and the depth of the lyrics. I also added words between brackets to enhance the meaning of some of the sentences. Note that the way he repeats “time, time, time, time” is to emphasize the fact that time doesn’t stop and is somehow repetitive. If you listen carefully you will notice that he included a percussion that does tictac just like a clock. There are other hidden nuances to the song, but I will leave it to your own interpretation. Hope you like it!
Prayer for Time – Caetano Veloso
(Time) You’re such a handsome gentleman
Just like the face of my son
Time, time, time, time
I will make you a wish
Time, time, time, time
(You are) Composer of destinies
The drum of all rhythms
Time, time, time, time
I would like to reach an agreement with you
Time, time, time, time
Because you are so inventive
And apparently continuous
Time, time, time, time
You are one of the most beautiful Gods
Time, time, time, time
I hope you will be even more alive
within the sound of my chorus
Time, time, time, time
Listen well what I have to say to you
Time, time, time, time
I ask you for legitimate pleasure
and that my movement is precise
Time, time, time, time
When the time is right
Time, time, time, time
So that my spirit
Get a defined brightness
Time, time, time, time
And (I wish) I spread kindness
Time, time, time, time
(and) Whatever you and I will use for it
is to be kept confidential
Time, time, time, time
Only between you and me
Time, time, time, time
And when I am
Out of your circle
Time, time, time, time
I will not be and you will not have been
Time, time, time, time
Even though I believe (that)
(One day) we will meet again
Time, time, time, time
and bond in another dimension
Time, time, time, time
Therefore I ask you for this
And I praise you
Time, time, time, time
Within the rhymes of my style
Time, time, time, time
Do you agree with Caetano’s words that “time is the composer of (people’s) destinies”?
Now back to cooking, “timbale” is a French dish which is shaped in a mould and the texture resembles custard or mousse and looks like this. Any flavour can be added to the basic custard like herbs, meats or vegetables and today I’ve chosen pumpkin.
This creamy pumpkin timbale is a recipe I adapted from the first vegetarian book I bought in Australia more than 10 years ago. The original recipe had carrots instead of pumpkin with a creamy sauce on the side. In Brazil we like to eat a side dish called quibebe, which is a pan fried cubed pumpkin with onions and tomatoes, with roasted pork shoulder or fried cubed pork belly and pan-fried kale. By changing some of the textures I turned the dish into a modern Brazilian recipe; with the pumpkin timbale I serve a simple salad with crispy kale, speck and some pickled radish.
Note that this dish ca be easily turned into vegetarian by simply omitting the speck.
Time is important, so to optimise yours in the kitchen you can prepare both the timbale and the pickle one day ahead and store them in the fridge.
Ingredients
Pumpkin Timbale
1kg butternut pumpkin, peeled and roughly chopped
1 tbs olive oil
100ml vegetable stock
60g unsalted butter, plus extra to grease
1 leek (white part only), finely sliced
10 sage leaves
¼ cup (60ml) cream
4 large eggs
1/2 tbs ground turmeric
Salt and pepper to taste
Speck:
350g speck, sliced
Kale Chips:
1 bunch of kale
1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
Pinch of salt
Fresh ground black-pepper, to taste
Radish Pickle:
1 bunch radish, finely sliced (preferably using a mandolin)
80ml white wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp sugar
Pinch of Salt
Instructions
1. Pre-heat the oven 200°C, fan-forced. Line a tray with baking paper. Place the pumpkin, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bake for 30 minutes or until soft, remove from oven and then reduce the oven to 180°C.
2. For the kale chips, remove leaves from thick stems and roughly tear the leaves. In a bowl mix the kale, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Place seasoned kale onto the other tray in one layer and bake in batches for 10 minutes until edges start to get brown, but taking care not to burn.
3. For the pumpkin timbale, brush six timbale moulds* (185ml) with melted butter. Heat the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the leek and cook, stirring for 5 minutes or until soft. Add the turmeric and stir for a further minute. Remove from pan and set aside to cool. In a bowl blend the pumpkin, 100ml stock, leek mixture, sage, eggs and cream. Process in the food processor or use a stick blender to blend well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour into the prepared moulds. Place the moulds onto a baking tray, place the tray into the oven and fill the tray with boiling water to cover ½ of the sides of the moulds. Bake in the pre-heated oven (180°C) for 35-40 minutes or until firm.
4. For the radish pickle, in a small saucepan combine vinegar and sugar. Stir the vinegar and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat for 2 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil. Simmer for 2 minutes or until the mixture reduces slightly. In a bowl mix it the radishes.
5. For the speck, in a frying pan over medium heat fry the slices with a little bit of oil, 3 minutes on each side or until crispy.
5. To serve, unmould the timbales by scrapping a round knife around the edge of the moulds. Carefully turn one mould onto the centre of a plate and tap until timbale is released. Serve warm or cold with speck bacon, crispy kale and pickled radishes. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil.
Serves: 6
*Alternatively you can use ramekins or silicone moulds
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Receita em Português
Pudim Salgado de Abóbora com Couve Torradinha, Bacon e Pickles de Rabanete
Ingredientes
Pudim de Abóbora:
1 kg de abóbora madura, descascada e picada
1 colher de sopa de azeite de oliva
100 ml de caldo de legumes
60g de manteiga sem sal , mais extra para untar
1 alho-poró (somente parte branca ) , em fatias finas
10 folhas de sálvia
¼ xícara (60ml ) de creme de leite
4 ovos grandes
1/2 colheres de sopa de cúrcuma (açafrão da terra) em pó
Sal e pimenta a gosto
Bacon :
350g bacon, cortado em fatias
Couve torrada:
1 maço de couve
1 colher de sopa de azeite de oliva
1 pitada de sal
Pimenta do reino moída na hora , a gosto
Picles de Rabanete :
1 ramo de rabanete , cortado em fatias finas (de preferência usando um mandolim )
80ml de vinagre de vinho branco
1 1/2 colher de chá de açúcar
1 pitada de sal
Modo de Preparo
1. Pré-aqueça o forno a 200°C. Forre uma forma com papel manteiga. Coloque a abóbora, regue com azeite e tempere com sal e pimenta a gosto. Asse por 30 minutos ou até ficar macia, retire do forno e, em seguida, reduza o forno para 180°C.
2. Para a couve torrada, remover as folhas dos caules grossos e rasgar as folhas. Em uma tigela misture a couve, azeite, pitada de sal e pimenta a gosto. Coloque a couve em uma forma em uma única camada e asse em bateladas de 10 minutos até que as bordas comecem a dourar, mas tomando cuidado para não queimar.
3. Para o pudim de abóbora, unte seis formas de mini pudim* (185ml) com manteiga derretida. Aqueça a manteiga em uma panela pequena sob fogo médio. Adicione o alho-poró e cozinhe, mexendo por 5 minutos ou até ficar macio. Adicione a cúrcuma e mexa por mais um minuto. Retire da panela e deixe esfriar. Em uma tigela misture a abóbora, 100ml de caldo, alho-poró, sálvia, ovos e creme de leite. Bata no processador de alimentos ou use um mixer para bater até a mistura ficar homogênea. Tempere com sal e pimenta a gosto. Despeje nas forminhas. Coloque as forminhas para uma forma grande, coloque o tabuleiro no forno e despeje água fervente até cobrir a metade dos lados das forminhas. Asse no forno pré-aquecido (180°C) durante 35-40 minutos ou até ficar firme.
4. Para o picles de rabanete, em uma panela pequena misture o vinagre e açúcar. Mexa o vinagre eo açúcar em uma panela em fogo médio por 2 minutos ou até que o açúcar se dissolva. Deixe ferver. Ferva durante 2 minutos. Em uma tigela misture esse líquido com os rabanetes.
5. Para o bacon, em uma frigideira em fogo médio frite as fatias com um pouco de óleo, 3 minutos de cada lado ou até que fiquem crocantes.
5. Para servir, desenforme passando uma faca arredondada em torno da borda das forminhas. Vire a forma com cuidado em um prato para soltar o pudim. Sirva quente ou frio com bacon, couve e rabanetes. Regue com azeite