The best recipes for this Halloween
This Halloween surprise with what the season calls for: comfort food and a table that invites long conversations.
PUMPKIN AND MUSHROOM CURRY
INGREDIENTS:
1 Okaido pumpkin
600g Whole mushrooms
400ml Coconut milk
2 Large tomatoes
1 Onion
3 Large garlic cloves
Salt to taste
Olive oil to taste
2 tsp Curry
Black Pepper to taste
Rosemary to taste
PREPARATION:
Start by cutting the pumpkin into pieces and the mushrooms in half. Wash both well and drain the excess water. Arrange them on a baking tray and season with olive oil, salt, black pepper, and rosemary, to taste. Bake in a preheated oven at 200 °C, with fan and top and bottom heat, until dry and slightly toasted at the edges.
While the vegetables roast, prepare the sauté. In a pan, place the onion cut into half-moons, the garlic cloves halved, and the tomatoes, peeled and chopped. Sauté everything in olive oil. When the onion starts to brown, add the coconut milk and season with curry and salt, to taste. Once the sauce is hot, remove the pan from the heat and blend the ingredients with an immersion blender until smooth. If you want a stronger tomato flavor, add a small amount of tomato paste. You can add more curry according to your taste,
Remove the pumpkin and mushrooms from the oven and carefully coat them in the prepared sauce. Finish with lemon zest for a fresh and aromatic touch.
Serve accompanied by rice, to your liking.
PUMPKIN AND SPICE CAKE
INGREDIENTS:
CAKE
250g all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt
150g white sugar
150g brown sugar
420g pumpkin puree
170g unsalted butter, softened
4 large eggs
60ml vegetable oil
CREAM
115g unsalted butter, softened
225g mascarpone cheese
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
450g powdered sugar
PREPARATION:
Start by preheating the oven to 180 °C and prepare two 15 cm diameter pans, greasing them and lining the bottom with parchment paper.
In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients — flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt — and set aside. In another bowl, beat the softened butter until creamy and add both types of sugar, continuing to beat until light and fluffy. Then add the oil and mix well. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing between each addition.
Next, incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring until a homogeneous batter forms. Finally, add the pumpkin puree and gently fold until everything is well combined. Divide the batter between the two pans and bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, or until the cake is firm and golden. Let cool completely before applying the cream.
To prepare the mascarpone cream, beat the butter with the mascarpone cheese until creamy. Add the vanilla extract and salt, mixing well, then gradually add the sifted powdered sugar little by little until the cream is light and silky. Refrigerate for at least two hours to gain consistency.
When the cake is cool, cover one of the layers with the cream and place the second on top. Finish by spreading the remaining cream over the top and sides, decorating as desired.