Julia Childs Puree Of Pumpkin And White Beans Adapted Food

JULIA CHILD'S AUNT HELEN'S FLUFFY PUMPKIN PIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450 degrees and place rack in center of oven. Separate eggs and set aside.
• Using a mixer, blender or large bowl, blend pumpkin, the 2 cups of the sugars, 1 teaspoon salt, molasses, bourbon or rum (if using), cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, egg yolks, cream and milk until smooth. Add more milk, a tablespoon at a time, if the mixture is stiff: it should be a soft purée.
• In a clean bowl, whip egg whites until foaming. Whip in a pinch of salt, then gradually whip in remaining 2 tablespoons sugar until shiny white peaks form. Beat 1/4 of the whites thoroughly into pumpkin mixture; gently fold in the rest.
• Immediately ladle filling into the shells, filling to just below the rim of the pan. Place in oven and bake just until rim of crust begins to turn gold, 10 to 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 and bake another 25 to 30 minutes, until a tester inserted into the filling 2 inches from the rim comes out clean. (The center should still be a bit wet; it will cook more as it cools.) If the rim of the crust starts to get too brown, cover it with aluminum foil.
• Immediately turn oven off, leave door ajar (stick in a wooden spoon to hold it open if necessary) and let sit 20 to 30 minutes more as the oven cools; this will prevent the filling from turning watery. Serve warm, or let cool, wrap tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Let pie come to room temperature before serving.

JULIA CHILD'S PUREE OF PUMPKIN AND WHITE BEANS (ADAPTED)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425.
• Cook the first three ingredients in 3 Tbsp butter until tender.
• Add the garlic, herbs, and 1/4 cup water.
• Boil slowly until the liquid has evaporated.
• Remove the bay leaf.
• Pulse the squash and beans with the the onions, celery, and carrots in a food processor until you have a puree.
• Beat in the eggs, cream and all but 2 Tbsp of the cheese.
• Salt and pepper to taste.
• Use 1 Tbsp butter to butter a oven proof casserole.
• Spoon in the puree.
• Dot the top with the remaining cheese and butter.
• Bake for 30 minutes in the upper third of the oven.
• The puree should be bubbling and the top brown.

JULIA CHILD'S PUREE OF RICE AND TURNIPS WITH HERBS AND GARLIC

Steps:

• Bring the milk to a simmer, add the rice, salt, butter, garlic and seasonings.
• Simmer stirring occasionally for 10 minutes, until the rice is partially tender.
• Stir in the turnips, adding more milk if necessary to submerge the vegetables.
• Cover and simmer for 15 minutes stirring occasionally until the turnips are tender.
• The liquid should almost be absorbed.
• Puree in a food mill or a food processor.
• Shortly before serving, reheat, stirring.
• Carefully correct seasonings.
• Stir in the butter or cream by spoonfuls.
• Turn into a hot serving dish and sprinkle with parsley.

PUMPKIN WITH WHITE BEANS

Steps:

• Place beans in a medium saucepan and cover by about 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil; remove from heat and let stand for 1 hour. Drain and rinse.
• In a stockpot over medium-high heat, warm olive oil. Add onion, garlic, serrano chile, and 1/4 tsp. kosher salt. Saute until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in hot or sweet paprika and tomato paste; cook for 1 minute. Add beans, chicken stock or water, and cilantro. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for about 35 minutes.
• Peel, seed, and cut half small sugar pumpkin. Add pumpkin to bean mixture, plus additional stock or water to cover, and simmer, partially covered, until tender, about 25 minutes more. Remove and discard cilantro. Serve immediately.

WATERCRESS SOUP (JULIA CHILD)

Steps:

• When measuring the watercress leaves and stems, pack them down in the measuring cup.
• Simmer leeks, potatoes, water and salt together, partially covered, 40-50 minutes until vegetables are tender.
• Stir in watercress and simmer 5 minutes.
• While the watercress is simmering, you can prepare the following optional garnish if you wish: a small handful of watercress leaves boiled 30 seconds, rinsed in cold water and drained.
• Mash the vegetables in the soup with a fork, or puree in blender. Correct seasoning.
• Off heat and just before serving, stir in cream or butter by spoonfuls. Decorate with the optional watercress leaves.