Spiced Calabaza Calabaza En Tacha Food

CALABAZA EN TACHA (MEXICAN CANDIED PUMPKIN) RECIPE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Cut the stem off of the pumpkin. Cut the pumpkin in half and scrape out the seeds and stringy parts, saving seeds to make pepitas, if you like.
• Leaving the rind on, cut each piece in half lengthwise again and again until you have 8 to 10 long strips of pumpkin. Leave pumpkin in strips or cut it into smaller pieces.
• Zest and juice the orange .
• In a large saucepan, bring orange zest and juice, piloncillo or brown sugar, water, and cinnamon sticks to a boil.
• Carefully add in the pumpkin pieces and reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer for an hour or two, until pumpkin is fork tender and the rest of the ingredients have reduced to a thick glaze.
• Remove from heat and let cool. Allow a long strip or two-or several smaller pieces-per portion.
• Serve at room temperature, spooning a little of the glaze over the pumpkin pieces. Eat with a spoon, leaving the inedible outer pumpkin rind (and any cinnamon sticks) in the dish.

SPICED CALABAZA: CALABAZA EN TACHA

Steps:

• Begin by making the glaze in a pot. In a medium sauce pot on a medium flame, add piloncillo, sugar, and the water. It should take about 10 minutes for the sugar to dissolve. Add canela and orange juice, cook for another 10 minutes and then begin to whisk in butter. Place quartered pumpkins on a sheet tray, and pour spoonfuls of glaze on each piece. In a preheated 400-degree oven, cook calabaza for 20 minutes until roasted through.

CALABAZA SOUP: SOPA DE CALABAZA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Drizzle a little bit of olive oil over the calabaza. Season with salt and pepper, and roast in the oven until tender, about 1/2 hour.
• In a large stockpot, heat 1/4 cup olive oil and saute onions, green pepper, red pepper, and garlic. Cook for about 8 minutes or until caramelized. Add the tomatoes and cook for 3 more minutes.
• Deglaze with white wine. Add chicken stock and heavy cream and the roasted calabaza. Add the thyme. Bring to a boil. Simmer about 20 minutes. Puree all the ingredients. Strain the soup and adjust the seasonings. Garnish with vanilla-flavored whipped cream, if desired.

ROASTED CALABAZA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 475°F with racks in upper and lower thirds.
• Seed and peel calabaza, then cut into 3/4-inch-wide pieces (about 3 inches long).
• Toss with oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper, then divide between 2 large shallow heavy baking pans, spreading in 1 layer.
• Roast calabaza, switching position of pans and turning calabaza over halfway through cooking, until tender and starting to caramelize, 35 to 45 minutes.