For the last 2 months, I craved the cold and resented the heat. I felt like the city was resisting the Fall and it annoyed me. But now that the cold's set in, it feels abrupt (even though it came slowly), pestering (even though I begged for it). But that's okay because there's a time I'll miss these drizzly Autumn days and find myself complaining about the heat again.
The Greenmarket is at its peak right now. It's in transition, the most colorful time of the year - the tomatoes are dwindling but still there, their skin a little tougher; peppers and eggplants are hanging on, though barely; carrots, kale, cauliflower, and pumpkins are thriving. I love pumpkins. I'm happy to see them. Not pumpkin spice but pumpkins (and hard winter squashes) - bright orange and fleshy. I love the smell of cutting one open.
When my mom came to town last week, I took her to Mission Chinese Food. It was an incredible meal: rice fried in chicken fat, chewy pieces of dried pineapple and thinly shaved limes, thick spicy noodles. But the dish that stood out most was a quiet side dish we almost didn't order - Pea Leaves in Pumpkin Broth. The pea leaves were delicately poached and tasted like Spring. The broth was light, creamy, aromatic and deeply pumpkin-y. I've never heard of pumpkin broth and as I ate it I became more and more obsessed with how to make it.
Here's what I came up with: take all your pumpkin or squash scraps (innards, seeds, tops, odd ends) + some big chunks and some aromatics and bring it to a boil with water (As you would make chicken stock). You can add more depth by toasting garlic and ginger in a little oil then adding the chunks of pumpkin (I used Red Kuri squash) along with all the innards. Then fill the pot with water, bring it to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and let it sit for a long time, slowly bubbling until it's richly flavored. I blended a little bit of the pumpkin flesh into the strained broth to make it creamy, and topped it with poached pea leaves, pumpkin seeds, & fermented chiles.
