Cream Of Caribbean Pumpkin Soup With Cacao Nibs Crema De Calabaza Y Cacao Recipes

CACAO NIB CARAMEL CORN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Pop the corn according to package directions and transfer to a large bowl. Set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, butter, salt, corn syrup, vanilla bean and cacao nibs. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, over medium heat.
• Pour the caramel over the popcorn, tossing to coat evenly. Divide the caramel corn between 2 parchment-lined sheet pans. Bake, stirring every 15 minutes, until the popcorn is sticky and caramelized, about 1 hour. Cool the popcorn on sheet pans, stirring often for the first few minutes (so it doesn't stick together). Store in an airtight container up to 5 days.

CREMA DE CALABAZINES

Steps:

• Clean and quarter zucchini and potatoes. Peel and chop onion. In a large pot boil zucchini, potatoes and onion in water (just covering them) until very tender. Drain vegetables, but retain stock.
• In a blender, or with a hand blender, puree the cheese, zucchini, potatoes, onion and bouillon while adding stock, until desired consistency is reached. (If you're using a blender, do this in two batches.)
• Pour mixture back into large pot and bring to a boil. Salt and pepper to taste.

CARIBBEAN PUMPKIN SOUP

Steps:

• Place garlic in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add onion and pulse until finely chopped. Set aside. Place jalapeno in food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add celery and pulse until finely chopped. Set aside. Place carrots in food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium stockpot over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and saute, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, about 6 minutes. Add jalapeno, celery, and carrots and saute for 5 minutes. Add the squash, chicken stock, bay leaf, curry, turmeric, cayenne, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and pepper to taste, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add the plantain. Cook until the vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a small saute pan, heat remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add pumpkin seeds and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook for about 30 seconds, shaking pan constantly to prevent burning, until all the seeds have popped. Remove from heat and add parsley.
• Place 2 cups of the cooked vegetables and about 1/2 cup of the liquid in the bowl of a food processor and puree until smooth. Stir puree back into the soup. Adjust seasonings, and stir in the creme fraiche, if desired. Garnish with roasted pumpkin seeds.

CREMA DE CALABAZA (CREAMY SQUASH SOUP)

Steps:

• Boil 1 L water in a saucepan.
• Cut squash into cubes.
• Cut off top and bottom of carrots, peel them and cut them into 1/3-inch-thick disks.
• Clean the leak, reserve a part of it for garnish and slice the rest.
• Peel the potato and cut into stew chunks.
• Add vegetables to saucepan, add 2 tbsp oil and 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste. Cover and let cook 25 minutes on medium heat.
• Remove vegetables from heat. Blend with hand blender until smooth and creamy. Before serving in bowls, garnish surface with fine strips of leek.