Spiced Calabaza Calabaza En Tacha Recipes

CALABAZA FRITTERS WITH MANGO-SOUR ORANGE SAUCE

Steps:

• For the Calabaza Fritters: Combine dry ingredients. Add egg and seltzer. Fold in onion and calabaza. Fry at 350 degrees F until golden.
• For the Mango-Sour Orange Sauce: Stir all ingredients together and serve as a dipping sauce.

CALABAZA EN TACHA

Steps:

• Cut the pumpkin into medium (2½" to 3" squares or triangles). Remove seeds and strings. With a sharp knife make diamond designs over the pulp.
• Put the sugar in a pan with the cinnamon, orange juice, and water. Bring to a boil and stir until the piloncillo has dissolved.
• Place the first layer of pieces of pumpkin upside down so they absorb as much juice as possible. The second layer should be with the pulp upwards. Cover and simmer.
• When ready the top of the pumpkin pieces should look somewhat glazed, and the pulp soft and golden brown.
• Let cool and serve with the syrup. You can also add cold evaporated milk.
• Note time is a guess. Go by how the pumpkin looks.

CALABAZA EN TACHA

Steps:

• For Caramel: In a pot add the water, cloves, anise star, cinnamon stick, and piloncillo. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook until liquid is reduced by half.
• Prepare Pumpkin: Wash outer skin.
• Cut into 6-8 pieces.
• Remove the seeds and cut into slices.
• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• In a roasting pan, bake pumpkin with caramel, for approximately 1 hour until pumpkin is tender.
• Continue to baste every 15 minutes.
• Serve warm with caramel.

SWEET PRESERVED PUMPKIN

Steps:

• Cut the pumpkin into 6 equal wedges. Remove and discard the seeds and stringy pulp, then cut each wedge in half crosswise. Prick the rind all over with the tines of a fork to help the slaked lime solution and sugar penetrate.
• Pour 5 quarts cold water into a stainless-steel or heavy-duty plastic bucket. Add 1/2 cup of the slaked lime and stir with a wooden spoon to dissolve thoroughly. Taste the solution; it should have a noticeably astringent "bite." If not, stir in more lime a tablespoon at a time. Add the pumpkin wedges and loosely cover the bucket. Let stand overnight (about 10 hours) in a cool dark place.
• The next day, remove the pumpkin and rinse well under cold running water. The texture should now be firm.
• Prepare a large heatproof earthenware vessel or non-reactive stockpot. You have to make a sort of prop in the center to lean the pieces of pumpkin against. For flavor as well as support, use the optional chunks of sugarcane placed together in a bunch. Or simply place one of the curved pieces of pumpkin in the center. In either case, rest the wedges of pumpkin, skin side out, against the supporting "platform," arranging them like petals coming out from the center.
• Using a hammer, break up the loaf sugar into small pieces (no larger than 1/2 inch) and scatter over the pumpkin. Add the allspice and canela. Add enough water to cover the pumpkin by 2 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat; cover the pot loosely and simmer over very low heat for 5 hours. Remove from the heat and let stand overnight, uncovered or just loosely covered.
• The next day, return the pumpkin to a simmer over low heat and cook for 5 hours. Let stand again overnight. On the third day, return to a simmer; this time any remaining syrup should be absorbed after 2 to 3 hours. Watch very closely as the syrup disappears, since the dish tends to scorch easily at this point. Let cool completely before serving; it will keep in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to 1 week.