Last week sometime I started working on menus for dead people. That is, what I would cook for people that I like who happen to be dead - if they were alive. Because sometimes I’ll take inspiration where ever I can get it. I was halfway through a cabbage gruel menu for Emma Goldman when I realized that there are people among the living who inspire me. People who might actually appreciate the recipes. People who might not live at the turn of the 20th century and live on cabbage and potatoes. And so this is the first of what I’m calling Virtual Dinner Dates.

Today’s dinner was inspired by Pattrice Jones. Chili Pumpkin Cranberry Risotto with Spicy Toasted Pumpkin Seeds. Pattrice mentioned liking chilies and cranberry and so that’s where the idea came from, but I also had a lot of chilies left over from last week’s Chile Fest and some dried cranberries that were like “Use me already!”

And chilies are very fitting for Pattrice, since she takes care of a bird sanctuary. Chili peppers were able to evolve as they have because birds’ taste receptors are immune to the heat of capsaicin, which is the compound that makes chili peppers hot. To them it’s just a big succulent berry. So if you’ve ever seen chili peppers in a bag of bird feed, that’s why. It’s not because of some sort of bird machismo. (Click here to hear how capsaicin is pronounced, it’s fun.)

Now, I’ll admit that the cranberries sound a little out of place - but they aren’t adding a strong cranberry taste, just a little bit of tanginess, along with the lime, to contrast with the nutty sweetness of the pumpkin. But this isn’t a sweet dish per se, it’s savory with the garlic, onion and pumpkin and pulled together with creamy coconut milk. Top it off with spicy, crunchy toasted pumpkin seeds to fancy it up. I always like to use the seeds from a pumpkin because it feels like you’re a survivalist using the whole animal.

Chili Pumpkin Cranberry Risotto with Spicy Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

3 lb sugar pumpkin, or any winter squash (butternut, kabocha, acorn, what have you)

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced small
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
4 hot red chilies, seeded and thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1/3 cup dry white wine
5 cups vegetable broth, kept warm on the stove top
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (grate it fresh if you can)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
juice of one lime
1 teaspoon agave or pure maple syrup

For the pumpkin seeds, if using:
2 teaspoons paprika
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1/8 teaspoon salt

First the pumpkin needs to be roasted. I would suggest doing this well in advance of preparing the risotto for two reasons. One, you’ll need it to cool down so you can peel and chop it. And two, that way it doesn’t seem like you’re cooking for so long and the actual risotto takes only about 35 minutes. If you’re using pumpkin you can also roast the seeds to use as a garnish. Yeah, you can roast the seeds of other squashes, I just don’t think they taste very good.

So. To prepare the pumpkin and seeds: Preheat oven to 350 F. Hack pumpkin in half and remove the seeds and stringy bits with a tablespoon. Reserve the seeds and place them in a colander to clean. Lightly oil a baking sheet and place the pumpkin face down on sheet. Bake for about 35 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork, but not completely mushy. Once cooled, peel off the skin and chop pumpkin into bite sized pieces.

In the meantime, wash the pumpkin seeds and dry completely with a kitchen towel. Place on a baking sheet and sprinkle lightly with a little olive oil, toss to coat. You can toast them in the oven while the pumpkin bakes, it usually takes about 15 minutes. Toss once or twice. Remove from oven and place in a bowl to cool. Once cooled, sprinkle with the spices to coat.

And now and only now, are you ready to actually start the risotto. Have your broth ready and warming on the stove before you begin.

Preheat a heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Saute the onion, garlic, ginger and chilies in the oil for about 7 minutes, stirring often so you don’t burn it. Add the risotto and stir to coat with oil. Add wine to deglaze the pot, then add first cup of vegetable broth. Use a wooden spoon to stir until most of the water is absorbed. You don’t have to stir the entire time, just as frequently as you can stand.

Continue adding veggie broth then stirring a few more times, until only a cup of broth is left. When you’re at the last cup, add the pumpkin and cranberries and repeat stirring. When most of the liquid has absorbed, add salt, nutmeg, cinnamon and lime juice. Stir in coconut milk. Cook for about 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust salt. At this point you can also add a teaspoon or so of agave. This doesn’t make it sweet per se, it just enhances the natural sweetness of the squash and cranberries.

Let sit for about 10 minutes before serving, to let the flavors “marry.” Scoop into bowls and garnish with pumpkin seeds.

Here’s just a few links to lose your lunch over.

Mystery Meat MacroPhotography

If the words “fat sculpture” and “salami terrain” don’t appeal to you, don’t click this link! Unless you eat salami, then you might want to.

E coli Meat Recall - Topps Hamburger Closes Down

I hope that the newly unemployed workers all start vegan cafes.

An Amputated Leg In a BBQ Smoker

I don’t know, it just kind of makes you think. We have legs. Cows have legs. No one wants their legs in a BBQ smoker.

And because everything here is gross, here’s a pretty picture of amaranth that I took at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens.

FedEx may hate veganism but UPS loves it! This post will be written entirely in explanation points! Well, words and sentences! That all end in explanation points! Ok, no forget it, that’s even annoying me. I wish I knew how to make an interrobang.

Unsupportive, disinterested kitties

I waited home all day yesterday but no ‘nomicon came my way. Terry received hers and talked me through it for about half an hour, describing everything in minute detail. “It feels silky. It smells like paper.” But today, I sat on my stoop and taped a note to the door (as if the UPS guy wouldn’t see me sitting there) and called UPS 74 times. By sheer grit and determination I am now holding her in my loving arms. Or my loving lap, because I’m typing.

It’s so…big! And I’m scared of getting it dirty. It actually has kind of a high school yearbook feel to it, which is nice since I only have a GED. Well, here’s some pictures, see for yourself.

Our baby…it has Terry’s eyes

Just because I haven’t been able to concentrate on reading whole books lately, that doesn’t stop me from buying them. So here’s my review of their covers.

Committed: A Rabble-Rousers Memoir by Dan Mathews

Wow, he got a Morrissey quote. I wonder if I will ever meet Morrissey. And Lily Tomlin, too. She’s awesome.

Bonus back cover review: Oh, he’s dressed like a rabbit.

For the Prevention Of Cruelty: The History and Legacy of Animal Rights Activism in the United States by Diane Beers

Cute Kitties! The horsies are getting water! What’s with the test tubes? Are those test tubes? What are those? Where are the quotes from Morrissey?

Bonus Inside Glimpse: Wall to wall words.

The Stuff Of Thought: Language As A Window Into Human Nature by Steven Pinker

I really like neon on black. I really like linguistics. Noam Chomsky is a jerk.

This is one of my winter staples, especially if I’m having a busy week, have no one to impress and don’t want to use a million dishes (big ups to the disherwasherless!) You get your beans, greens and grains all in one pot; in this case I used white beans, kale and quinoa. You also get about 10 servings out of it so you can either freeze it or keep it in the fridge for 4 days or so, having it for lunch or dinner. Um, or breakfast, like I did today. Another bonus is that it’s really low fat and high fiber, so if you’re doing any of that Weight Watchers, Eat To Live, McDougall stuff I think it’d be right up your alley.

I’m posting the recipe, but it’s really versatile so make up your own spice blend, use different beans and grains (although cooking time may vary for the grain) and, you know, just do whatever you want. Sometimes I make it with black beans and millet and use chili spices instead. That kind of thing. Recipe below.

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Terry and I demo’ed a recipe at the BBG Chile Fest yesterday and although rife with drama (or maybe because it was rife with drama) it was a good time. The first weird part was that there was no one to introduce us - a fend for yourself sort of thing. The second weird part was that it was outdoors and there was no amplification. So everyone was shouting for us to talk louder (mostly my mom that traitor!) and there were planes flying overhead.

I implore the masses to go vegan

At one point my pushy pregnant sister actually came up to the front, got up in my grill (no pun intended) and told us we had to talk louder and we had a big sister fight in front of everyone. Somehow Terry and I still managed to complete the recipe - Yucca Latkes with Chocolate Chile Mole and Apple Salsa. The samples we prepared ahead of time came out cold but that didn’t seem to stop anyone.

Anyway, I love the gardens and I it was great to be able to do the demo but from now on I am going to make sure that our demos have mics, because shouting and cooking is no fun. My spies told me that people were whispering “You can’t have Hannukah without eggs!” Yeah, just watch us!

Yucca Latkes with Chocolate Chile Mole and Apple Salsa