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Soups & Salads

Put a hearty soup together with a light salad and a nice loaf of bread, and you have created a simple but satisfying meal for yourself and your family or friends. One of the great things about soup is that you can make a big pot of it to have again and again. Pumpkin soups and salads are packed with those vegetables that are so good for you and so tasty and colorful. It is definitely a win-win combination.

Creating soups with pumpkin or adding it to old favorites could have been an endless project. Every combination I could think of ended up as a soup I would love to serve to my friends. Chunks of fresh pumpkin and pumpkin purée add flavor, color, texture, and nutrition. The adaptability of pumpkin sings out from soup pot to soup pot.

Roasted Ginger Pumpkin-Pear Soup

Serves 6

My basic fall soup makes a wonderful lunch all by itself and, when accompanied by a nice salad and a good loaf of bread, makes supper or lunch. Without the addition of half-and-half, the soup is smooth and tasty. The cream adds a richness which is nice, but not necessary. Apple can be substituted for the pear.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Heat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC).
  2. 2. Brush each pumpkin chunk with oil. Bake for 45 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork. When cool enough to handle, peel, mash, and measure 3 cups. Store the rest in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
  3. 3. Heat the oil and butter in a large saucepan over medium heat for 1 minute. Add the onion and shallots and cook for about 5 minutes, or until translucent, stirring occasionally. Add 1 teaspoon of the ginger, the salt, and the pumpkin. Cook for another minute until warm.
  4. 4. Add the pear and broth and cook for about 20 minutes, until the pear is easily pierced with a fork. Stir in the remaining 1 teaspoon ginger.
  5. 5. In small batches, purée the soup in a blender or with an immersion blender in the saucepan, until the consistency is smooth and creamy.
  6. 6. Return the soup to the saucepan and add the half-and-half, if desired. Gently heat, but do not boil. Serve hot.

Note: Peeling raw pumpkin is not easy; cooked pumpkin is much simpler (see Cutting and Peeling). A friend of mine who loves pumpkin roasts it and uses it in soup, peel and all. She says it is delicious.

Caribbean Black Bean Pumpkin Soup

Serves 8

A velvety rich, spicy soup that is a meal in itself. Gather friends by the fire on a cold and rainy night with steaming bowls of this soup and crusty bread for a perfect cozy evening.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat for 1 minute. Add the onion and cook for several minutes, stirring, until the onion begins to soften. Add the garlic, cumin, salt, and cayenne and cook, for about 3 minutes, until fragrant and well mixed.
  2. 2. Purée the beans, tomatoes, and chiles in a blender until smooth and creamy. Add the onion mixture to the blender and continue puréeing until incorporated. If necessary, moisten with a little broth.
  3. 3. Return the soup to the pot and add the broth and pumpkin. Taste and season with more salt, cumin, or cayenne to taste. Cook over medium-­low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste again and adjust the seasonings, if desired.
  4. 4. Ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish with the cilantro and sour cream.

Note: Green chiles are quite mild and are available in cans, either whole or chopped. Look for Hatch green chiles from New Mexico. Serrano chiles are hot, though by no means the hottest, and must be purchased fresh. They are small and green and, as with all hot chiles, the heat is centered in the ribs and seeds. Carefully scrape these away for a milder flavor.

Creamy Kale Pumpkin Soup

Serves 6

Kale packs a nutritional wallop that is hard to beat. Pumpkin makes it even better. But the best part of this winter soup is its mild and smooth pumpkin potato flavor, spiked with a bitter hint of kale. Serve with a zesty sourdough bread for a wonderful winter lunch or supper.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Cook the bacon over medium heat in a large Dutch oven until brown and crispy. Remove it from the pot, crumble, and set aside. Pour off all but about 1 teaspoon of the fat.
  2. 2. Heat the oil in the same pan and add the onion. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and the onion starts to caramelize. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer.
  3. 3. Pour 2 cups of the broth into the pan and stir to loosen the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the potatoes, kale, and salt; bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork and the kale is wilted.
  4. 4. Purée the potato mixture with an immersion blender in the pot or in a standing blender. There will be flecks of green from the kale. Be careful not to let hot soup splatter on you. Return the soup to the pot.
  5. 5. Stir the remaining broth and the pumpkin, nutmeg, and pepper into the soup. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if desired. Add the half-and-half and heat through, but do not boil.
  6. 6. Sprinkle each steaming bowl with the reserved bacon and serve.

Southwest Chicken Pumpkin Soup

Serves 6

This colorful soup can be made with leftover cooked chicken and is a great opportunity to use any roasted pumpkin that is stored in your freezer.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Heat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Brush each pumpkin chunk with oil. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the pumpkin is easily pierced with a fork. Cool slightly and peel. Measure out 1 cup and mash. Store the rest in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze it for up to 3 months.
  2. 2. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat for 1 minute. Add the onion and cook for several minutes until it begins to wilt. Add the bell pepper and garlic, and continue cooking and stirring for a few more minutes, until the vegetables soften.
  3. 3. While the vegetables are cooking, mix the chicken in a small bowl with the cumin, salt, pepper flakes, and a few grinds of black pepper.
  4. 4. Add the chicken mixture to the onion mixture and cook for about 5 minutes, until the aromas rise from the pot as the chicken begins to cook. Stir in the pumpkin and tomato paste and cook for several minutes, until well blended. Add the broth and corn, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 5 to 15 minutes, until the chicken is tender and no longer pink.
  5. 5. Season with the lime juice, taste, and add more salt if needed. Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with the cilantro.

Lentil-Pumpkin Soup with Spinach

Serves 8

Our star ingredient perks up this hearty favorite with a touch of color, some smoothness, and a nutritional burst. Serve piping hot with a country loaf and a salad of field greens.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Rinse and pick over the lentils.
  2. 2. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat for 1 minute. Add the celery, onion, carrot, and garlic. Sauté for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to wilt, soften, and caramelize. Stir in the sausage slices and cook, for another 5 minutes, until they begin to brown. Season with the salt, pepper to taste, and thyme.
  3. 3. Place the lentils and broth in the pot, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the lentils are tender.
  4. 4. Cut the tomatoes in half and add them and their juices to the pot along with the pumpkin, sugar, lemon juice, and vinegar. Cook, covered, for about 15 minutes longer, to give the flavors a chance to blend. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Add water if the soup seems too thick.
  5. 5. Just before serving, add the spinach and simmer only until the spinach is wilted but still bright green.

Mushroom-Pumpkin Soup

Serves 6

For mushroom lovers, this deeply satisfying, earthy soup is full of subtle and interesting flavor and textures. With a loaf of crusty bread and a salad of warm, wilted winter greens, you have the perfect cold-weather supper.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Soak the dried mushrooms in a small bowl with the hot water for 15 minutes. Strain, save the liquid, and chop the mushrooms.
  2. 2. Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat until the butter bubbles. Add the prepared dried mushrooms, cremini mushrooms, and shallots, and cook over medium-low heat until the fresh mushrooms give off their liquid and shrink in size, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the sherry, season with the salt and thyme, and continue cooking, about 3 minutes, until the aromas rise from the pan and most of the liquid is gone.
  3. 3. Add enough chicken broth to the reserved mushroom liquid to make 4 cups. Pour about half of this into a blender and add the mushroom mixture. Purée until smooth.
  4. 4. In a large saucepan, combine the puréed mushrooms, remaining broth, and pumpkin. Bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if desired.
  5. 5. Add the cream and gently heat through without boiling. Serve immediately.

Halloween

On All Hallows Eve, the souls of the dead rise from their graves and visit the warmth and comfort of their old homes. Folks in those homes did not welcome the visit and dressed up in costumes to scare away the ghosts. They left treats at the door to appease the ghosts and carved out turnips with faces and lights to remind the spirits of the damned soul. The Irish brought these traditions and superstitions to America in the mid-nineteenth century during the Potato Famine. They found that pumpkins were much more available than turnips, and thus we carve pumpkins and light them up on All Hallows Eve.

Tarragon Pumpkin Soup

Serves 4

A simple, velvety pumpkin soup brightened with tarragon’s light anise flavor is a perfect first course for the fall table. If you can’t get pumpkin, try butternut squash. For a quicker version, use canned unsweetened pumpkin.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, or until soft and lightly browned.
  2. 2. Add the pumpkin, garlic, and salt, and cook for several minutes, until the pumpkin begins to brown. Pour in the broth and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Simmer, partially covered, for 20 to 25 minutes, until the pumpkin is tender.
  3. 3. Use an immersion blender or a standing blender to purée the soup into a thick and creamy mixture. If too thick, add a little more broth. Just before serving, stir in a few grinds of pepper and the tarragon. Serve with a dollop of the sour cream on each bowl of steaming soup, if desired.

Roasted Carrot-Pumpkin Soup with Parsley Cream

Serves 6

Roasting brings out the natural sugars of vegetables and adds another layer of flavor to this velvety soup. Parsley cream provides a tangy counterpoint. Serve with cornbread and buttered green beans for a delightfully colorful meal.

Soup

Parsley Cream

Instructions

  1. 1. Heat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC).
  2. 2. Toss the pumpkin, carrots, and oil together in a large roasting pan. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the carrots and pumpkin are tender when pierced with a fork and lightly browned on the edges. Remove from the oven. When cool enough to handle, peel the pumpkin and cut into 2-inch chunks. Mash the carrots and pumpkin together and season with the salt.
  3. 3. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan. When it bubbles, add the shallots and cook for 2 to 3 minutes over medium heat, until wilted and beginning to brown. Add the ginger and cloves while stirring. Add the broth and stir well.
  4. 4. Add the carrots and pumpkin to the pot. Purée the soup with an immersion blender or a standing blender in batches. Return it to the pot and season with the pepper to taste. Simmer the soup, covered, for about 15 minutes.
  5. 5. While the soup is gently simmering, whisk together the cheese, parsley, and cream in a small bowl. Place a dollop of parsley cream atop each steaming bowl of soup.

Harvest Pumpkin Soup

Serves 8

Leeks, apples, pumpkin, and cider sing of autumn, the time to bring in the harvest and gather together around a steaming tureen of hearty, spicy soup. Feel the warmth and inhale the aromas while tasting the fruits of the land. Enjoy with a hearty loaf of whole-wheat peasant bread.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Microwave the chunks of pumpkin on high for 5 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork. When cool enough to handle, peel and coarsely chop enough to make 4 cups. Store the rest in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
  2. 2. Gently steam the leek, onion, celery root, and apples in a large Dutch oven or soup pot with 1⁄2 cup of the broth until soft, about 10 minutes.
  3. 3. Add the remaining broth and the pumpkin. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Add the ginger, sage, thyme, salt, turmeric, nutmeg, and a few grinds of pepper. Simmer for another 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if desired.
  4. 4. Process about half of the soup in a blender or with an immersion blender. Return the puréed soup to the pot and stir in the cider and yogurt. It should be slightly chunky. Gently heat, but do not boil. Sprinkle each bowl of hot soup with a little cheese, if using.

Note: If you are in a hurry, try substituting one 15-ounce can of unsweetened pumpkin for the fresh pumpkin. The soup will be thicker and less chunky, but equally tasty.

Split Pea Pumpkin Soup

Serves 6

You might wonder what could improve this classic soup. Imagine the lush color and rich texture created by the addition of pumpkin, and you will wonder no more. Enjoy this soup on a raw winter day for a hearty lunch or light supper.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Place the peas, ham hock, water, bay leaves, and celery root in a large Dutch oven or soup pot. Bring to a boil, partially cover, and cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
  2. 2. Heat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Meanwhile, toss the pumpkin, garlic, onion, salt, and thyme with the oil in a roasting pan. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring several times, until the pumpkin is tender and the onion is lightly browned.
  3. 3. Scrape everything into the soup pot and cook, covered, for another 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. 4. Remove and cool the ham hock. Cut bits of meat from it and add them to the soup. Add pepper to taste. If too thick, add a little more water and reheat.

Thai Pumpkin Soup

Serves 4

The wonderful thing about Thai curry is the heat you feel at the back of your throat while enjoying the smooth coconut, ginger, and pumpkin flavors in your mouth. This velvety soup makes a lovely light lunch with crunchy crackers, pita bread, or naan. Thai green curry paste is available in the Asian section of the supermarket, or in Asian or gourmet food stores.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the onion, ginger, and garlic in the butter, about 3 minutes, until the onion is soft.
  2. 2. Place half of the pumpkin, the coconut milk, milk, curry paste, and thyme into a blender. Add the onion mixture and purée until smooth.
  3. 3. Pour the soup back into the pot, add the remaining pumpkin, and continue to cook over medium heat, about 3 minutes, until it is heated through but not boiling.
  4. 4. Season with the lime juice, salt, and pepper to taste. Adjust the seasonings. Serve hot. Scatter a bit of the cilantro on each serving. Add a few chopped peanuts, if using, over each serving.

Roasted Corn Pumpkin Chowder

Serves 8

Corn chowder is a winner, and with pumpkin added you get a fabulous soup. A nice crusty loaf of bread and a salad of butter lettuce go well with this hearty favorite.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Heat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Grease a sheet pan with oil. Rub the chunks of pumpkin with oil and bake for 35 minutes, or until slightly tender. Reduce the oven temperature to 350ºF (177ºC). Add 2 cups of the corn and cook 30 minutes more, stirring occasionally, until the corn is lightly toasted and the pumpkin tender. Cool. Peel the pumpkin and cut into 1⁄2-inch cubes.
  2. 2. Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a Dutch oven until crispy. Drain, crumble, and set aside. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat and cook the onion in the fat for about 5 minutes, until it is wilted. Add the bell pepper and continue cooking for 3 minutes.
  3. 3. Add the potatoes, broth, salt, thyme, and white pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, partially covered, for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
  4. 4. Add the pumpkin to the soup, along with the roasted corn and the remaining frozen corn. Continue cooking for another 10 minutes, until the pumpkin is quite soft.
  5. 5. Add the half-and-half and cook only until heated through. Don’t let it boil.
  6. 6. Serve topped with the cheese and crumbled bacon.

Italian Pumpkin Soup with Crushed Amaretti Cookies

Serves 6

Judy Witts, the “Divina Cucina,” sent me this recipe from Chef Fabio Picchi of the famed Cibreo Restaurant in Florence, Italy. In spring, he makes it with yellow bell peppers; in the fall, with pumpkin. Judy uses it in her cooking classes in Florence. Its straightforward flavor is made charming by the drizzle of olive oil and the small pile of Parmesan and crushed amaretti on top of each steaming bowl. You definitely want to serve this soup with a plain loaf of Tuscan bread or olive bread.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Mix the onion, carrot, and celery together on a large cutting board and chop them some more to make what Italians call “sofritto,” a mix that begins many a soup or stew.
  2. 2. Pour the olive oil into a large pot or Dutch oven and heat over medium-­high heat. Add the sofritto and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring, until the vegetables begin to turn golden brown. Stir in the sage and salt.
  3. 3. Add the pumpkin, potatoes, broth, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and cook, partially covered, for 30 to 45 minutes, until the pumpkin and potatoes are easily pierced with a fork. Remove the bay leaf and purée in batches in a blender or with an immersion blender until silky smooth. Add water if it seems too thick.
  4. 4. In Tuscan style, drizzle a little of the fruity olive oil on each serving, add a spoonful of Parmesan, and sprinkle a crushed cookie on top. Serve with a flourish.

Great American Beer Soup

Serves 6

This unique soup developed by Candy Schermerhorn features the intense flavors of roasted onion, reduced chicken stock, and beer all blended together with pumpkin and sour cream for smoothness and tang. Serve hot with a hearty loaf.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Heat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC).
  2. 2. Roast the unpeeled onion in a roasting pan for about 1 hour, until it’s softened like a baked potato and easily pierced with a fork. Roast the unpeeled garlic with the onion for the last 20 minutes; the nuts for the last 10 minutes. Cool the onion before peeling.
  3. 3. Squeeze the garlic into the bowl of a food processor and add the onion, nuts, salt, allspice, and ginger, and process until fairly smooth. Add some of the stock if needed.
  4. 4. Heat together the stock, beer, and pumpkin in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in the puréed onion mixture and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the sour cream.
  5. 5. Beat the egg and milk together and, stirring constantly, slowly pour into the soup. Gently cook and stir for another 5 to 7 minutes until it just begins to thicken over very low heat, being careful that the soup doesn’t boil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Salads

Pumpkin brightens the color palette of winter salads when tossed with dark green and purple leaves. Crunchy pepitas spark the softer greens and fruits of summer salads. The nutty sweetness of pumpkin seed oil enhances any salad. Add it to your stable of oils to sprinkle over salads along with good-­quality wine vinegars and balsamics.

Salads are a great way to increase the amount of vegetables we eat each day and a wonderful way to use up extra pumpkin. Add some purée to a salad dressing to add body. Scatter roasted pumpkin seeds for added flavor and crunch. Be creative.

Winter Salad with Maple Pumpkin Dressing

Serves 4

This salad of bitter greens sweetened with cranberries and pears and topped with nuts, tangy cheese, and a wonderfully complex dressing is a meal in itself. It also goes perfectly with creamy soups and winter stews.

Maple Pumpkin Dressing

Salad

Instructions

  1. 1. To make the dressing, mix the vinegar, maple syrup, soy sauce, shallots, garlic, mustard, and salt together in a small bowl. Slowly drizzle the olive oil into the bowl, whisking constantly. Do the same with the pumpkin seed oil. This makes about 1 cup. Store leftovers in a glass jar or bottle for several weeks in the refrigerator.
  2. 2. Break the frisée into small pieces and toss with the spinach. Arrange one-quarter of the pear slices on top and scatter the cranberries and pecans over the pears. Dot with bits of goat cheese and drizzle with the dressing. Toss lightly before serving.

Pumpkin Seed Oil

Pumpkin seed oil, cold-pressed from the dark green hulless seeds of a pumpkin that grows only in southeastern Austria, adds a unique aroma and flavor to this salad. The seeds are gently roasted before being ground and pressed, giving the oil its signature aroma of toasted pumpkin with a nutty sweetness. Try drizzling the oil on fish, chicken, or pumpkin soup. If you can’t find it, use olive oil.

Spinach Salad with Bacon and Pepitas

Serves 6

A little tart, a little sweet, some crunch, some smooth — this salad has it all. Served with an omelet, this makes a lovely lunch or light supper.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Heat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC).
  2. 2. Cook the bacon in a medium skillet until crisp. Drain on paper towels, crumble, and set aside. Pour out all the bacon grease and wipe out the skillet with a paper towel.
  3. 3. Mix the onion, garlic, and salt with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Roast on a baking sheet in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the onion and garlic are soft and lightly caramelized. Stir a few times while cooking. Season with a few grinds of pepper.
  4. 4. Mix the spinach and apples in a large bowl. Drizzle the vinegar and apple juice over the bowl and toss.
  5. 5. Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons oil in the medium skillet over medium heat. Add the pepitas and toast for 2 to 3 minutes, until they start popping and turn light brown.
  6. 6. When the onion mixture is done, mix with the spinach and apples. Pour the hot oil and toasted pepitas over the salad and toss everything together. The spinach will wilt a bit. Scatter the bacon and cheese on top, add a grinding of pepper, and serve immediately.

Red Cabbage and Maple-Roasted Delicata Salad

Serves 6

This salad presents a rich painter’s palette, with deeply purple cabbage providing the background for splashes of orange squash brightened with flecks of creamy white goat cheese. For color and zesty flavor, it is the perfect accompaniment to roast pork or chicken. Add crisp roasted potatoes to make a complete harvest meal.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Heat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Brush the inside and outside of each squash circle with oil. Rub the maple syrup on the insides of each piece. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork.
  2. 2. Cool slightly.
  3. 3. Cook the bacon until crisp in a large nonstick skillet. Pour off all but 1 teaspoon of the fat and add the oil to the skillet.
  4. 4. Cook the cabbage in the oil over medium heat for about 3 minutes, until limp. Add the vinegar and stir for a few seconds. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley and salt. Mix in the apple.
  5. 5. Set out six plates and arrange equal portions of the cabbage mixture and a delicata circle on each plate. Top with the cheese and the pecans. Season with pepper to taste and an additional sprinkle of balsamic vinegar. Serve at room temperature.

Composed Cannellini Bean and Chicken Salad with Pumpkin Dressing

Serves 4

Cannellini beans and sage are an Italian classic that comforts the soul whether served hot or cold. Add chicken and a richly flavored dressing and serve this salad at room temperature for a delightful light supper.

Ingredients

Garnish

Pumpkin Dressing

Instructions

  1. 1. Heat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC).
  2. 2. Rub the chicken breast with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil. Cut the breast in half and place both pieces in a low baking dish in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and no longer pink inside. When cool, cut into 1⁄2-inch chunks.
  3. 3. While the chicken is cooking, make the garnish: place pumpkin seeds in a baking pan with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil and the sea salt and roast for 3 minutes, or until the seeds start popping.
  4. 4. Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the beans, sage, salt, and pepper to taste and cook for 5 minutes to blend the flavors. Cool, and stir in the onion.
  5. 5. Divide the spinach among 6 salad plates and spoon some of the bean mixture on top of each mound. Top with the chicken chunks.
  6. 6. To make dressing, whisk together the pumpkin, vinegar, and salt. Drizzle in the oils slowly, continuing to whisk.
  7. 7. Drizzle dressing over each salad and scatter some pepitas and sprinkle a pinch of salt on top.

Sliced Greens with Purple Pepper and Orange

Serves 4

A vision of purple, chartreuse, and orange topped with bits of white, this salad pleases many senses. Purple peppers have a crisp sharpness that is softened by the sweetness of the orange and the tang of the feta. Their deeply purple outside and brilliant chartreuse inside make a spectacular contrast in the salad. You will find them at farmers’ markets and gourmet shops. In this recipe, you can be as flexible about the quantities as you wish.

Ingredients

Dressing

Instructions

  1. 1. Place several crunchy romaine leaves on four salad plates and cut crosswise. Lay a sprig of watercress on top.
  2. 2. Arrange equal portions of the pepper slices on each plate and top with equal portions of the orange sections. Crumble 1 tablespoon of the feta on each plate.
  3. 3. Place the pepitas, oil, and sea salt in a toaster oven set at 300ºF (150ºC). Toast for 3 minutes, or until the pumpkin seeds pop.
  4. 4. For the dressing, drizzle 1 tablespoon vinegar and then 1 tablespoon olive oil over each salad. Scatter a few pepitas over each plate and enjoy the different flavors and textures.

Roasted Potato Pumpkin Salad

Serves 6

How many different potato salads have you eaten lately? This one combines tradition with innovation. The pumpkin’s role is to add color and a depth of flavor to the bright combo of potatoes, bacon, parsley, red onion, celery, and tangy dressing. I love warm, freshly made potato salad, and that is how I recommend serving this. I always marinate the hot potatoes in vinegar. For this recipe, I have found that russet potatoes take up the sharp taste better than the waxy new potatoes I use in other potato salads.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Heat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC).
  2. 2. Spread the oil on a jelly-roll pan. Spread the potatoes and pumpkin on the pan and roll them around to coat with the oil. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork.
  3. 3. While still hot, place the potatoes and pumpkin chunks in a medium bowl and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the vinegar, a few grinds of pepper, and the salt. Let sit for 20 minutes.
  4. 4. Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a skillet until browned and crispy. Drain on paper towels, crumble, and set aside.
  5. 5. Mix together the mayonnaise, sour cream, the remaining vinegar, mustard, sugar, and salt to taste in a small bowl and pour over the warm potatoes. Sprinkle the celery root, onion, parsley, and bacon over the salad and gently stir until everything is mixed together. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Spring Spinach and Strawberry Salad with Pepitas

Serves 4

This sprightly salad is my springtime favorite with its tasty mix of flavors and textures, fresh crisp spinach leaves, sweet strawberries, creamy avocado, crunchy pepitas, and tangy cheese. It can accommodate other seasonal ingredients, but these are the ones I like best. For a more formal presentation, compose this salad in the same way on individual plates, and serve as a separate course.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Place the spinach in a large salad bowl. Arrange the strawberries on top. Scatter the avocado, onion, and cheese over the strawberries.
  2. 2. Place the pepitas on the tray of a toaster oven set at 300ºF (150ºC). Toast for 2 to 3 minutes, or until they pop. Cool slightly and add to the salad.
  3. 3. Drizzle with the oil and vinegar, and top with a few grinds of pepper. Toss the salad as you serve it.

Tip: I always wash spinach and lettuce, even if it comes in a package that says it is washed. Spin it and dry it. Wrap it in paper towels, place all in a plastic bag, and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. If farmers’ markets are available to you, substitute a mix of fresh tender greens for the spinach.

Autumn Toasted Couscous Salad

Serves 6

Israeli couscous, a larger version of Moroccan couscous, is the size of peppercorns, has a nutty flavor, and is ideal for salads. Toasting the couscous deepens its flavor and enhances this savory and colorful mix of pumpkin, fennel, and cranberries, brightened with specks of parsley.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Microwave the chunks of pumpkin on high for 5 minutes, or until almost tender.
  2. 2. When cool enough to handle, peel the pumpkin, and coarsely chop enough to make 2 cups. Store the remainder in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
  3. 3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the couscous and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the couscous browns a bit. Add the apple juice, reduce the heat, and simmer, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed and the couscous is almost tender, stirring occasionally. Add the pumpkin and cook for 1 to 2 minutes longer, stirring to blend the flavors and color.
  4. 4. Transfer the couscous to a large bowl, sprinkle with the salt, and cool slightly. Toss with the parsley, cranberries, fennel, and onion. Stir in the grapeseed oil and vinegar. Season with a few grinds of pepper. Taste and add more salt, if desired. Serve at room temperature.