FOOD & DRINK FEATURE ALL HALLOWS’ EATS
Two of Charlotte’s finest share exclusive BY CHEF JOYA & CHEF ALYSSA pumpkin recipes INFO@QCNERVE.COM Besides pie, when you think of consuming pumpkin, you most likely think of beers and lattes. Here’s the thing, though: Pumpkin spice isn’t pumpkin, it’s an artificial flavoring. We wanted to know some new ways to make use of all those pumpkin guts after carving our jack-o-lanterns, so we reached out to two of the best chefs to see what ideas they’ve got. CHEF ALYSSA’S PUMPKIN RISOTTO WITH SAGE OIL.
PHOTO BY ALYSSA WILEN
Alyssa Wilen cooked for her entire life leading up to 2013, when she launched Chef Alyssa’s Kitchen with her husband Andrew. CAK has won multiple awards and recently moved into a custom-made, state-of-the-art kitchen in South End where they serve patrons and host classes. In 2020, Alyssa and her team pivoted with a home-delivery service, continuing to serve their loyal fanbase despite a pandemic. Chef Alyssa’s pumpkin risotto with sage oil is a simple but classy dish that will impress whomever you serve.
Spread onto a lined sheet tray and roast in the center of the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until very tender. What you need: 4. When ready, transfer half into a bowl • 1 pound pumpkin such as a butterkin or and mash with a fork or pastry cutter sugar baby and set aside. • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil 5. In a 4-quart saucepan, heat the stock/ • 2 quarts chicken or vegetable stock (or water so it is nearby and ready as you water) need it. • ½ yellow onion, finely diced 6. In a separate heavy, wide 4- to 6-quart • 1 ½ cups Anson Mills Vialone Nano Risotto pot, heat the remaining olive oil over PHOTO BY KRISTEN STEGALL CHEF JOYA WITH HER VEGAN PUMPKIN EMPANADAS. Rice (or Arborio) medium heat. Add the onions and cook • 1 cup dry white wine Adjoa Courtney, known professionally as Chef Joya, rose to popularity with them until translucent, stirring with a • 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter her web series Cooking With Joya. The longtime vegan chef has since released four wooden spoon for about 2 minutes. • ½ cup (about 2 ounces) freshly grated cookbooks, including It’s Soul Mahmazing! Vol. 1 and From My Ancestor’s Table. Season with salt. • Parmesan cheese Her vegan pumpkin empanadas are a perfect snack for Halloween get-togethers. 7. Add the rice and cook, stirring • Salt and white pepper to taste frequently, until the edges of the grains • Sage oil (recipe follows) Vegan Pumpkin Empanadas are transparent, about 2 minutes. Sage oil 8. Add the wine, stirring frequently, until • ½ cup fresh sage leaves What you need: the wine is absorbed by the rice. Do not • ½ cup + 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil • 10 Empanada premade dough discs with What to do: let the rice dry out; about 2 minutes. 1. Add grapeseed oil to a saucepan. Add • 1 tsp honey annatto (thawed) 9. Add about 2 cups of the warm broth, vegan ground meat, vegan Worcestershire • 1 lemon • 12 oz. of vegan ground meat stirring throughout the time it cooks, and Red House seasoning. Puree the sage, oil, lemon juice, honey and salt • 3 tablespoons of green sofrito (make your until most of the liquid is absorbed; 6 to 2. Cook for two minutes. Add sazon, sofrito together in a blender until smooth. own with recipe in From My Ancestors’ 8 minutes. and pumpkin purée. Cook for two Line a mesh strainer basket with cheesecloth Table: African & Caribbean Vegan Food For 10. Continue to add more broth to cover the minutes. over a bowl. Pour the oil into the basket and leave in The Soul) rice as it gets absorbed, but before the 3. Heat oil to 350 degrees. the refrigerator to slowly drain. • 1 tbsp. of grapeseed oil rice gets too dry, until it is tender. 4. Add 1-2 tablespoons of the meat mixture • 3 tbsps. of pumpkin purée 11. Your risotto is done when the grains are and 1 tablespoon of cheese to half of the What to do: • 1 packet of sazon cooked through and “al dente.” dough disc. Wet the edges with water and 1. Set oven to 400 degrees. • 1 tbsp. of Chef Joya’s Red House Seasoning 12. Stir in the mashed and diced roasted fold over. Seal with a fork. Add to oil and 2. Peel and dice the pumpkin to medium • 1 tbsp of vegan Worcestershire sauce pumpkin, butter, cheese and adjust fry for 1 min. (¼”) pieces. Place in a bowl and toss with • 4 oz. of vegan mozzarella seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. 5. Drain on a paper towel and enjoy. half the olive oil (2 tbsp.) and some salt. • 2 cups of oil for frying 13. Serve with sage oil spooned over top.
Pg. 16 OCT 20 - NOV 2, 2021 - QCNERVE.COM
Pumpkin risotto with sage oil
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