Saturday, June 19

Pumpkin and Apple Soup

Before you go eugh, listen up! This recipe is from a very good book (only in Estonian) called "Looduslik toit. Täisväärtuslik elu" by Marika Blossfeldt who also runs Polli talu. Over the time I have tried several recipes from this book and today you will learn more about this soup that I was a bit sceptical about at first, took some trouble to make it, but was absolutely worth the time and effort.

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This book is not just about healthy recipes it talks about healthy lifestyle, how to be mentally and physically healthy. Marika talks about food and moods, what causes different cravings, the art of eating as well as how to approach our professional life and relationships. I liked her thought that it is important to develop relationships in life that nurture and leave aside the ones that tire us out.

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The recipe in English as follows:

0,5 kg pumpkin, remove seeds, cut into big pieces

1 liter of water

3 leeks (I had just one and it was fine), chop into small pieces

3 celery stalks, chop into pieces

2 tbls olive oil

3 apples, remove seeds and core, chop into pieces

240 ml apple juice (was too lazy to make fresh juice, so I didn't use it at all, just plain water)

1 tsp fresh ginger

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp cround nutmeg

salt and pepper to taste

Put the pumpkin pieces in steamer with about 500 ml water and steam around 20 minutes. Keep the water from steaming. Remove pumpkin flesh from pumpkin peel with spoon and set aside.

Fry the leeks and celery in olive oil around 5 minutes, then add apples, liquid (juice or water), spices, ginger and bring it to boil. Lessen heat to minimum and give it around 10 minutes of cooking.

Then mix everything together and puree the vegetables. Add some of the pumpkin water if it is too thick. Do not forget salt and pepper.

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It really tastes a lot better than it may look and great if you want to finish your day with something fresh and light.

Good food requires music with good vibe like Omar "Something Real" (the sound quality in this video is average, but you will get the point)

3 comments:

valjok said...

How do you get the exotic seasoning in Estonia, the cumin? Thanks.

Merle said...

Have a look around Stockmann, Kaubamaja Food Department and Piprapood, which is located not far from Stockmann. The choice isn't massive, but you find the bare essentials. ;)

valjok said...

Have got it, thanks. Cooked the Uzbek "pilaf", I have realized that it is identical to the Estonian "mulgi kapsad" -- just replace the lamb meat by pig, carrot by cabbage and rice by pearl barley! The taste and recipe are the same.