October 2006 - TravelOregon.com Recipe of the Month

This month's recipe comes from the hit public television show "Caprial and John's Kitchen: Cooking for Family and Friends," which is back for a third season filled with turning Oregon's incredible bounty into mouthwatering, easy-to-prepare dishes.

For the cooking show, John and Caprial Pence, the Portland-based husband and wife chef duo, venture from the kitchen to Oregon's farms, orchards, fishing docks, herb gardens and -- yes -- pumpkin patches to cook up recipes entire families can prepare together.

Here is a sneak-peek at the Pumpkin Soup with Five Spice recipe that will air later this month. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Soup with Five Spice (serves 6)

- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
- 1 cup sherry
- 1 cup mirin cooking wine
- 4 cups roast pumpkin
- 6 cups of chicken or vegetable stock
- Salt and black pepper
- 2/3 cup crème fraiche

To prepare the soup, heat the olive oil until very hot. Add the onion and cook until it starts to brown, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, curry and ginger, sauté for about 1-2 minutes. Add the sherry and mirin wine and cook until about 1/2 of liquid remains about 6-8 minutes. Add the pumpkin and the stock and bring to a boil. Puree with a hand blender and simmer for about 20 minutes. Serve warm garnished with crème fraiche.

Featured in Episode #315, Pumpkin Patch Dinner, airing on OPB TV Sunday, October 15, 2006 at 5:30 PM and Saturday, October 21, 2006 at 2:30 PM (for airdates in your city, check local listings)