French recipe for a silky and smooth Pumpkin Soup with two main ingredients. Healthy, colorful, and easy to make. If you have a blender, you have to try this recipe as soon as pumpkins are in season.
To impress your guests, serve this soup in individual pumpkins.
Pumpkin Soup
Ingredients
- 2 leeks (white part only)
- 1 medium pie pumpkin or sugar pumpkin (about 1.5 kg)
- 4 Tbsp olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Some heavy whipping cream or sour cream (optional)
- Some fresh herbs (cilantro, green onion, parsley) to garnish
Instructions
- Wash and chop the leeks.
- Wash the pumpkin and cut it in half horizontally. Scrape the inside of the pumpkin clean with the spoon or ice cream scoop (you can use the seeds for another recipe).
- Peel and cut into regular cubes.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Cook and stir leeks until they are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add pumpkin cubes and cook for 5-7 more minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Transfer the veggies into a large pot. Add just enough water to cover them, and bring to a boil. Add salt and pepper. Simmer about 15 minutes until the pumpkin is cooked.
- Puree the soup with an immersion blender or in a food processor. Add a little more boiling water if the soup is too thick. Taste for flavor, and feel free to add more salt or pepper.
- Serve hot, with sour or heavy whipping cream and fresh herbs.
For a special presentation:
- Cut off the top of a small pumpkin and scrape the inside.
- Before adding the soup, heat the pumpkin for few minutes in the oven, then add the hot soup and serve immediately.
Boursin™ Stuffed Mushrooms
Tasty and very easy recipe with only 2 main ingredients that you can find in every store: mushrooms and Boursin.
Boursin Stuffed Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 30 small mushrooms (Cremini or Button Mushrooms)
- 1 block Boursin™ Garlic & Fine Herbs Cheese
- freshly ground black pepper
- Some fresh herbs (cilantro, green onion, parsley) finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° F.
- Wash and dry mushrooms. Remove stems. (You can use them for another recipe),
- Place mushroom caps on a baking sheet. Season with pepper. Fill each mushroom’s hole with 1-2 tsps of Boursin™.
- Bake about 25 minutes until mushrooms are golden and cooked through.
- Sprinkle the baked mushrooms with fresh herbs and they’re ready to be served!
Green Mango Salad (Кalawang)
Green and unripe mangoes can be eaten, and are often delicious. For example, this salad with shredded green mangoes is very popular in French Guyana, and if you like spicy food, you will love this salad! Serve cold, as an appetizer or as a side dish with fish, shrimp, or meat. For a pretty presentation, I serve the Kalawang in individual plates with shrimps.
Green Mango Salade (Кalawang)
Ingredients
- 2 green mangoes (unripe)
- 1/2 onion peeled and finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and pressed
- 1/2 chili pepper seeded and finely chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 3 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon (or lime) juice
- 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
- Some fresh herbs (cilantro, green onion, parsley)
- 24 prawns (or shrimps) cooked and peeled
Instructions
- Peel the mangoes with a peeling knife. Shred the pulp and discard the pit.
- In the salad bowl, toss the mangoes, onion, salt and pepper. Drizzle with lemon juice and oil. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in a refrigerator for 2-3 hours.
- When ready to serve, transfer the salad on to the serving plates, embellish with fresh herbs, and prawns.