To Russia With Love @TheTableSet

Warm the oil in a 4-qt saucepan set over medium heat.

Add the minced onion and garlic. Cook, stirring often until softened; 6-8 minutes.

Add the coriander, tomato paste, red pepper flakes, prunes and a couple pinches of salt. Cook, stirring often until caramelized; 2-3 minutes. Lower the heat and add the vinegar and tomatoes. Simmer, stirring often until thick; 20 to 30 minutes. Adjust seasoning and/or consistency with salt and vinegar.Like this:Like Loading...

Place the oven rack in the center position and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut the pumpkin in half. Scrape out the seeds and fibers; set them aside. Rub the cut surface of the pumpkin with about 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Place it, cut side down, on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast the pumpkin in the heated oven until very tender, and beginning to collapse upon itself; about 50 minutes. Set aside to cool somewhat.Meanwhile, rinse the pumpkin seeds removing as much of the pulp and fibers as possible. Dry well between layers of paper towel.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat.

Add pumpkin seeds; cook, stirring frequently, until seeds begin to brown and pop, 3 to 4 minutes.

Remove from heat; cool and drain seeds on paper towels. Season with salt and cayenne pepper. This recipe makes more than you need as garnish for this recipe. The extra seeds may be covered and stored in the refrigerator up to seven days.Tie the cinnamon sticks, star anise pods, anise seeds, crushed red pepper, bay leaves and ginger into a double layer of cheese cloth or other thin clean cotton cloth to make a sachet. Set aside.In a large heavy bottomed or cast iron soup pot set over medium-high heat, warm the remaining 2 tablespoons oil.

Add the onion, and cook, stirring often, until translucent; about 5 minutes.

Add the vegetable stock and sachet, bring to a boil, and reduce the heat to a simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Scrape the cooled squash from the skins, adding it to the pot. Simmer, stirring occasionally 10 more minutes.

Remove the sachet from the soup and season it with 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon white pepper. Use an immersion blender to purée the soup until very smooth. Season with more salt and white pepper if needed. Bring the soup back to a gentle simmer. Divide the soup into 8 soup bowls.

Garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds.

Serve immediately.Like this:Like Loading...

In a sturdy, thick-bottomed pint glass from a Boston shaker, use a bar muddler to lightly crush the grapes until they burst.

Add the Pisco, Riesling, lemon juice and simple syrup to the mixture; stir lightly to combine and to remove the syrup from the spoon.

Place the ice cubes into the metal part of the Boston shaker.

Pour the muddled Pisco mixture (including pulp) over the ice. Cap the shaker with the pint glass. Shake vigorously until well chilled, about 20 seconds.

Pour all the ingredients, including the ice, into an old fashioned glass. Top with a splash club soda.Like this:Like Loading...