Monday Night Dinner

Last night I made pumpkin soup and decided to serve it with some home-made damper. It was my first attempt at making damper away from a camp fire but I’m pretty happy with the outcome!

The pumpkin soup recipe is a favourite of ours which I’ve adapted from the 4 Ingredients cook book. The soup is particularly tasty due to the addition of red curry paste. Mmm-mm!

 

Thai Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients:

1 onion, diced

2 medium sized potatoes, diced

1kg (approx) butternut pumpkin, peeled and diced

2 tbs. red curry paste

375ml can of coconut milk (I use 95% fat free evaporated milk with a few drops of coconut flavouring)

Method:
Fry off onions. Add potato, pumpkin and red curry paste. Sauté until it starts to catch on the saucepan. Add coconut milk to deglaze the pan, top with enough water to just cover the vegetables and bring to boil. Reduce heat simmering until the pumpkin becomes soft and mushy. Puree, season with sea salt and pepper. Serve and enjoy!

(I added a sprinkling of paprika and a little coriander for presentation) 

The recipe I basically followed to make the damper appears on www.taste.com, but I have noted down the actual ingredients I used.

Herb & Cheese Damper

Ingredients:

2 cups wholemeal self-raising flour

60g butter, softened

½* cup grated tasty cheese

3tsp* dry oregano

2 spring onions, chopped

1tbs* chopped chives

3/4 cup (185ml) milk, plus extra to glaze

1 tbs* parmesan

*measurements are approximate

Method

1.     Preheat oven to 180°C.

2.     Sift the flour into a large bowl with 1 teaspoon of salt. Rub in butter until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs, then stir in tasty cheese, oregano, spring onions and chives.

3.     In a separate bowl, combine milk with 1/4 cup (60ml) water. Make a well in the centre of flour and stir in three-quarters of the milk mixture. Add what is needed of the remaining liquid a little at a time until mixture just comes together. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently for 1 minute.

4.     Shape into a round loaf and place on a greased baking tray. Brush top with milk. Bake for 40 minutes or until loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Sprinkle with parmesan  and serve warm.