Potage épicé de potiron avec la sauge, les graines rôties et le Pancetta

8 cups fresh pumpkin
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
1/4 tsp chilli powder
5 thin slices pancetta or Canadian bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
handful fresh sage
handful of chives
11 ounces toasted almond slices
1 onion, finely chopped
2 12oz cans chicken stock
1.5 cups fat free cream
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
salt & pepper to taste
Extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut cap off top of pumpkin, remove the seeds (reserving these for later - toasted for garnish), then using large spoon, scrape interior rind of pumpkin. Using your pestle and mortar, bash up the coriander with the chili powder, nice and fine, and sprinkle with and ground ginger, nutmeg over the squash. Drizzle with a little olive oil and roast in preheated oven until nice and soft (about 30 minutes).

Heat a little oil in a large pan and fry the pancetta (or Canadian bacon) with half the sage leaves. Add the almonds and the onion and fry gently for about 15 minutes. By this time the pumpkin will be ready. Spoon the pumpkin out into the pan. Cover with the stock and cream, add cinnamon stick and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer for 15 minutes. Remove half the mixture and blend until smooth, then pour back into the pan.

Take the rest of the sage leaves, chives and the reserved pumpkin seeds and saute them in a little oil until crisp. To serve soup, sprinkle with a little of the crisp sage and seeds, and finish with a good drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Enjoy!

Right near the time when the leaves started falling, the air began to be cool, crisp, the autumn "Indian Summer" time was settling in. My favorite time of year - I was talking with my mother about lamb. Unbeknownst to why this topic came up - possibly because I don't remember really ever having it as a kid growing up. She told me that she tried to cook it once or twice, but we as kids never liked it - cried when we found out it was a baby animal. I laughed. Heck, I've had lamb many times, both in restaurants, and cooked it. But very rare. So i took it as a challenge to my mother to make a leg of lamb. Much to my surprise - she was up to the challenge, the sport she is. She not only got the lamb, but researched, and spent a number of tedious hours roasting it. And the result was spectacular. Here's a loosely re-interpreted recipe I gathered from that experience:

1 boneless short leg of lamb, rolled & tied (about 4 lbs.)
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped
1 cup grape jelly (or marmalade)
3 large cloves garlic, sliced
Salt & Pepper
2 tsps fresh basil finely chopped
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

Make tiny slits in lamb with paring knife, insert garlic slices. Place lamb in marinade of rosemary, jelly, lime juice, red wine, vinegar, and basil. Marinade for a few hours. Just prior to cooking, preheat oven to 475°F. Remove lamb from marinade, season with salt and pepper, and place in a roasting pan and cook uncovered for 10 minutes at 475°F. Baste with drippings and left over marinade. Reduce heat to 400°F and continue cooking and basting for another 40 minutes or until the roast reaches an internal temperature between 140°F - 150°F depending how you like it.

1.5 lbs roasted lamb*, shaved in thin strips
1 cup homemade hummus**
2 shallots, minced
small handful of fresh basil leaves, loosely chopped
small handful of fresh cilantro, loosely chopped
2 tomatoes, sliced thin, julienne
1/2 lb crumbled feta cheese
soft 12" wide flour tortillas
ground black pepper (to taste)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Oil shallow casserole baking dish. Lay out one flour tortilla, spread a 2 inch wide thin line of hummus lengthwise in middle of tortilla. On top of the hummus, sprinkle 1/4 of the shallots (this recipe is for 4 wraps), 1/4 of basil, cilantro, tomatoes, feta cheese, and lay down 1/4 of the sliced roasted lamb, salt and pepper. Then fold the two sides of the tortilla over top like an envelope, place in dish, fold side down. Repeat for all 4 wraps. Bake for 15 minutes.

Two 16 oz cans Chick Peas, drained
1 cup Tahini
3 tbsp fresh Lemon Juice
3 Large Cloves Garlic, minced
1 cup Olive Oil
1 cup Fresh Chopped Parsley or Cilantro
Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper to taste

Tahini is (sesame seed paste) is available in Middle Eastern Food Shops and many of the larger supermarkets featuring Ethnic Foods. Combine all ingredients, in blender or food processor container. Blend to a smooth, creamy paste. Taste and add more lemon juice or salt to suit your taste. It should be the creamy consistency of mashed potatoes. Thin with water or more olive oil if necessary. Garnish with lemon wedges, paprika, and parsley - serve with toasted pita bread, fresh vegetables as a dip, or use as a spread in sandwich wraps.

1 large bunch of Broccoli-rabi, washed, loosely chopped
2 tbsp Olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, minced
small handful of fresh basil leaves, loosely chopped
tiny handful of fresh cilantro, loosely chopped
1 shallot, minced
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup sweet white wine
2 tbsp butter or margarine
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup Red wine Vinegar

In medium saucepan on medium/high heat, add olive oil. Heat until oil ripples, add garlic, shallots - saute until semi-transparent. Add white wine, basil, cilantro, butter and salt - stir for one minute. Add broccoli-rabi and lemon juice. Stir quickly for 3 minutes, turn heat down, cover and simmer for 3 minutes. Before serving, stir in red wine vinegar and cracked pepper.