Feasting on Art

Liz from the beautiful blog Zested was one of my first ‘regulars’ here on Feasting on Art and she replied to my open call for still life suggest. Cotán’s Still Life with Quince, Cabbage, Melon and Cucumber was given the recipe treatment and lucky for me, Liz saved a doozy of a suggestion for our collaboration! I frequent her site for not only tantalizing flavour combinations – Frozen Citrus Cream with Candied Thyme & White Chocolate Grapes with Orange Curd – but diligently composed and lit photographs. My mouth waters every time I look at her caramelized tomato tart and I cannot even begin to wax poetic about her Mexican Hot Chocolate! Thank you for such an exciting collaboration Liz!

Be sure to visit Liz’s blog for the recipe for Scarlet Poached Pears and Ginger Pumpkin Bread.

Louis Comfort Tiffany, Pumpkin and Beets window, c.1899-1900
Leaded Favrile glass, 114 x 142.9 cm, The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art

Louis Comfort Tiffany was originally trained as a painter before pursuing the art of glassmaking in the late nineteenth century. He is linked with the Art Nouveau movement which embodies floral motifs with flowing and stylized curves (1). Tiffany preferred to work with glass that contained mineral impurities and often composed his decorative arts with a variety of colours and textures of opalescent glass. The natural jewel-like hues of pumpkin and beetroot are a fitting subject for an art work focused on saturated colour and light. Tiffany’s painterly background is evident with tonal variation used to denote the shape and the form of the organic shapes of the vegetables and the foliage.

As a staple dessert at any Thanksgiving Day celebration, Pumpkin Pie is firmly rooted in autumnal tradition. The New York Times recounts the pie’s history,

“First introduced to Tudor England by the French, the flesh of the “pompion” was quickly accepted as a pie filler. However, while pumpkin pie sailed with the Pilgrims back to the birthplace of its main ingredient — where it survived in more or less its original form — it all but disappeared in its country of origin.” (2)

Traditionally spiced with ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg, my addition of chipotle chili gives the pie a savory bend and an additional dimension of smoky heat. Although Pumpkin Pie is generally more palatable for Americans, all of the Australians I tested this recipe on gobbled it up in an instant (and yes I chose the verb gobble to reference the other Thanksgiving staple – Turkey!)

{Pumpkin Chipotle Tartelette with Beetroot Jam & Chevre}

1 kilogram pumpkin
3 TB maple syrup
1 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp dried chipotle chili
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp butter
pinch of salt
2 TB buttermilk
2 eggs

frozen shortcrust pastry
beetroot jam
chevre

De-seed the pumpkin and cut it into cubes (about half the size of your thumb). Place on greased baking tray and drizzle with the maple syrup. Toss with your hands to evenly coat the pumpkin and bake in a 180C oven for about 40 minutes until soft.

Puree the baked pumpkin in a large bowl with a hand blender. Add the butter, brown sugar, chipotle, cinnamon, and salt. Mix well. Meanwhile butter the tatelette trays (or muffin tins) and line them with the shortcrust pastry. Once the pumpkin puree has cooled add the two eggs and buttermilk and mix well. Fill the pastry bases and slide into the 180C oven for about 40 minutes. Carefully watch the tartelettes to keep them from burning.

Top the tartelettes with a spoon of beetroot jam and chevre.

**A special thanks to my friend and colleague Lindsay for helping me develop this recipe!

{Beetroot Jam}

2 beetroots, grated
1 red onion, finely sliced
1 dried chili
1 tsp thyme
1 TB butter
1 TB olive oil
1 TB brown sugar
2 TB balsamic vinegar

Heat the butter and the oil in a large pot and sweat the red onion. Once soft add the beetroot, thyme, and dried chili and cook for 1 hour. With 20 minutes remaining add the sugar and vinegar and continue to stir to keep the jam from burning. If the jam becomes too thick then add a bit of water to loosen it.

This is the second recipe in a four part series for a smoky & spicy Thanksgiving. If you enjoyed this recipe please vote for it at the Bon Appetit Blog Envy Bake-Off (it is on the 4th page of entries in the pie category.)