For Your Thanksgiving Feast: Fresh Pumpkin Cheesecake & Roasted Fall Vegetables

alright folks, this is the time to get down and dirty in the kitchen.  dishes piling up in the sink and on the counter, one of the many courses baking, broiling, roasting and simmering.  the near-palpable smells of Thanksgiving filling the hallways throughout the house – onions, carrots, sage, pumpkin, sweet cranberries – and maybe some unfamiliar ones as new favorites are added to the annual feast. 

thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays – I look forward to it for months, thinking about my favorite pistachio-mint-pomegranate stuffing, the big turkey, the many sides from which to chose.  this is a particularly special thanksgiving for me because it’s my first one as a chef – or at least a line cook – so my head is buzzing with menus showing off this years' autumnal bounty!  my goal this year: to make my pumpkin pie from fresh pumpkins, and instead of a pie to try a pumpkin cheesecake.  use the recipe below to satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth & mandatory pumpkin flavored dessert, but with twist.  (this recipe does not take as much time as it seems at first glance.  it’s fun to work with the real food rather than a can, and your guests will think you’re a true culinarian..try it out!)

and if you haven’t been to the farmer’s market yet, get down there and check out all the fall/early winter foods overflowing at each stand.  pick up some fresh vegetables to roast for your thanksgiving table – the ones in the recipe below are my suggestions but you can pick your own.  but definitely try out the Jerusalem artichoke – you will be happy you did!

*If you don’t have a Cuisinart to crush the graham crackers for the cheesecake, simply place them in a clean kitchen towel and roll over them with a rolling pin.

Fresh Pumpkin Cheesecake

 Crust:

2 cups crumbled graham crackers or butter biscuits

¼ cup turbinado (raw cane sugar, or light brown sugar)

½ cup unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

1 small sugar pumpkin, enough to yield 1 ½ cups of flesh after draining

3 packages cream cheese

3 large eggs

¼  cup packed light brown sugar

½ cup sugar

1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon

½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg           

½ teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon cardamom

½ teaspoon lemon zest

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

¼ cup heavy cream

 

cheesecloth

 

For Pumpkin Puree:

1.              Clean the outside of the pumpkin with water. 

2.              Using a large serrated knife, cut pumpkin in half lengthwise and pull out all of the seeds (I like to save them for roasting).  Scoop out the dangly innards and throw away.  Cut each piece in half again, lengthwise.

3.              Using either a double steamer or a steamer basket with a large pot, fill with water until just above the steam holes.  Bring to a boil and add pumpkin, turning heat down to simmer. 

4.              Steam pumpkin for 30 minutes or until thoroughly soft – make sure to check that your water doesn’t completely evaporate and add more as needed, each time bringing back up to a boil and then down to a simmer. 

5.              Once pumpkin is done, remove from pot and place on cutting board. Scoop out the flesh and place in a bowl.  Using a hand/immersion blender, a regular blender, or hand mixer, blend pumpkin until completely pureed.

6.              Place a large piece of cheesecloth in a colander in the sink,transfer pureed pumpkin 

to cheesecloth. Bring all of the ends of the cheesecloth together and squeeze out excess moisture from the pumpkin.  Keeping the ends of the cheesecloth twisted so no puree leaks out, place something heavy over the puree (like a pot) and allow to drain for at least 20 minutes. 

For Crust & Filling:

1.  Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter until a crumb mixture forms, then press onto the bottom of a 9” – 9.5” springform pan.  Bake crust until golden, 8 - 10 minutes, and allow crust to cool.

2.  Beat cream cheese until smooth in a KitchenAid mixer or with a hand mixer.  Add sugars and mix well.  Add eggs one at a time.  Add pumpkin, seasonings, vanilla, and cream, and beat on medium speed to quickly incorporate all ingredients. 

3.  Pour filling over cooled crust.  Bake at 350° for 50-60 minutes.  The cake is done when you shake it and it stays mostly still but the middle still wobbles a bit.  Allow to cool completely.

4.  Refrigerate for several hours or overnight to allow flavors to develop.

 

* * * *

Roasted Fall Vegetables

 

2 medium Jerusalem artichokes/sunchokes

10 small potatoes

6-8 small carrots, greens attached

1 sweet potato

2 cups brussel sprouts

2 tablespoons EVOO + ½ tablespoon EVOO

1 teaspoon salt + ½ teaspoon salt

3 large sprigs rosemary

Fresh cracked pepper

2 large cloves garlic, skin on

2 bay leaves

1. Preheat oven to 400.  Oil a roasting pan and set aside.
2. Clean all veggies well.  Slice Jerusalem artichokes into ½” rounds, and chop potatoes into small 1” pieces.  Cut all but 1” of greens from the carrots.  Peel & cut sweet potato into thick slices. 
3. Mix all veggies except brussel sprouts.  Chop 1 sprig of rosemary leaves and sprinkle on veggies.  Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt & pepper and mix well.  Spread out on oiled pan (saving the used bowl) - use 2 pans if necessary, so veggies are arranged in a single layer.  Add remaining sprigs of rosemary, bay leaves and garlic, and cover with aluminum foil.  Pierce several times with a fork.
4. Bake for 20 minutes.  Meanwhile, cut off the very bottom of the brussel sprouts, then cut them in half.  Mix them in the bowl used for the other veggies, allowing them to be coated by the remaining oil & herbs.
5. Remove foil and add the brussel sprouts.  Add remaining olive oil & salt (adding more if necessary) and bake for 20 minutes more. ***If you are cooking this as a side dish to meat, cook at the same time and add ½ cup of juices from the meat at this point.
6. Turn oven to broiler and broil on high for 2-3 minutes until gently browned.
7. Remove from oven and enjoy!