Chef and co-owner of The Splendid Spoon, Nicole Chaszar has began her journey to find her role in the food industry since she began cooking at a young age and working with her grandmother in jarring strawberry jams!
As an undergrad, she studied diet therapies as a treatment for epilepsy, which was published in Nutrition and Metabolism. While working in media, she attended the French Culinary Institue to pursue her culinary dream. Since graduating, she has spent time in locavore restaurants, as well as teaching cooking and nutrition classes at Columbia University.
Chef Nicole shares her recipe for Roasted Pumpkin Soup. “There is no better symbol for autumn,” she explains, “than the pumpkin, except, perhaps, apples. So we paired them together and added warming cinnamon, sage and a bit of chile to create a vegan soup that conjures all the goodness of fall in one spoonful. Plus, beta-carotene-packed pumpkins will keep your immune system in tip top shape to fend off the autumn sniffles.”
Roasted Pumpkin Soup
1 Medium Yellow Onion
2 cloves garlic
2 Pumpkins (ask for the English or Pie variety, may substitute with acorn squash)
3 apples (sweet variety like McIntosh or Macoun)
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided in half
1 teaspoon fresh sage, chopped
1 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch red pepper flakes
salt to taste
1.5 quarts vegetable broth (use mushroom broth for a ‘meatier’ flavor)
Method
- Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees
- Cut pumpkin in half and remove seeds (save for toasting!). Leave skin on, and cut into 3 inch chunks
- Toss pumpkin with half olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper
- Roast pumpkin for about 30 minutes or until a knife comes out easily when inserted
- Remove from oven and let cool before handling, then peel and discard skin
- Dice onion and garlic, sauté until golden in remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil
- Add sage, cinnamon and red pepper flakes to onion and garlic mixture, stir thoroughly
- Peel and core apples, then cut into 1 inch chunks and add to mixture
- Add half vegetable broth and allow to simmer, covered for 20 minutes
- Add roasted pumpkin and puree with a stick immersion blender or in batches in a blender.
- Add remaining vegetable broth as necessary to achieve a velvety smooth consistency.
Want to taste Chef Nicole Chaszar’s locavore dishes? She’ll be one of the featured businesses at Edible Escape, the annual tasting event by Edible Manhattan, on October 22, which will feature international dishes from Austria, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, and more at the Angel Orensanz Center. All ticket purchases get you an entry to win 2 tickets to the Edible Institute in NYC on May 10-11, 2014.
For more information, contact Edible Manhattan at michaela@ediblemahattan.com or 917-327-4219. For press inquiries, contact Heather Girgenti of Metro Restaurant Marketing at heather@metrorestaurantmarketing.com or 646-227-0390.
The Splendid Spoon is located at 125 Green Street, Brooklyn, New York 1211.
Hours of Delivery
Their fantastic bike courier keeps it green by pedaling soup to you on these days:
Monday — 9:30 – 12:30 (Manhattan area)
Tuesday — 7:30am – 11am (Carroll Gardens, Prospect Heights, Park Slope, Cobble Hill, Brooklyn Heights, DUMBO, Williamsburg, Greenpoint and Bushwick)
Tuesday — 5:30pm – 9pm (Manhattan evening deliveries, by special request)
