Zucchini Ravioli, Butternut Soup, and Pumpkin Fritters

Submitted by GodsMullet

This entry won second place in Iron Chef SA 3:Battle Squash

Sorry for the rush job near the end. Something came up at work and I had to finish everything as quickly as possible. So, yeah, the final presentation looks like utter shit, but it still tasted great (even though I had to nuke it all once I got home). Ahhh the fucking joys of having a completely retarded kitchen staff.

Butternut Squash Soup with Lobster

Ingredients:

• 1 Large Butternut Squash
• 1 small Onion
• 5 cloves Garlic
• 2 Yams
• 1 quart Chicken Stock
• 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
• 1 Lobster Tail (cooked and broken in chunks)
• 4 stalks Dill
• 3 Tbsp Olive Oil

Method

Peel the yams and squash and chop into chunks. Roughly chop the garlic and onion.

In a large stockpot, sweat the garlic and onions (add a couple drops of oil to the pan and spread it; then over low heat and covered, let the onions and garlic cook in their own juices until soft.

Add the squash, yams and stock. Simmer for about 40 minutes or until soft. Let cool for 30 minutes.

Puree the soup in a blender, adding the cream slowly, and return to a pot. Simmer until hot.

Blend the dill and oil together. Garnish with lobster and dill oil.

Seafood-stuffed Zucchini Ravioli in a Bourbon-Zucchini Sauce

I was going to make a brandy sauce, but decided bourbon would go better.

Dough:

• 1 Zucchini (finely grated)
• 2 1/2 cups Flour
• 1 cup Milk
• 1 tbsp Sugar
• Salt

Squeeze out the majority of the water from the grated zucchini.

Mix all of the ingredients together until a solid dough ball is formed. If it is too loose add some extra flour. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Knead the dough for about 8 minutes until the dough is soft and pliable. Refrigerate for another 30 min.

Cut the dough in 1/2. Take one half and punch a hole through the center so you have a doughnut. Run the dough through your hands (sort of like you are pulling on a rope), shaping it into a ring as you go. Once you get to about an inch diameter, cut the ring and cut into inch long disks.

Roll out each disk until flat.

Stuffing:

• 1/2 Onion
• 2 large Shallots
• 4 cloves Garlic
• 1 Zucchini (diced)
• 5 Baby Portabella Mushrooms (diced)
• 1/4 Cup Cilantro (chopped)
• 2 tbsp dried Chives
• 1/2 lb Crablegs
• 1/2 lb Shrimp
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp Heavy Cream
• 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
• Salt/Pepper to taste
• Olive Oil

Method

Cook off the shrimp and crab.

Peel and break the meat up into small pieces.

Saute the onions and shallots in Olive Oil until clear. Lower the heat, add the garlic and zucchini, and let them sweat for about 30 minutes or until soft. Add the mushrooms and spices and cook for about 6 minutes.

Let mixture cool and add to the seafood.

Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.

Making the Ravioli:

Here is about when work called, so everything is rushed from this point on. Spoon a small bit of stuffing onto the ravioli shell.

Fold two opposite sides up and over, and then fold the other two. Tie a piece of cilantro around the dough tops to hold them together. Steam for about 8 minutes, or until the dough is cooked.

Bourbon-Zucchini Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 Zucchini (finely grated and drained)
• 1 Shallot (thinly sliced)
• 2 cloves Garlic (diced)
• 1/2 small Onion (diced)
• 3 to 4 Baby Bella Mushrooms (sliced)
• >1/4 cup Bourbon (just enough to enhance the flavor, not overpower it)
• 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
• 2 Tbsp Chicken Base
• 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
• pinch Nutmeg

Method:

Saute off the shallots and onion and add the garlic. Once the garlic started to brown add the zucchini and saute until tender. Pour in the bourbon and flambe until the flame goes out.

Add the heavy cream and seasonings. Slowly stir in the Parmesan cheese. Lightly saute the mushrooms and top the sauce with them.

Pumpkin Fritters with Almond Icing

Batter:

• 2 1/4 cups Flour
• 2 cups Milk
• 2 Egg Yolks
• 2 Egg Whites
• 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
• 2 tbsp Baking Powder
• 2 tsp Cinnamon
• zest of Orange
• zest of Lemon
• dash Salt

Mix together everything except egg whites. Refrigerate for one hour.

Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks are formed - fold into the batter.

Fritters:

• 1 small Pumpkin
• 1/4 cup Powdered Sugar
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• zest of Orange
• zest of Lemon

Heat oil up for frying so that it's medium low (you want a low heat so you cook the pumpkin as well as brown the batter). Cut the pumpkin into small triangles.

Mix the remaining ingredients together and roll the pumpkin slices in it. Dip into the batter and deep fry until golden brown.

Almond Icing

• 1 cup Powdered Sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated Sugar
• 2 tsp orange extract
• 1/4 cup Ground Almonds
• Hot Water

Whisk all the ingredients together, slowly, adding enough hot water until a loose paste in formed.

Finally, the money shot: