When I have the chance to travel to Santa Fe, I make a point to eat at two
restaurants. The Shed, just off the Plaza, has
the best red chili enchiladas in town. They are consistently fantastic, and the margaritas are pretty tasty
too.
The other restaurant I love is Café Pasquals. Pasqual's serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner
7 days a week. You have to have
reservations for dinner, as the dining room is small. They do offer a “family table” where you can
often get a seat without a reservation, but as “family” suggests, you are
sitting with a bunch of other people. I’ve eaten family style a couple of times and it is fun, but it is not
the same as a quiet table for two.
Last summer, we bought Cooking
with Café Pasqual’s, one of the two Pasqual’s cookbooks. I’ve made their delicious Green Chili and Pork Stew before, and
last night I tried out Sugar Pumpkins
Filled with Vegetable Stew in Chipotle Cream Sauce. It was delicious.
The sugar pumpkins are baked in a hot water bath and then
filled with a mixture of onions, carrots, celery, button mushrooms, Portobello
mushrooms, squash and corn. Once the
little pumpkins are filled, you add a delicious sauce made with heavy cream,
chipotle chilis (that is pronounced “chip-oat-lay” unless, of course, you are
Bobby Flay and it becomes a 4 syllable word…”chip-oat-a-lay” That cracks me up
every time)
There is something wonderful about eating vegetables in a
spicy cream sauce – the sauce is not too rich, and not too spicy. The pumpkin flesh is tender and you can scoop
it out and eat it with every bite.
I also think it was just about the cutest meal I have ever
eaten. I am not a bit “cute” fan, but
darn it, those little pumpkins filled with goodness were just adorable - and delicious.
Contributed by Cynthia McKenna
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