Perinet 2005 (DOCa Priorato), by Bodegas Mas Perinet (Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Garnacha). This intense, deep-red wine with fine, fruity aromas makes a delicious foil for the velvety pumpkin and the meatballs.
Pumpkin Secret with Torta del Casar Cheese and Meatballs
Preparation
Pumpkin secret
Empty out the pumpkins and discard the seeds. Cut the flesh into small pieces and set aside. Dry the pumpkin shells in the oven with a little water inside for 45 minutes at 100ºC / 212ºF and set aside.
Peel the onion and cut very finely. Sweat in a pan together with the pieces of pumpkin, the extra virgin olive oil, a little sugar and the butter. Season with salt and pepper, add the thyme and lavender flowers. Cover with water and simmer for about 30 minutes. Blend, strain and add salt to taste. Keep warm.
Just before serving, beat the cream until thick.
Meatballs
Mix all the ingredients, season with salt and pepper and form into small balls. Dip into flour and boil. Set aside.
Queso Torta del Casar
While cold, dice and set aside for adding to the cream at the last minute.
Croutons
Cut frozen slices of farmhouse bread into small cubes and sauté lightly in a non-stick pan with a little extra virgin olive oil. Set aside.
Presentation
Fill the pumpkins with the cream of pumpkin, the small meatballs (6 per person), the cheese cubes, some beaten cream, a drop of extra virgin olive oil and a little Maldon salt. Serve the croutons separately, in small containers.
Chef's Remark:
"This dish takes me back to my childhood. Pumpkin is a wonderful product and I add my personal touch with the Torta del Casar cheese served in cubes. Another option would be to leave the cheese whole and serve it in spoonfuls with the beaten cream."
1 h. 15 min.
- 4 small pumpkins
- 1 sweet onion
- 100 gr butter
- 60 ml Spanish extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 2 springs fresh thyme
- 50 ml cream
- 6 gr lavender flowers
- Water
- Maldon salt
- 250 gr chopped, lean Ibérico pork
- 150 gr chopped chicken breast
- 100 gr chopped pork belly
- 1 egg
- Garlic
- Parsley
- 10 gr salt
- 2 gr black pepper
- 1 l cup mineral water
- 120 gr PGI Torta del Casar cheese
- 120 gr toasted bread
- 4 small pumpkins
- 1 sweet onion
- 3.527 oz butter
- 2.237 fl. oz Spanish extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 2 springs fresh thyme
- 1.885 fl. oz cream
- 0.212 oz lavender flowers
- Water
- Maldon salt
- 8.818 oz chopped, lean Ibérico pork
- 5.291 oz chopped chicken breast
- 3.527 oz chopped pork belly
- 1 egg
- Garlic
- Parsley
- 0.353 oz salt
- 0.071 oz black pepper
- 1.76 pint cup mineral water
- 4.233 oz PGI Torta del Casar cheese
- 4.233 oz toasted bread
- 4 small pumpkins
- 1 sweet onion
- 0.49 cup butter
- 0.254 cup Spanish extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 2 springs fresh thyme
- 0.211 cup cream
- 0.058 cup lavender flowers
- Water
- Maldon salt
- 1.18 cup chopped, lean Ibérico pork
- 0.72 cup chopped chicken breast
- 0.49 cup chopped pork belly
- 1 egg
- Garlic
- Parsley
- 0.076 cup salt
- 0.039 cup black pepper
- 4.352 cup cup mineral water
- 0.582 cup PGI Torta del Casar cheese
- 0.582 cup toasted bread
Wine match