Narsai David Food Reviews & Recipes: Pumpkin Corn Stir fry and Spiced Oranges

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS)— Here's some fun ideas for Thanksgiving dinner. A pumpkin and corn stir fry along with spiced oranges. Of course those pumpkins are always beautiful to look at, but who ever imagines eating them except for making a pie?

Slice the pumpkin in half and use the bottom as a bowl to serve the stir fry in. Then you bake it then you do a simple stir fry with a little butter or oil; add green onion, corn scraped from the cob, dill, salt and pepper and it really makes a neat presentation.

Be sure to scoop out some of the baked pumpkin when you're dishing out the portions. Then for the oranges, I have a simple, spiced orange recipe. First remove the zest of an orange and set it aside. That we'll use as a garnish then peel the oranges with a knife so you're cutting away the rind as well as the white connective tissue. Then make the syrup by cooking those rinds with water, sugar and some spices. Once that's done we pour the hot syrup over the peeled oranges. Let it rest overnight in the refrigerator and it's absolutely delicious.

Narsai's Pumpkin and Corn Stir Fry (serves 6-8)

1 7-8 inch pumpkin

3 TBS butter or oil

3 green onions chopped, including the green top

2-3 ears corn scraped

3 TBS chopped fresh dill

salt and red pepper flakes

Cut pumpkin in half and scoop out seeds. Bake the nicer half in a 350 oven until tender, about 30-40 minutes. Cut the remaining half in half again and reserve one piece for another time. Cut away tough outer skin on the remaining piece. Slice into 1/4 inch thick slices. Then cut the other way into pieces about 1/4" by 1/2". Heat butter or oil in a large frying pan. Add green onions, chopped pumpkin and corn and stir fry until just heated through. Add seasoning and stir well. Then spoon into the baked shell and serve at table directly out of the baked pumpkin.

Narsai's Spiced Oranges

1. Remove a few strips of orange zest with a potato peeler and set aside for garnish.

2. Cut skin and white tissue from 4 oranges.

3. Cut a cross half way through the oranges.

4. Make a syrup with:

Peelings of 2 oranges

Juice of 1 lemon

2 cups water

1 cup sugar

* 6 cloves

* 6 allspice

* 1 stick cinnamon

* 2 bay leaves

* Or substitute 1 tsp pickling spice for these assorted spices and simmer for about 45 minutes.

Note: If syrup reduces too rapidly, add a little water.

5. Strain boiling syrup over peeled oranges and cool.

6. Refrigerate overnight, or up to one week.

7. Serve in a bowl with some syrup.

8. Garnish with needle-thin threads of orange zest, and a splash of Grand Marnier.

9. OPTIONAL - Spread open the cut end of orange and decorate with a little whipped cream before sprinkling with the zest.

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