Seasonal Splendor
Sugar Pumpkin Salad with Whipped Ricotta, Toasted Seeds, and Curry Oil
Serves four
Ingredients
2 tsp. curry powder
6 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 small sugar pumpkin
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
1 c. ricotta cheese
1/4 c. heavy cream
1/2 tsp. chili flakes
1 head frisée lettuce, root end removed, leaves washed
2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Toast curry powder in a small, dry sauté pan until fragrant. Add 3 tablespoons of oil and heat until warmed. Let curried oil sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour, and refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use. Mix well before serving.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil.
3. Trim the top and bottom off the pumpkin and peel with a vegetable peeler. Cut pumpkin in half from top to bottom and remove and save the seeds. Rinse off seeds and let dry on paper towels. Cut each half of the pumpkin into thirds, and then into half-inch chunks. Toss pumpkin with 2 tablespoons of oil and place on the prepared baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until soft enough to pierce with a skewer but not mushy. Let cool.
4. In a small saucepan, melt the butter and pour into a small bowl. Toss butter with pumpkin seeds and cardamom. Place the mixture on another foil-lined baking sheet; bake for 10 minutes.
5. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine ricotta, cream, chili flakes, and salt and pepper to taste, and mix for 20 seconds (or, if using a wooden spoon, for 1 minute). The mixture should be light and creamy.
6. Spread ricotta on individual serving plates in a thin layer. Place a few pieces of pumpkin on top of the ricotta. Toss frisée with the remaining tablespoon of oil and lemon juice, and put a small tuft on top of the pumpkin. Sprinkle toasted seeds over frisée and drizzle curry oil atop the salad. Serve at once.