This season, between Thanksgiving and Christmas, the creative food on offer in Louisville restaurants and at holiday parties is some of the best you’ll find all year. Local favorite The North End Café, with its two locations, carries the focus on local produce and fresh ingredients from its Simpsonville garden from summer through autumn and winter with creations like this spicy comfort food – a pumpkin soup with pepper accents and festive tart cranberries. It all comes together quickly, once you’ve prepped your ingredients, for a hearty main dish or paired with a grilled cheese sandwich to dip.
If this has you salivating for a trip to The North End Café, the restaurant currently has a wonderful Groupon on offer, for tapas, entrees and desserts for two or four diners. You may want to check it out.
For Pumpkin-Jalapeno Soup
2 TBSP butter
2 ribs celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 TBSP chili powder
4 jalapenos, deseeded and chopped
1 TBSP smoked paprika
Pinch of ground cloves, pinch of ground nutmeg, pinch of brown sugar or splash of maple syrup
1 TBSP Chalula or hot sauce of choice
1 can cooked pumpkin (28 oz)
4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
2 cups heavy cream
2 tsp salt/ 1/2 tsp black pepper
Saute celery, onion, garlic and jalapeno in butter until soft. Add chili powder, paprika, cloves, nutmeg and salt and pepper. Add pumpkin puree and stock. Stir in cream and pinch of brown sugar or maple syrup. Cool, then puree in blender. Reheat, adjust seasonings to taste. Garnish with cranberry, chili relish and chili powder.
For Chili-Cranberry Relish
2 cups dried cranberries, soak in 1 cup water for 15 minutes, drain water and pulse in food processor till minced
1/4 cup diced red onion
2 TBSP chili powder
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Combine all, use as garnish for soup.
Photo: North End Cafe
